Showing newest 22 of 73 posts from July 2008. Show older posts
Showing newest 22 of 73 posts from July 2008. Show older posts

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Mobilizing for 10/10: Boston Events

***Please forward***

Help Jericho Boston Mobilize for 10/10

On October 10, 2008 there will be a national mobilization in
New York City calling for amnesty and freedom for all US-held political
prisoners and prisoners of war. 10/10 will mark the 10th anniversary of
the Jericho '98 march in Washington, DC. Like Jericho ’98, the aim of
10/10 is not just to get people out to the march, but to gather folks
together to build a lasting relationship and strategize on how to get our
political prisoners and prisoners of war free, and to continue their and
our struggle for justice and freedom.


Jericho Boston will be holding a series of local events leading up to
10/10 to help build a strong contingent from our area. Please plan to
attend, get involved, and get out the word to others.


To download flyers for 10/10 and the following events, go to

https://lists.riseup.net/www/d_read/jericho_boston_announce/



Our next planning meeting will be


Thursday August 7, 2008


7:00pm


At the Codman Square Tech Center

450 Washington Street

Dorchester.


We will have pizza and refreshments!!


***********


1) Friday, August 22, 7:00 pm


Celebrate Black August with Jericho
Boston and Through Barbed Wire


Special 4th Friday Film Showing


“Eyes of the Rainbow” Assata Shakur and Oya


"Eyes of the Rainbow" deals with the life of Assata Shakur, the
Black Panther and Black Liberation Army leader who escaped from prison
and was given political asylum in Cuba, where she has lived for close to
15 years. In it we visit with Assata in Havana and she tells us about her
history and her life in Cuba and more…


After film, discussion lead by:

Kazi Toure

Former Political Prisoner

Co-chair of Jericho National


Special Performance by PRESENTE!


Friday, August 22

Community Church of Boston

565 Boylston Street

7:00-10:00pm

For more info call: 617-830-0732


***********

2) Saturday, August 30, 5:00pm


Celebrate Black August with Jericho Boston

featuring Askia Toure and Riders Against the Storm

Save the Date!

Saturday, August 30

Location to be annnounced

5:00- 9:00 pm

For more info call: 617-830-0732


***********






3) Sunday, September 14th, 9:00AM


RUNNING DOWN THE WALLS 5K FUNDRAISER FOR
POLITICAL PRISONERS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 9AM



On September 14th, folks from all over will come together in the spirit
of fitness and social justice. People inside and outside the prison walls
will be taking part in Running Down the Walls, a 5k to raise funds for
10/10, a national mobilization calling for freedom for U.S.-held
political prisoners and prisoners of war. Our goal is to raise $2,000, as
well as raise consciousness and mobilize our communities to liberate
these Freedom Fighters.


Please come down to Jamaica Pond on Sunday 9/14 at 9am, where we will be
getting in shape together and providing much needed resources for our
comrades. Snacks and water will be provided to all participants. Please
bring something to share for lunch!


Jamaica Pond is located on the Jamaica Way in Jamaica Plain.

Take the Orange line to Green St., Green line to Heath St. or the 39 bus.
Call Jericho Boston for more detailed directions.

JERICHO-BOSTON

P.O. Box 301057, Boston, MA 02130 – (617)830-0732 –
jerichoboston.org




Notes from the 7/29/08 Rhineland Arraignment, Federal Court, Madison, WI

from comrades in Madison who attended:

Before U.S. Magistrate Judge: Stephen Crocker

Marshalls asked all audience members to sit in the second row (not first row). Audience included some of Aaron Ellringer’s coworkers from Eau Claire and a few Madison activists.

Defense attorneys present:
Michael Lieberman for Aaron Ellringer
Michael Lieberman
Federal Defender Services of Wisconsin, Inc.
222 West Washington Ave.
Suite 300
Madison, WI 53703
608-260-9900
608-260-9901 (fax)
michael_lieberman@fd.org

Mark Maciolek for Katherine Christianson (brought to WI from NM)
Mark Maciolek
Samuel Phillip Law Offices, LLC
22 North Carroll St. #313
Madison, WI 53703
608-661-8509
608-661-8507 (fax)
mark@mnm-law.com

Reed Cornea for Bryan River (not present, still being held in custody in
Washington state, coming to WI?)
Reed Cornia
Cornia Law, LLC
1213 North Sherman Avenue
P.O. Box 354
Madison, WI 53704
(608- 242-0096
(608- 242-0098 (fax)
reedcornia@cornialaw.com

Federal Prosecutor:
Meredith P Duchemin
United States Attorney’s Office
660 West Washington Avenue, #303
Madison, WI 53703
608-264-5158
608-264-5054 (fax)
Meredith.Duchemin@USDOJ.gov

Grand Jury charges read - two counts:
First count under title 18, sec. 371, carries penalty of 5 years, $250,000 fine
Second count under title 18, sec. 2 & 1361, carries penalty of 10 years, $250,000 fine

Aaron Ellringer and Katherine Christianson both pled not guilty to charges.

Likely to go before Judge Crabb (note: Judge Crabb also dealt with the arrests of 29 anti-Crandon Mine protesters from the EF! Round River rendezvous back in 1997… we can get more info on the judge’s behavior in that case) Back up option is Judge Moody, though that is unlikely since Moody is
not really doing criminal cases right now.

Much discussion about release conditions for defendants between defense, prosecution, and the judge.

Judge pushed for no travel restrictions - Aaron Ellringer needs to go to CO to help his parents move back to WI. Both Aaron Ellringer and Katherine Chistianson surrendered their passports.

Judge Crocker explained in detail the “notice of penalties/sanctions” on the second last page of the release order. This includes threat of additional criminal charges if the defendants:
1.)fail to appear in court
2.)engage in obstruction of justice - specifically destroying evidence and/or tampering with witnesses
3.)being charged with any other criminal offense while this case is underway
The federal prosecutor Duchemin, expressed concern about defendants’ tampering with witnesses… Also, the prosecutor expected that some evidence would be challenged by the defense, specifically some confession (???)

More discussion about time table for pre trial hearings. Federal prosecutor. Duchemin, predicts case will take two days. Judge Crocker reluctant to push case back into early 2009, wants to deal with it this fall - in conjunction with Pineta case (??? - not sure what this is, another grand jury indictment? Case 100 somehow related to Case 105? - apparently, DA Maciolek is involved in this other case, as well… need to talk to him!)

Tentative pre-trial evidentiary hearing to deal with meritorious motions, etc. set for Oct. 8th 10:30 am

Tentative final hearing set for Nov. 14th 10:30 am

Briefly spoke with Aaron Ellringer and DA Maciolek afterward to tell them that we are available for any help – such as turning people out for the hearings and/or generating letters to the judge if those are useful at any point.

We are also starting to collect legal defense funds for this case through:
Madison GDC
P.O. Box 2442
Madison, WI 53701
(which has already sent some $$$ for the Marie Mason Green Scare case in OH). A legal defense fundraiser is already being organized in northern WI by friends of Aaron Ellringer. Since he is also a
Wobbly, we will be contacting other IWW branches for their support.

New update on Daniel McGowan

From:    "Family + Friends of Daniel McG" <friendsofdanielmcg@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, July 31, 2008

Hi friends,

A lot has been going on over the last few weeks with Daniel and this is
our attempt to catch everyone up. Daniel was in the process of
transferring to another federal facility when he was subpoenaed to a grand
jury in Madison, Wisconsin. He went from Columbia County Jail in Portage,
Wisconsin to Dane County Jail in Madison and then later back to Portage,
all during the period of June 11 - July 24.

Daniel appeared before the grand jury in Madison twice during this time.
He did not in fact "resist" the grand jury since he did answer questions
about himself - his name, his charges, if statements about himself and his
actions in his plea agreement were correct - but when the government
asked that he confirm the names of others they were intending to indict in
connection with the actions, Daniel did not respond to this. He cited his
own plea agreement with the government from his case and said that having
to discuss other's actions was in violation of this agreement. He was
later brought back into court and was given a chance to purge (answer the
question he did not answer) and again refused to do so. The court charged
him with civil contempt because of this. He was held in contempt for
around a week, which for him meant that that time did not count towards
his existing sentence.

Last Monday, July 21st, the government filed a motion to lift the civil
contempt. The US Attorney (gov't) moved to dismiss the contempt order
after indicting two to three others and after the statute of limitation
had expired with respect to crimes committed in Wisconsin. At that point,
Daniel could be of no help to the government even had he been inclined to
do so, which he was not. The judge signed signed the order releasing
Daniel from contempt on July 23rd.

We have learned that Daniel has been designated to a special unit in the
federal prison in Marion, Illinois. He is currently still at FCI Terre
Haute in Indiana but we are under the assumption he will be moving within
the next week or so. We will provide more information on this as it comes.

Please continue to write to Daniel along his route. You can reach him now at:

Daniel McGowan #63794-053
FCI Terre Haute
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 33
Terre Haute, IN 47808

Thanks so much,
Family & Friends of Daniel McGowan


-------------------------------------------------------------------
Support Daniel McGowan: http://www.supportdaniel.org
Daniel on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/danielmcgowan

Family and Friends of Daniel McGowan
PO Box 106, NY, NY 10156
friendsofdanielmcg@yahoo.com

Donations:checks or money orders can be made out to "Lisa McGowan" and
sent to the above PO Box or online at http://tinyurl.com/8blde

Latest news on Dan Amos and Bryan Rivera

Urgent ELP! Bulletin (31st of July 2008)

Dear friends

Following yesterdays news of animal rights activists, Dan Amos, Nat Avery and Greg Avery, all pleading guilty to "conspiracy to blackmail" (the charges related to their campaigning against Huntingdon Life Sciences), Dan has been placed in HMP Exeter.

Please send urgent letters of support to:

Dan Amos VN7818
HMP Exeter
30 New North Road
Exeter
Devon
EX4 4EX
England

Nat and Greg's prison addresses remain the same and are:

Gregg Avery (TA7450)
HMP Winchester
Romsey Road
Winchester
SO22 5DF
England

Natasha Avery (NR8987)
HMP Bronzefield
Woodthorpe Road
Ashford, Middx
TW15 3JZ

Also, don't forget their co-defendant, Heather, who is remains on remand pending her trial.

Heather Nicholson (VM4859)

HMP Bronzefield

Woodthorpe Road

Ashford, Middx

TW15 3JZ

England

Moving away from British news and turning to America, ELP has learnt that Katherine Christianson and Aaron Ellringer, who have both been accused of ELF actions, appeared in court on Tuesday the 29th of July, where they both pleaded not guilty and were released on bail. Their co-defendent Bryan Rivera aka Bryan Lefey remains imprisoned.

Please send letters of support to:

Bryan Lefey #38664-086
FDC SeaTac
Federal Detention Center
P.O. Box 13900
Seattle, WA 98198

USA

Below is another mainstream media article about the case.


http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/524587.html

Olympia man faces charges of vandalism

Olympian News Services • Published July 30, 2008

Bryan Rivera of Olympia and two others were indicted Tuesday in Madison, Wis., for allegedly attacking a federal forestry research station in northern Wisconsin in 2000.

The attack on the U.S. Forest Service facility in Rhinelander was on a long-running research project aimed at improving the health of trees and left numerous government vehicles vandalized. A recently unsealed indictment says members of the Earth Liberation Front and Earth First carried out the attack because they believed — erroneously — that scientists were performing a genetic research project on trees. Both groups, which have used arson and vandalism in protests, view that research as damaging to the environment, prosecutors said.

Rivera; Katherine Christianson of Santa Fe, N.M.; and Aaron Ellringer of Eau Claire, Wis., were charged with conspiring to damage government property and damaging government property. They face up to 15 years in prison each if convicted.

Prosecutors said Rivera, Christianson and two others used saws to cut down trees and spray paint and etching cream to vandalize Forest Service vehicles with ELF references.

Ellringer was their driver, prosecutors said.

Tom Schmidt, a Forest Service official in St. Paul, Minn., who oversees the Rhinelander station, said the effects went far beyond the $500,000 in physical damage in the indictment.

He said the attack was a blow to a research project designed to make certain species of trees grow faster and healthier to improve their efficiency as an energy source.

Rivera worked at Fish Tale Brew Pub in Olympia as a server. The manager there said Rivera was well-liked by co-workers and was a reliable worker, so they were surprised by his arrest, although they did know him as Bryan LeFey. The owner of the property where he lived also said he was a man of integrity. Guns were confiscated during the arrest, but the property owner has said they were his.

The project, which since has resumed, does not involve genetic research and instead uses traditional plant-breeding techniques, Schmidt said.

Rivera and Christianson met at an Earth First conference in Tennessee and started planning the attack.

The FBI arrested Rivera, a 31-year-old man also known as "Brian Lefey" and "Rat Dog," last week in Olympia. He is expected to be transferred to Madison to make his initial appearance in federal court next month.

Christianson, 27, and Ellringer, 35, made their initial court appearances Tuesday. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Crocker ordered their release pending trial, scheduled for Dec. 1.

Lawyers for the three did not return phone messages Tuesday.

Schmidt said the attack prompted the Forest Service to improve security at Rhinelander. He said the research there is at the forefront of helping solve the U.S. energy crisis.

"We took a blow to the belly and kept on going forward," Schmidt said. "We're just pleased that it appears justice will be served."

+++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

OKC Visiting Rod Coronado

From:    "Support for Rod Coronado" <info@supportrod.org>
Date: Tue, July 29, 2008


Good News! We, Maya and I, begin our journey to visit Rod tomorrow! We
leave very early and arrive in Oklahoma just in time to get the 103 degree
weather at its peak! Humidity at its best! Really, I do like the
heaviness of humid air. The last time I was in such a hot, humid place it
felt like I got hit in the head with a wet towel.
I have a four day visit with Rod, if all goes well. I am always hesitant
to assume that anything will go how it's "supposed" to in regards to the
prison. From experience, there is always a glitch in the system, or I
guess really the system is a glitch in itself... designed that way.
The next week will be intense, full of laughter and tears, games between a
daddy and his little girl that have been put on pause for 3 months, and
dreams rekindled and expanded..... I am so glad to be beginning this
journey, and also appreciative of the last trip to see Rod. I am much
more comfortable bringing Maya knowing what to expect from both the prison
and the area.
Please keep us in your hearts, and know ours are (hopefully) full of all
of the feelings families should be able to experience!
I also want to send out some extra love for those who are suffering due to
loss of family members, loss of economic means to survive, and all Earths
creatures who are struggling against Empire.
Keep your hearts strong!
Chrysta

The following physical address is associated with this mailing list:

PO Box 732
Tucson, Arizona 85702

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Olympia man faces charges of vandalism

Olympian News Services • Published July 30, 2008

Bryan Rivera of Olympia and two others were indicted Tuesday in
Madison, Wis., for allegedly attacking a federal forestry research
station in northern Wisconsin in 2000.

The attack on the U.S. Forest Service facility in Rhinelander was on
a long-running research project aimed at improving the health of
trees and left numerous government vehicles vandalized. A recently
unsealed indictment says members of the Earth Liberation Front and
Earth First carried out the attack because they believed —
erroneously — that scientists were performing a genetic research
project on trees. Both groups, which have used arson and vandalism in
protests, view that research as damaging to the environment,
prosecutors said.

Rivera; Katherine Christianson of Santa Fe, N.M.; and Aaron Ellringer
of Eau Claire, Wis., were charged with conspiring to damage
government property and damaging government property. They face up to
15 years in prison each if convicted.

Prosecutors said Rivera, Christianson and two others used saws to cut
down trees and spray paint and etching cream to vandalize Forest
Service vehicles with ELF references.

Ellringer was their driver, prosecutors said.

Tom Schmidt, a Forest Service official in St. Paul, Minn., who
oversees the Rhinelander station, said the effects went far beyond
the $500,000 in physical damage in the indictment.

He said the attack was a blow to a research project designed to make
certain species of trees grow faster and healthier to improve their
efficiency as an energy source.

Rivera worked at Fish Tale Brew Pub in Olympia as a server. The
manager there said Rivera was well-liked by co-workers and was a
reliable worker, so they were surprised by his arrest, although they
did know him as Bryan LeFey. The owner of the property where he lived
also said he was a man of integrity. Guns were confiscated during the
arrest, but the property owner has said they were his.

The project, which since has resumed, does not involve genetic
research and instead uses traditional plant-breeding techniques,
Schmidt said.

Rivera and Christianson met at an Earth First conference in Tennessee
and started planning the attack.

The FBI arrested Rivera, a 31-year-old man also known as "Brian
Lefey" and "Rat Dog," last week in Olympia. He is expected to be
transferred to Madison to make his initial appearance in federal
court next month.

Christianson, 27, and Ellringer, 35, made their initial court
appearances Tuesday. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Crocker ordered
their release pending trial, scheduled for Dec. 1.

Lawyers for the three did not return phone messages Tuesday.

Schmidt said the attack prompted the Forest Service to improve
security at Rhinelander. He said the research there is at the
forefront of helping solve the U.S. energy crisis.

"We took a blow to the belly and kept on going forward," Schmidt
said. "We're just pleased that it appears justice will be served."

New British SHAC prisoner

ELP Information Bulletin (30th July 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has just learnt that today British SHAC activist Dan Amos was remanded into custody after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail charges. he charges related to him campaigning against Huntingdon Life Sciences.

We understand that Dan is spending the night in a police cell in Hampshire as, due to prison over crowding there is no space for him in any of the local prisons! (As someone who has had the "joy" of an overnight stay in a Hampshire police cell I can assure you its not a comfortable experience)

As soon as ELP has a prison address for Dan we will let people know. But we strongly encourage everyone to check out the British Vegan Prisoners Support Group website www.vpsg.org as the chances are Dan's prison address will appear on that website first!

Besides Dan, two others have also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail. They are Natasha Avery and Greg Avery. Both Nat and Greg are already in custody.

Stay tuned for more news on Dan, Nat and Greg as we get it.

+++++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

American sentenced for bomb hoax

ELP Information Bulletin (30th July 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has just learnt that an American, who bombhoaxed a university if they didn't release their lab animals, has been sentenced to 15 months inside. At the moment we do not have an address for the American, but below is a mainstream media article about the man.


http://www.10news.com/news/17018382/detail.html

Ex-UCSD Worker Sentenced For Bomb Hoax

SAN DIEGO -- A former temporary worker at the University of California, San
Diego, who made bogus threats to blow up buildings on campus if research
animals weren't released, was sentenced Monday to 15 months in federal
prison and ordered to pay $10,419 in restitution.

Richard Sills, who pleaded guilty March 11 to one count of making threats
involving animal enterprises, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Larry
Burns.

The 55-year-old La Jolla resident admitted making two phone calls and
sending a letter to the university claiming there was a bomb on campus last
Dec. 5. A bogus device was found that morning at the Leichtag Family
Foundation Biomedical Research Building, where Sills was a temporary
employee at the time.

According to the indictment, Sills said in the second call, "Take this very
seriously. There is a bomb in the Leichtag Building. Take this very
seriously."

Sills also sent a letter to the UCSD Police Department stating that the
Animal Liberation Front would detonate remote-controlled explosive devices
the activist group had placed in six campus buildings unless animals from
campus research facilities were released, according to court papers.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Mazza said Sills' sentence was on the low end
of the agreed-upon federal sentencing guidelines because it did not appear
he was affiliated with the Animal Liberation Front.

"It (the bomb threat) was his form of _expression against testing on
animals," the prosecutor said.

+++++++++++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Postponement of Cookout

Folks,

Due to scheduling conflicts with our bus company, the ProLibertad Freedom Cookout has been postponed from August 2nd to a later date. ProLibertad apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. We will be emailing you all again with the possible new date.


The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Updated 7/29: Free the Cuban 5 Month Calendar

ENDORSE THE FREE THE CUBAN 5 MONTH!

Initial Endorsers:

  • The Popular Education Project to free the Cuban 5
  • EL Frente Socialista-Comite de NYC
  • International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5
  • Al-Awda Right to Return
  • The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement
  • Brigada Vilma Guillois Espin
  • The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign
  • New York Anarchist Black Cross Federation
  • The Philadelphia Cuba Solidarity Coalition
  • Nicaragua Solidarity Committee Chicago
  • The Cuba Solidarity Committee in Houston
  • Puerto Rican Alliance Of Los Angeles
  • Radical Women
  • Freedom Socialist Party
  • The Venceremos Brigade
  • December 12th Movement
  • The Orange County KPFK Support Group
  • International Action Center
  • Troops Out Now Coalition
  • Worker’s World Party
  • MarVellAlliance
  • Fuerza de la Revolucion
  • NYC Jericho Movement
  • Cuba Solidarity New York
  • Peace and Freedom Party

To organizations and Individuals who believe in the Freedom of the Cuban 5,

In 2006, Ricardo Alarcon, President of the Cuban National Assembly, declared the period of time between September 12-October 8 to be a time to raise awareness around the Cuban 5. Here in NYC The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5 extends this time to October 12; in order for it to be a full month of events and to include a commemoration of the assassination of Ernest “Che” Guevara. We refer to this period of time as the “Free the Cuban 5 Month!”

September 12th is the tenth anniversary of the arrest of the Cuban 5 and the Project wants to create a calendar full of events throughout the city, nationally and internationally! Motivated by the negative and unjust decision of the 11th Circuit Appeals, the Project feels it is time to double our efforts to educate about the case of the Cuban 5 and to garner more support on their behalf.

The Project would like to organize Cuban 5 events in NYC communities that have not had them before. We want to broaden this movement and build Solidarity for the Cuban 5 in as many communities as possible.

The Project is asking organizations and individuals to organize forums, letter writing nights, film screenings, conversations, or fund-raisers for the Cuban 5. The Project will help by providing speakers, films, literature and promotion!

If you are interested in endorsing the Free the Cuban 5 Month AND ORGANIZING AN EVENT, please email us at freethecuban5@gmail.com

So far this is the Calendar events:

Sat. September 13-All out to Washington DC! 10th anniversary of the arrest of the Cuban 5! Demonstration for the Cuban 5! More information will be published soon!

Tues. Sept. 16th-LETTER WRITING NIGHT IN BROOKLYN with the New York Anarchist Black Cross Federation, details TBA…

Fri. Sept. 26-El Barrio for the Cuban 5 event at Cemi Underground

Sun. Sept. 28th-Poetry/cultural Event at Sista’s Place with the December 12th Movement TBA

Fri. Oct 3-Venceremos Brigade Report back from Cuba TBA

Wed. Oct. 8-Concert for the Cuban 5 in Durham, NC 119 West St. Durham, NC at 9pm

Fri. October 10- 10th Anniversary Jericho March in NYC for all Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War in New York City!! Check the Jericho Website: www.jerichony.org

Sat. Nov. 1st-Cuban 5 event with the Radical Women at Freedom Hall in Harlem

For more information on FREE THE CUBAN 5 MONTH consult The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5 website: www.freethecuban5.com

Monday, July 28, 2008

Puerto Rican Independentistas protest against Grand Jury subpoenas

From:    "Political Prisoner News" <ppnews@freedomarchives.org>
Date: Mon, July 28, 2008

English translation follows Spanish

Protestan los independentistas contra citaciones al Gran Jurado
Dos boricuas tendrían que comparecer en caso contra los Macheteros.
Por Eugenio Hopgood / ehopgood@elnuevodia.com
28 julio 2008

http://www.elnuevodia.com/diario/noticia/puertoricohoy/noticias/protestan_los_independentistas_contra_citaciones_al_gran_jurado/436270

Simpatizantes de varias organizaciones
independentistas y socialistas protestaron anoche
en una vigilia frente al Tribunal Federal en Hato
Rey, contra las citaciones a comparecer ante un Gran Jurado federal.

Estas fueron expedidas a dos puertorriqueños en
Nueva York, como parte de la investigación
federal contra la organización clandestina
independentista Ejército Popular Boricua-Macheteros.

Ramón Díaz, uno de los portavoces, dijo que la
actividad convocada por la Mesa de Solidaridad
Contra la Represión se lleva cabo en la víspera
de una vista judicial que tendrá lugar hoy en
Brooklyn, Nueva York, en torno a las citaciones
para obligar a comparecer ante el gran jurado a
la artista gráfica Tania Frontera y al trabajador social Christopher Torres.

Díaz explicó que las citaciones contra Frontera y
Torres se han pospuesto debido a que hay una
moción pendiente que solicita que éstas se dejen sin efecto.

Los abogados de los independentistas citados
solicitaron en su moción que la Fiscalía revele
si las citaciones se basan en intercepciones
electrónicas para cuestionar la legalidad de
éstas. La Fiscalía indicó que tenía que discutir
ese punto en una vista confidencial sin acceso de
público o de prensa, dijo Díaz.

Hoy, los fiscales intentarán convencer a la juez
que atiende el caso de que es necesario que las
evidencias que justifiquen la citaciones se
ventilen en secreto, pero también se podría
decidir en el acto que se supriman las citaciones.

La moción para dejar sin efecto las citaciones
también alega que el gran jurado "ha sido
utilizado históricamente como instrumento de la
fiscalía federal para perseguir activistas
políticos y particularmente contra los
independentistas puertorriqueños", dijo Díaz.

"El asunto es que tan pronto como mañana (hoy)
Puerto Rico podría tener dos nuevos presos
políticos porque ya estos dos puertorriqueños han
dicho que no van a colaborar con el gran jurado",
sostuvo Díaz, un planificador miembro de La Nueva
Escuela, una entidad independentista que actúa en la región oeste.

Entre las organizaciones que forman parte de la
Mesa de Solidaridad contra la Represión están el
Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño (PIP) el
Movimiento Independentiusta Nacional Hostosiano
(MINH), el Frente Socialista, el Comité de
Derechos Humanos, el Partido Nacionalista, la
Nueva Escuela y Madres contra la Guerra, entre otros.
Díaz dijo que Julio Pabón, de Nueva York, uno de
los puertorriqueños originalmente citados,
compareció ante el gran jurado, no así Frontera y Torres.

Frontera, de 35 años, es hija de un asesor
legislativo de la senadora María de Lourdes
Santiago, el licenciado Carlos Frontera. Torres
es un puertoriqueño oriundo de Nueva York. Ambos
son representados por los abogados Susan
Tipograph y Martin Stolar, del National Lawyers Guild.

Eliott Montverde también ha sido citado por este gran jurado.

Las citaciones para comparecer ante el Gran
Jurado incluso provocaron una llamada del
congresista boricua de Nueva York, José Serrano,
al jefe del FBI, Robert Mueller, en la cual le
manifestó que los casos aparentaban ser el
reinicio del hostigamiento federal contra los independentistas.
******************************************************************************
Independentistas protest against Grand Jury subpoenas
Two Puerto Ricans would have to appear in case against The Macheteros
By Eugenio Hopgood / ehopgood@elnuevodia.com
July 28, 2008

http://www.elnuevodia.com/diario/noticia/puertoricohoy/noticias/protestan_los_independentistas_contra_citaciones_al_gran_jurado/436270

Sympathizers from various indepednentista and
socialist organizations protested last night in a
vigil in front of the Federal Court in Hato Rey,
against the subpoenas to appear before a federal Grand Jury.

They were issued to two Puerto Ricans in New
York, as part of the federal investigation of the
clandestine independence organization Boricua Popular Army– Macheteros.

Ramón Díaz, one of the spokespeople, said that
the activity convened by the Table of Solidarity
Against Repression took place on the eve of a
judicial hearing that will take place today in
Brooklyn, New York, concerning the subpoenas
obligating the grand jury appearance of graphic
artist Tania Frontera and social worker Christopher Torres.

Díaz explained that the subpoenas of Frontera and
Torres had been postponed due to a pending motion to quash.

Attorneys for the subpoenaed independentistas
sought in their motion for the prosecution to
reveal whether the subpoenas are based on
electronic surveillance, to question the legality
of such surveillance. The U.S. Attorney said that
it had to discuss this matter in a secret
hearing, at which the public and the press would be excluded, said Díaz.

Today, the prosecution will try to convince the
judge who hears the case that she should hold a
sealed, secret hearing about what evidence
warrants the subpoenas. Today at the hearing, the
motion to quash the subpoenas could also be decided.

The motion to quash the subpoenas also alleges
that the grand jury “has historically been used
as a tool of the federal prosecution to persecute
political activists and particularly Puerto Rican
independentistas,” said Díaz.

“The issue is that as early as tomorrow (today),
Puerto Rico could have two new political
prisoners, because these two Puerto Ricans have
already said they are not going to collaborate
with the Grand Jury,”maintained Díaz, a founding
member of The New School, an independentista
organization active in the western part of the island.

Among the organizations that form the Table of
Solidarity Against Repression are the Puerto
Rican Independence Party (PIP), the National
Hostos Independence Movement (MINH), the
Socialist Front, the Human Rights Committee, the
Nationalist Party, The New School, and Mothers Against the War, among others.

Díaz said that Julio Pabón, of New York, one of
the Puerto Ricans originally subpoenaed, appeared
before the grand jury, while Frontera and Torres have not.

Frontera, 35 years old, is the daughter of
attorney Carlos Frontera, a legislative advisor
of senator María de Lourdes Santiago. Torres is a
Puerto Rican from New York. Both are represented
by attorneys Susan Tipograph y Martin Stolar, of the National Lawyers Guild.

Elliott Monteverde has also been subpoenaed to this grand jury.

The subpoenas to appear before the Grand Jury
provoked the Puerto Rican congressman from New
York, José Serrano, to make a phone call to FBI
chief Robert Mueller, during which Serrano stated
that these cases appear to be the reinitiation of
federal harassment of independentistas.




Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org Questions and comments may be sent to
claude@freedomarchives.org

Court today in Brooklyn grand jury subpoenas of Puerto Rican independentistas

From:    "Political Prisoner News" <ppnews@freedomarchives.org>
Date: Mon, July 28, 2008
Report: July 28, 2008 court date
on Tania Frontera & Christopher Torres grand jury subpoenas

Motion to intervene
Judge Carol Amon said she first wanted to address the Motion to Intervene, as she had already determined that this could be discussed publicly. The National Boricua Human Rights Network and the Comite Pro Derechos Humanos de Puerto Rico, represented by National Lawyers Guild lawyers Alan Levine and Jeffrey Rothman, had filed a Motion to Intervene in the Motion to Quash filed by Tania and Christopher's attorneys. The judge denied the motion, concluding that the two organizations had not made out a sufficiently concrete injury directly related to the subpoenas. The judge did say that she would consider the intervention papers as if they were an amicus brief as to the motion to quash. She also said that in the event that the grand jury asks Tania and Christopher questions about political activities or associations, the intervenors could renew their motion.

Motion to Quash
Tania and Christopher's attorneys, National Lawyers Guild lawyers Martin Stolar, Susan Tipograph, and David Brankin,, had filed a Motion to Quash the subpoenas, asking the court to require the government to show that the grand jury was conducting a legitimate criminal inquiry and not a political witchhunt against the Puerto Rican i ndependence movement. The judge denied the motion, ruling they had not shown sufficient infringement on their associational rights for her to order the government to reveal the nature of the grand jury investigation.

Electronic Surveillance
Tania and Christopher's attorneys had also asked the court to require the government to show that the grand jury and its questions were not based on illegal electronic surveillance. The judge said she did not think they had made a colorable claim that would require a more detailed response from the government, but said that the better practice would be for the government to have one of the agents with knowledge of the investigation submit an affidavit addressing this issue, and ordered the government to do so within 10 days.

Secrecy
The government had asked the court to file all documents, except those related to intervention, under seal, and to conduct all hearings in chambers and closed to the public. The judge ruled that, while the papers must remain sealed, the proceedings could take place in open court, since she planned to say nothing that would violate the rule requiring that grand jury matters remain sealed. She also allowed unsealing the sealed papers to the extent that the parties can agree to the redactions.

What happens next
There was no date set for the next court appearance.


Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org

Update on John Bowden


The following e-mail was received from brightonabc@yahoo.co.uk

Lifer and long term prison rebel John Bowden, who absconded from Open Prison whilst on home leave, was recaptured on 6/6/08. After 3 weeks on the run the Police discovered JB hiding on a farm on the outskirts of Glasgow. He now languishes back in maximum security conditions in HMP Glenochil in need of support and solidarity.

The incident at the farm quickly escalated into a tense siege situation, with armed anti-terror Police, who were acting on a tip off from an informant, ringing the perimeter. It was at this point that John feared that this was a scene the cops would be only too happy for him not to walk out of alive. However with the intervention of a sympathetic journalist a line of communication was opened and the siege ended peacefully after 7 hours, with John and another person arrested.

The Scottish media had from the outset portrayed John's being-at-large with predictably sensational headlines ( 'Mad Axeman on the loose', etc...) when in reality he had been on home leave once a month for the past 12 months and on the long road to eventual release. The day he was recaptured reads like a Western stand-off between the sheriff's deputies and a bunch of desperados rather than the Police taking an absconder from an open prison back into custody.

John was convicted for a murder he describes as stupid and a terrible mistake, has spent his entire adult life in prison. Politicised by his incarceration he's regularly payed the price for his resistance through long periods of isolation, brutal beatings and treatment amounting to torture. He has never been broken and is one of the UK's most articulate and vociferous prison writers and a powerful advocate of prisoners rights.

Throughout his 25 years imprisonment, John has suffered constant harassment and brutality at the hands of the system. As someone who is not prepared to compromise his beliefs, this has served to mark him out for special attention. In May 2007 the Scottish Prison and Probation Service were involved in a clumsy attempt to prevent his parole by framing him (and smearing the ABC prisoner support network) with accusations that the ABC was involved in terrorism and that JB was therefore associating with terrorists! This all spectacularly backfired, with the SPS issuing a full apology. However it was successful in preventing his parole then and cost him a transfer back to closed conditions for 6 months.

In Britain life sentence prisoners are in the hands of the Parole Board who can stretch a prisoner's term to suit their prejudices. Not having a fixed date to work towards is a form of torture in itself. As John said in a recent letter received after his 'apprehension' "Yes it's very depressing being dependent on faceless bureaucrats for some hope of release, especially when you know they possess not a shred of compassion or humanity and certainly no sense of fair play or justice. Being locked up in jail on a long sentence is horrendous enough, but for most long-term prisoners the certainty of a release date at least provides them with a definite hope of release, a cut off point when the hardship and suffering will end and they'll regain their freedom. For those serving life there never is any definite hope of release, just this constant, seemingly endless passage of jail time measured not in the passing of days, weeks, months and years, but in the physical ageing of oneself and the hardening of ones heart in the face of constant parole knock backs and dashed hopes. It definitely requires a particular type of strength to retain one's sanity and humanity in such circumstances, and of course the cruel irony is that those who survive with dignity, courage and grace are usually considered the least suitable for release by the cold, heartless bastards who decide on such matters."

On top of that, in May this year, during a routine drug test he provided a false positive result for cocaine (a second subsequent test established that he was in fact drug free). Under duress and fearing yet another fit-up was under way to prevent his release and send him back to maximum security again, he absconded.

At the moment John is facing fresh charges over his absconding whilst on home leave (and resisting arrest) and is potentially likely to suffer a major setback to his eventual release. Therefore it is vital that John is supported through these difficult times and the Scottish Prison Service put on notice that it cannot isolate and persecute prisoners at will.

Brighton ABC


write to JB at:

John Bowden
Prison No. 6729
HM Prison Glenochil
King OMuir Road
TULLIBODY
FK10 3AD
Scotland

Sunday, July 27, 2008

New Resource Site for Sundiata Acoli!

From:    "Political Prisoner News" <ppnews@freedomarchives.org>
Date: Sun, July 27, 2008

FREE SUNDIATA ACOLI!
=====================

Uhuru! We are pleased to announce the official launch of a
tribute/resource website for our Comrade, Baba Sundiata Acoli at
<http://www.sundiataacoli.org/>www.sundiataacoli.org! We must keep
the pressure on and continue to let Baba Sundiata know that he isn't
forgotten nor forsaken, we also need to and must ramp up our support
for all our POW's. Please visit
<http://www.sundiataacoli.org/>www.sundiataacoli.org, spread the
word, and link to it as broadly as possible!

Yours In Struggle
The Talking Drum Collective
<http://www.thedrum.org/>www.thedrum.org



Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org Questions and comments may be sent to
claude@freedomarchives.org

The Indictment against Bryan Rivera and others

ELP Information Bulletin (27th of July 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has just received the following e-mail from the EWOK (Earth Warriors are OK) prisoner support group. As you can see it contains more information about the indictment against Bryan Rivera aka Bryan Lefey and his co-accused Katherine Christianson and Aaron Ellringer. The indictment also names Oregon Trial prisoner Daniel McGowan.

In their e-mail EWOK also mentions that they have learnt that Katherine Christianson and Aaron Ellringer are due to be arraigned in Madison on Tuesday the 29th of July.

As soon as any further information is known about this case we will let you know.

=========


From: fightthegreenscare@riseup.net

URL: http://www.midwestgreenscare.org

Here is the Rhinelander Indictment of Katherine Christianson, Bryan Rivera, and Aaron Ellringer: http://midwestgreenscare.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/rhinelander-indictment.pdf. It names Daniel McGowan as a currently unindicted coconspirator- the indictment comes out of the Grand Jury he recently refused to cooperate with- as well as known snitch Ian Wallace. Additionally, it refers to other participant individuals "known and unknown to the Grand Jury."

We have also learned that both Christianson and Ellringer will be arraigned in Madison this Tuesday, July 29, at 10:00 a.m.

Please pass this information on as far and wide as possible.

-EWOK!, www.midwestgreenscare.org

++++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Rhinelander Indictment, Arraignment Dates

From Earth Warriors are OK!
http://midwestgreenscare.wordpress.com/2008/07/27/rhinelander-indictment/

Here is the Rhinelander Indictment of Katherine Christianson, Bryan
Rivera, and Aaron Ellringer. It names Daniel McGowan as a currently
unindicted coconspirator- the indictment comes out of the Grand Jury he
recently refused to cooperate with- as well as known snitch Ian Wallace.
Additionally, it refers to other participant individuals “known and
unknown to the Grand Jury.”

We have also learned that both Christianson and Ellringer will be
arraigned in Madison this Tuesday, July 29, at 10:00 a.m.

Please pass this information on as far and wide as possible.

http://midwestgreenscare.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/rhinelander-indictment.pdf

New American ELF prisoner

Urgent ELP! Bulletin (26th of July 2008)

Dear friends

Yesterday ELP reported the arrest and remanding of an American, Bryan Rivera, a.k.a Bryan Lefey, who is accused of involvement in an ELF action eight years ago. Following our enquiries we believe that Bryan has been remanded under the name Bryan Lefey.

Please send letters of support to:

Bryan Lefey #38664-086
FDC SeaTac
Federal Detention Center
P.O. Box 13900
Seattle, WA 98198
USA
So far the only information we have about Bryan is one mainstream media artilce (reproduced below). If anyone knows Bryan or any of the others mentioned in this article (for example Katherine Christianson), or anything about this case please let ELP know.
FBI arrests Earth Liberation Front suspect in Olympia
http://www.theolympian.com/672/story/519575.html

By Jeremy Pawloski | The Olympian • Published July 25, 2008

An alleged Earth Liberation Front member was arrested by FBI agents at an
Olympia residence Wednesday morning, and is charged with causing $500,000
worth of damage to research trees at a U.S. Forest Service facility in
Rhinelander, Wisc. in July 2000, court papers state.

Bryan Rivera, a.k.a Bryan Lefey, a.k.a. "Rat Dog," is charged in an
unsealed federal indictment filed in the Western District of Wisconsin
with one count each of depredation of government property in excess of
$500 and depredation of government property in excess of $1,000.

An official at the Federal Public Defender in Tacoma confirmed today that
Rivera was being held at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac.

FBI agents served Rivera, 31, with an arrest warrant at his home in the
500 block of East Bay Drive Wednesday morning, Robbie Burroughs, an FBI
spokesman, confirmed Thursday. The spokesman would not release details on
the charges until today.

According to the indictment: in July 2000, Rivera and two other suspects
conspired to damage trees at the Rhinelander facility using " 'etching
cream, saws, scraping tools and other items."

"The conspirators believed that the U.S. Forest Service Facility in
Rhinelander was an appropriate target for direct action because the
facility was performing a genetic research project on trees," reads the
indictment. "The conspirators decided to do the attack in combination with
their planned protests at the International Society of Animal Geneticists
(ISAG protests) occurring in late July of 2000 in Minneapolis, Minn."

In addition to damaging 500 trees at the facility, the group also used
spray paint and etching cream to damage U.S. Forest Service vehicles with
references to ELF, the indictment states.

After the vandalism, alleged co-conspirator Katherine Christianson, along
with a man not named as a defendant in the indictment, sent a communique
on behalf of ELF. "The communique ended with the words: ‘We are everywhere
and we are nowhere and we are watching. For wildness and an end to
industrial society.’ It was signed ‘ELF Earth Liberation Front," reads the
indictment.

From bottom of July 26th Olympian article, page 1:

Character reference letter from Duane Moore D.D.S. to the courts on behalf
of Bryan Lefey (pdf)
http://media.theolympian.com/smedia/2008/07/25/09/MooreLetter.source.prod_affiliate.38.pdf


++++++++
Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Friday, July 25, 2008

Write to Daniel McGowan

From:    "Family + Friends of Daniel McG" <friendsofdanielmcg@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, July 25, 2008

Daniel was moved yesterday morning and is now in transit and is currently
in Indiana.

Please write to Daniel at:

DANIEL MCGOWAN #63794-053
FCI TERRE HAUTE
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
P.O. BOX 33
TERRE HAUTE, IN 47808

Thanks!

NY - Puerto Rican Grand Jury resistance update

From: "Political Prisoner News" <ppnews@freedomarchives.org>
Date: Fri, July 25, 2008


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2008

CONTACT DENNIS FLORES bosefod@hotmail.com bosefod@hotmail.com>

resistgrandjury@gmail.com

New Video PSA link, click below:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_KmOrF9qAhg



DAYBOOK ITEM/PHOTO DESK

FAMILIES, FRIENDS & SUPPORTERS OF SUBPOENAED PUERTO RICANS
TO CALL ON FEDERAL GRAND JURY TO STOP THE REPRESSION

A protest has been called by community leaders, friends, family and
supporters of Puerto Ricans subpoenaed by a Federal Grand Jury to
demand an end to the repression against them and all Puerto Ricans.
They will also call on all New Yorkers concerned about civil and human
rights to join them at a picket in front of the Brooklyn Federal Court
at 9:30 am on Monday, July 28, 2008.


The picket will coincide with similar acts and rallies in Puerto Rico
at the Federal court in HatoRey on July 27, 2008 at 6:00pm. TANIA
FRONTERA, a graphic designer, and CHRISTOPHER TORRES, a social worker,
have been ordered to appear before the Grand Jury at the Brooklyn
Federal Court investigating the Puerto Rican independence movement.
Various motions will be argued in favor that the 'Motions to quash'
the subpoenas be held in open court and not in 'secret' and that the
government reveal 'illegal surveillance' sources. Two groups: Puerto
Rico Committee for Human Rights and the National Boricua Human Rights
Network have filed motions to intervene in support to have the
subpenas thrown out on constitutional grounds. These motions will be
argued by their lawyers at the Brooklyn Federal Court on Monday, July
28th at 10:00 am.


Puerto Rican activists in New York and Puerto Rico maintain that the
subpoenas are part of a larger, systematic campaign to repress the
independence movement in Puerto Rico and instill fear and discord
among its allies and supporters. It's the latest chapter of a long
history of repression waged against Puerto Rican community.


WHAT: Elected officials, community leaders, family and friends and
supporters of subpoenaed Puerto Ricans demand an end to the repression

WHEN: Monday, July 28, 2008 at 9:30 am

WHERE: Brooklyn Federal Court, 225 Cadman Plaza East and Tillary Street

The Hostos Grand Jury Resistance Campaign, a coalition formed in New
York in response to the recent round of grand jury subpoenas, calls on
all freedom loving and progressive people to picket in front of the
Brooklyn Federal Court on July 28, 2008 at 9:30 am to support TANIA
FRONTERA and CHRISTOPHER TORRES, who have been subpoenaed to the federal
grand jury investigating the Puerto Rican independence movement. Various
motions will be argued by their lawyers before Judge Carol B. Amon of the
Brooklyn Federal Court.

So far, since the new year of 2008, Puerto Ricans Tania Frontera, a
graphic designer, Christopher Torres, a social worker, Julio Pabon, a
filmmaker, Elliot Monteverde Torres, a lawyer and spokesperson for the
Vieques Alliance (a New York based coalition that fought to rid the US
Navy from the island municipality of Vieques, Puerto Rico) and a fifth
person, an independentista and human rights activist, have been subpoenaed
to the Brooklyn Federal Court in New York City. They attest that they
will not be intimidated nor allow for their political ideas to be
suppressed.

Historically, the US government has used the federal grand jury since
the 1930's an instrument of political internment of Puerto Rican
pro-independence activists. Those who refused to testify by exercising
the established pro-independence political principle of 'non
collaboration' to the grand jury can be held in 'contempt of court'
and imprisoned.


The Puerto Rican Freedom Project

2nd fundraiser Hosted by Hec-one
Suggested donation: $10

Fri. July 25th, 2008
A benefit for the Freedom Album, a CD compilation to raise awareness
and funds for the Puerto Rican Political Prisoners and Prisoners of
War and their families


Lcation: Camaradas El Barrio
2241 1st avenue
between 115th-116th St.
212-348-2703

www.camaradaselbarrio.com

Doors open at 7pm, show will begin by 8:30pm-9pm

There will be an art sale to benefit the efforts of the Puerto Rican
Freedom Committee as well as a blow out performances by: The Welfare
Poets, Bombayo, NOT4PROPHET(OF THE X-VANDALS AND RICANSCTRUCTION)
M-TEAM AND Division X


http://www.prfreedomproject.org or
http://www.myspace.com/freeourpoliticalprisoners


--
resistgrandjury@gmail.com
http://www.geocities.com/resistgrandjury/



Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org Questions and comments may be sent to
claude@freedomarchives.org

Breaking news - New ELF arrest

Urgent ELP Bulletin (25th of July 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has just heard of the arrest of an American called Bryan Rivera (see mainstream media article below). If anyone has any further details about this arrest or know Bryan or anyone else mentioned in the below article, please do get in contact.....

FBI arrests Earth Liberation Front suspect in Olympia
http://www.theolympian.com/672/story/519575.html

By Jeremy Pawloski | The Olympian • Published July 25, 2008

An alleged Earth Liberation Front member was arrested by FBI agents at an
Olympia residence Wednesday morning, and is charged with causing $500,000
worth of damage to research trees at a U.S. Forest Service facility in
Rhinelander, Wisc. in July 2000, court papers state.

Bryan Rivera, a.k.a Bryan Lefey, a.k.a. "Rat Dog," is charged in an
unsealed federal indictment filed in the Western District of Wisconsin
with one count each of depredation of government property in excess of
$500 and depredation of government property in excess of $1,000.

An official at the Federal Public Defender in Tacoma confirmed today that
Rivera was being held at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac.

FBI agents served Rivera, 31, with an arrest warrant at his home in the
500 block of East Bay Drive Wednesday morning, Robbie Burroughs, an FBI
spokesman, confirmed Thursday. The spokesman would not release details on
the charges until today.

According to the indictment: in July 2000, Rivera and two other suspects
conspired to damage trees at the Rhinelander facility using " 'etching
cream, saws, scraping tools and other items."

"The conspirators believed that the U.S. Forest Service Facility in
Rhinelander was an appropriate target for direct action because the
facility was performing a genetic research project on trees," reads the
indictment. "The conspirators decided to do the attack in combination with
their planned protests at the International Society of Animal Geneticists
(ISAG protests) occurring in late July of 2000 in Minneapolis, Minn."

In addition to damaging 500 trees at the facility, the group also used
spray paint and etching cream to damage U.S. Forest Service vehicles with
references to ELF, the indictment states.

After the vandalism, alleged co-conspirator Katherine Christianson, along
with a man not named as a defendant in the indictment, sent a communique
on behalf of ELF. "The communique ended with the words: ‘We are everywhere
and we are nowhere and we are watching. For wildness and an end to
industrial society.’ It was signed ‘ELF Earth Liberation Front," reads the
indictment.

For more on this story, read Saturday’s edition of The Olympian.

+++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Eric McDavid Speaking Tour Headed Your Way...

Subject: Speaking Tour Headed Your Way...
From: sacprisonersupport@riseup.net
Date: Fri, July 25, 2008

Dear Friends,

After enduring over 2 ½ years of having our loved one in jail and prison,
we have decided it’s time to hit the road and start screaming from the
rooftops about Eric and his case. We only regret that it has taken us
this long… but circumstances demanded restraint, and our energies were
focused on the struggle for Eric’s freedom. But now we can wait no
longer. Eric has suffered enormous injustices at the hands of the state –
and we want to do everything we can to make sure that people don’t forget
about Eric, that they understand how his case was created, and to ensure
that people learn what they can from our experiences these past 2 ½ years.

To that end, we are putting together a speaking tour to educate folks
about Eric’s case, which we will use as a lens through which to study the
basic concepts of entrapment, the use of informants, and government
repression in general. Unfortunately, these tools of the state are
becoming more and more prevalent, and it’s imperative that people
understand how they work.

If you are interested in scheduling a presentation in your community,
please contact us at: tour@supporteric.org. We will be on the road from
the end of August (starting in Denver, CO), through the month of
September. First we’ll be headed east, then we’ll make our way all the
way back out west. Below is a rough estimate of when we’ll be in
particular regions.

For more information about Eric and his case, please visit:
www.supporteric.org

We hope to see you soon!

(Very) Tentative “Schedule”

August 24-26: Denver, CO
28-29: Lawrence, KS
30-31: Springfield, MO
September 2: Bloomington, IN
3: Chicago, IL
4-5: Madison? Milwaukee?
6: Niagara Falls
7-8: Boston, Mass
8-9: NYC
9-10: Philly
10-11: DC
12: Asheville, NC
13-14: Northern FL
16: NOLA
17-18: Austin, TX
18-19: Tucscon, AZ
20-21: San Diego, LA
23: Santa Cruz, CA
24-25: Santa Cruz, CA
26-28: Bay Area (CR 10)

We will be planning to go further up the coast soon after this, but will
need a quick break. Stay tuned for more dates...

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Daniel McGowan is in transit again

From:    "Family + Friends of Daniel McG" <friendsofdanielmcg@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, July 24, 2008

Hello, friends -

Daniel is in transit again. That's all we know for right now. Please
hold off on sending him letters until you hear back from us - we will send
out an update with his new adress as soon as we have it.

Best,
Family & Friends of Daniel McGowan


-------------------------------------------------------------------
Support Daniel McGowan: http://www.supportdaniel.org
Daniel on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/danielmcgowan

Family and Friends of Daniel McGowan
PO Box 106, NY, NY 10156
friendsofdanielmcg@yahoo.com

Donations:checks or money orders can be made out to "Lisa McGowan" and
sent to the above PO Box or online at http://tinyurl.com/8blde