Alert: Peace activists now being targeted with anti-Terror "Laws".

[JanMichael]

Catholic Peace Ministry folks have recieved subpoenas to testify before a Federal Grand Jury from the Office-FBI-Joint Terrorism Task Force. Yikes. No attorney present, no real idea about the reason for being there. They can plead the "5th" but if they do plead the prosecutors can then offer immunity which then obligates them to answer questions, or sit in a prison cell for up to 18 months. Hello? Where's Kafka?

=============================================================
Friends,

Yesterday, February 3, Detective Jeff Warford of the Polk County Sheriff's Office-FBI-Joint Terrorism Task Force came to Catholic Peace Ministy's office here in Des Moines with a supoena for me to testify before a Federal Grand Jury next Tuesday, February 10. Mr. Warford also served papers on Elton Davis at the Catholic Worker House and Patti McKee, who was coordinator of Iowa Peace Network until last month.

The Grand Jury process is shrouded in secrecy. We do not know who or what the object of this investigation may be, beyond "possible violations of federal criminal law in the Southern District of Iowa." The proceeding will be behind closed doors. We may not have an attorney present. We have the right to plead the fifth amendment, refusing the answer questions that might incriminate us. The government, then, can offer us immunity from prosecution, in which case we will obliged to answer under threat of contempt of court and could be imprisoned for the length of the Grand Jury session, 18 months, should we continue to refuse to answer. This immunity would be limited to our own testimony and anything any of us say could be used against the others. Whatever is going on, this is definately an escalation on the part of the government's war on dissent and clamp down on civil liberties.

The fact that anything that we three and the peacemaking communities we represent could possibly attract the notice of a "Terrorism Task Force" is reprehensable.

Please spread the word, express concerns you have with Federal and
Polk County authorities. Keep us in mind and prayer. --

Brian Terrell
Executive Director
Catholic Peace Ministry
==========================================================

Taking out any and all dissent under the fog of "Terra".

So when does DU get a visit? Or perhaps your local activist group?

[Thoth]

1. Please post more details if you hear of them

This is pretty alarming. What could a bunch of nuns and priests do to attract this kind of attention? Pouring blood on a missle silo is not terrorism - which is all I can think of.

[DU9598]

2. Frightening

The link to the DSM Register article and even more incredible harassment by the FBI and local authorities.
<http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c4788993/23463005.html>

This election is so important. The FBI is a political weapon against political dissent all in the false name of terrorism investigation. The FBI will smear and harass those who have been willing to speak out or take leadership roles in bringing forth dissent. The Southern District of Iowa is headed by a religious zealot and the FBI equates to a hit mob.

I hope the FBI does not find need to link my ip address to this post or will I be next before a "grand" secret jury. Pitiful and scary at the same time.

[JanMichael]

3. Thanks for the link.

I can almost envision the next DC protest when helicopters sweep in to heard everyone into waiting semis for transfer to a "special" grand jury/trial/summary execution.

[roughsatori]

4. Please keep us updated. How many Dem Reps voted for Patriot Act?

Oh, that's right--don't remind me.

[Gman]

5. So where are all the Cardinals and Bishops that condemn

Catholic politicians that support choice??? Is this not wrong also by their standards? I think they are highly conspicuous by their silence on this issue. The Pope told Bush "if you go to war, you go without God".

As a Catholic, its this type of pick and choose enforcing of Church policy that pisses me off.

[GOPisEvil]

6. How much more "HUAC" can all of this get?

This is frightening.

[nostamj]

7. is this a lead-up to suppressing dissent in NYC

during the Repub convention?

this should be a topic on Guy's show tomorrow!

[colonel odis]

9. you better believe they're going to keep people out of nyc

during the convention.

those pig-eyed sacks of manure. it'll be a police state up there for a few days.

[nostamj]

10. but, as a NYCr, i don't see how...

they simply CANNOT shut down the city. if the majority of protestors coming in through Penn Station, Port Authority, Grand Central, etc. do it with a simple degree of stealth (ie., look like an average commuter) it will be impossible to contain/screen/hold them.

that said, it WILL be interesting to see what they come up with.

[LWolf]

8. They need a large crowd of peace activists

and civil rights activists picketing outside those closed doors. For as long as necessary. A peaceful, non-violent demonstration. And plenty of press and home cameras on hand to record the process. Maybe a speech by their lawyer who is not allowed to attend with them.

What should they do?

Refuse to answer, on principle?

Cooperate?

What?

[G_j]

11. peace activists sentenced to federal prison

(See www.soaw.org for prisoners names, updates and addresses to write prisoners of conscience)

Ministers, Divinity School Student, a Former New York City Firefighter, and a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee included among 27 Sentenced for Nonviolent Protest of the School of the Americas/WHISC
Twenty- three human rights activists received three to six month sentences in Federal Prison for nonviolent actions to close the SOA/WHISC

Columbus, GA - During the last week of January 2004 twenty-seven human rights advocates from across the country faced trial in Federal court for civil disobedience to close, what they call a terrorist training camp on U.S. soil: the School of the Americas renamed Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (SOA/WHISC). Graduates of the controversial combat training school for Latin American soldiers continue to be implicated in human rights atrocities throughout Latin America. The defendants were among 10,000 who gathered in November to call for the closure of the SOA/WHISC.

The defendants included one Catholic nun, three Jesuit priests and one Jesuit brother, a Presbyterian minister, a Diocesan priest, a Franciscan priest, two Quakers, a divinity school student, a former New York City Firefighter, a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, and various human rights activists.

The defendants testified in court against a double standard in the "war on terrorism", offering evidence to put the SOA/WHISC and U.S. foreign policy on trial. Defense Attorney Edward Osowski argued that first amendment rights of defendants were violated when the military blasted patriotic music toward the permitted demonstration site on Saturday, November 22nd.

The trial judge, G. Mallon Faircloth, adhered to his previous sentencing record, and gave sentences ranging from 12 months probation to six months in federal prison, with fines ranging from 500 to 1,500 dollars.

[spanone]

12. I wouldn't go, tell them to stick it up their collective *sses.

[aintitfunny]

13. This so disturbed me that

I copied the Des Moines article and link and emailed my 2 senators and 1 congressman and asked what is going on? All democrats, so hopefully they won't pass my name to Justice. I would prefer not to become a "person of interest" or a subject of a grand jury probe. While the weather is better in Guantanamo, I really don't want to relocate right now.