ABCF

UPDATE

QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE ABCF

Summer 2008 "Any movement that does not support their political internees is a sham movement." - O. Lutalo Issue #50

hat is the Anarchist Black Cross Federation?

The Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) began
shorly after the 1905 Russian Revolution. It
formed afer breaking from the Poliical Red
Cross, due to the group's refusal to support
Anarchist and Social Revolutionary Political
Prisoners. The new group, naming itself the
Anarchist Red Cross (ARC), began to pro-
Vide aid to those Politcal Prisoners who
were refused support by the PRC

In the carly decades, the organization had
chapters. throughout Europe and North
America. These chapters worked together to
provide assistance o prisoners only in
Russia. Soon other groups, such as the
Latvian Anarchist Red Cross, emerged to
provide aid in other Easter Etropean coun-
tries. Armed with the ideas of mutual aid and
solidarity, these groups worked tirelessly to

provide support to those who were suffering
because of thei political belicfs.

In 1919, the organization’s name changed
tothe Anarchist Black Cross to avoid confu-
sion with the_International Red Cross.
Through the 1920s and until 1958, the organ-
ization worked under various other names
but provided the same level of support a the
other groups warking as Anarchist Black
Cross,

After 1936, the ABC expanded it aid to
places such as Greece, laly and Spain.

In 1958, the organization collapsed but
reemerzed in 1967 in London, England.
Once again ABC chapters spread throughout
the globe providing support for imprisoned
comrades. Sadly, by the end of the 1970
only a handful of ABC chapters still existed.

T the 80, however, the ABC began (0 gain
popularity again in the US and Europe. For
years, the ABC's name was kept alive by a
Bumber of completely autonomous groups
scattered throughout the globe and support-
ing a wide varicty of prison issues.

In May of 1995, a small group of ABC
collectives merged into a federation whose
aim was 1o focus on the averall support and
defense of Politcal Prisoners and Prisoners
of War

Various groups have since merged in
numerous networks throughout the globe
working on various prisonissues. The
Anarchist Black Cross Federation (ABCF)
has continued its mission to focus on the aid
and support of Political Prisoners. We take
the position that PP/POWSs demand our top
priority. We strive to continue with the same
dedication and solidarity to our fallen com-
rades as those before us have shown.

Introduction:

“Crucially important to maintaining the anarchist integri
organizafion is the fact that Branch Groups and Support
are fieely autonomous to take on whatever nitiatives they can to

of this

Violation of Human Rights of PP/POWs in U.S. Prisons and
Jails, Dec. *90]

Prisoner of War (POW): Those combatants struggling against
colonial and alien domination and racist regimes captured as
prisoners are to be accorded the status of prisoner of war and
their treatment should be in accordance with the provisions of the
Geneva Conventions Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of
‘War of 12 August, 1949 (General Assembly resolution 3103)

5k Run/Walk/Bike for Political
‘August 23rd. 2008

‘The LAABCF is organizing a 5k run to raise funds for
PP/POWSs and other local community groups. We
are hoping to expand the run to other cities and pris-
ons throughout North America. For those interested
in organizing a run in your location or joining the run
in LA, please contact LA ABCF at la@abcf.net.
Please check out our site at: wwi.abef.netla

Running Down the Walls '

{

The ABCF i

Prisoner Committee

further the Unity of Purpose of the ABCF. So long as these initia- | BILL DUNNE SEKOU KAMBUI

tives do not contradict any preexist Aé %eemcnls (Tactical #10816-086 (W. TURK)

Umty) that have been ";adz/by the itis not necessary for | | gy 2068 #113058 / Box 56
o approve of and/or agree projects or ’

e e o e [fmm e ABCF Condhtution || Ine2, KY 41224 SCC (B1-21)

o S USPBigSandy Elmore, AL 36025

The following definitions are used to describe the below terms || OJORE LUTALO JAAN LAAMAN

whenever they appear in the ABCF Update o any other ABCF || #59860 / Box 861 #Wa1414

literature. Trenton, NJ 08625 BOX 100

Political Prisoner (PP): A person incarcerated for actions car- | 111 o g;;;'; Walpole, MA

rid out i sppartof egiimat srugeles fo el dtermination

or for urposmg the 1lle%al policies of the government and/or its || #81-A-4469

political subdivisions. [Special International Tribunal on the || Box 51

Comstock, NY

12821

Federation Chapters

JAX ABC
PO Box 350392
Jacksonille, FL 32235

LOS ANGELES ABC
PO Box 11223
Whitier, CA 90603

NYC ABC
PO Box 110034
Brookiyn, NY 11211

PHILLY ABC
PO Box 42129
Philadelphia, PA 19101

MONTREAL ABC TORONTO ABC
PO Box 42053 PO Box 87048

Suce. Jeanne Mance RPO Roncescalles Ave
Montreal QC Toronto, Ontario

H2W 273 Canada

NJ ABC

M6R 383 Canada

No Current Address

$

www.abcf.net

15508 50 SUMMER 20

NEWS FR

“Lefty’ Gilday Suffers Stroke

It has been reported by the Jericho
Movement that -Lefty” Gilday. recently
Spent 13 days inthe hospial afer suering
sient stroke on his left side. Lefy’ was
Feturned to the medical unit a MC1 Shirley
but 15 still in bad shape. He can not walk.
and can barely gt out of bed. Despite his
your support;

William “Lefty’ Gilday (W33537)
PO. Box 121§
Shirley, MA 01464

Spokane Anarchist Pleads

A Spokane Anarchist, Travis Richl, has
pled guilty in March to 3 felony county of
destruction of government property. He
was placed on three year probation and
ordered to pay $4,867 in restiution

The 24-year old from the Spokane Lack
of Action Collective and Aliernative
Solutions and Possibilites, was accused of
two separate actions. Reihl was accused of
throwing rocks through windows of a army
recruiting station and a Washington Air
National Guard office in Spokane. He
allegedly spray painted a window with an
anarchy symbol and the phrase “Leave Us
Alone.” The damages exceeded $1,000.

A conviction for destruction of govern-
ment property carries a penalty of not more.
than 10-years imprisonment, up 1o a
$250,000 fine and up to 3-year tem of
court supervision afler release.

Reihl targeted the offices because of his
apposition to the U.S. occupational wars in
the Middle East. He was indicted by a
grand jury for the actions in August
2007 Yep, grand jury for broken windows!

Chubbuck Transferred

In March, Byron Shane Chubbuck was
transferred to USP Coleman in Florida.
Chubbuck, an indigenous political prison-
er, is imprisoned for numerous bank expro-
priations aimed at funding the Zapatista
movement in Mexico. Afler his original
arrest, Chubbuck liberated himself and
continued to engage in additional actions to
raise funds for the Zapatista movement

There was serious concern regarding
Chubbuck’s safety when it was reported
that his enemies had passed the word of his
transfer 1o USP Coleman. However
Chubbuck has stated that he is safe.

Write to Chubbuck:

Byron Shane Chubbuck #07909-051
PO. Box 1033
Coleman, FL 33521

Marilyn Buck Has Surgery
Friends of Marilyn Buck have reported
thoughts
Marilyn Buck #00452.285
Unit CD, Camp Parks
5701 Eighth Strest
Dublin, CA 94568

Sundiata Acoli Transferred

New Afrikan and BLA Prisoner of War
Sundiata Acoli has been transferred. His
new address is the following:

Sundiata Acoli (Clark Squire)
#39704-066

ECI Otisville

PO. Box 1000

Otisville, NY 10963

Jose Perez Gonzalez Free

‘On January 18, Vieques political prison-
ex, Jose Perez Gonzalez finished his sen-
tence and his now free. Jose still needs sup-
port. He is facing a $10,000 fine to be paid
1o the US government for his involvement
i resisting US occupation of Puerto Rico.
Please send any available funds to help him
out. Funds should be sent to:

IECO/ProLibertad
418 W 145th St
New York, NY 10031

Please endorse the check or money
orders to: IFCO/Prolibertad and write
“Jose Perez Gonzalez Freedom Fund” in
memo section.

Alberto Torres Transferred
Puerlo Rican Political Prisoner Carlos
Alberto Torres was transferred 1o the
Federal Correctional Instiution at Pekin,
linois, approximately 2 hours away from
Chicago. Please note his new address:

Carlos Alberto Torres #88976-024
ECI Pekin

Federal Correctional Institution
PO. Box 5000

Pekin, IL 61555

Lépez Rivera Transferred
13, 2008, Purto Rican poliial prisoncr
s rights by the organizatons involved in
the campaign for his and Carlos Alberto

led out for special, more onerous treat-
ment, including being required to report to
prison staff every two hours,this is the first
time in almost three decades that he is in a
medium sceurity prison. Buoyed by the
warm send-off from his fellow prisoners at
the USP (maximum), and by the warm wel-
come from those at the FCI (medium), he
will adjust to his new surroundings. The
National Boricua Human Rights Network
celebrates his transfer as a victory and
uress all to write to Oscar. More news
about the transfer 1o follow,
His new postal mailing address:

Oscar Lopez Rivera #57
FCI Tarre Haute

PO. Box 33

Terre Haute, IN 47808

Luis Medina Transferred

Cuban Five Political Prisoner Luis
Medina has been transferred to USP
McCreary in Kentucky. Please note his
new address:

Luis Medina #58734-004
PO. Box 3000

Pine Knot, KY 42635
USP MeCreary

Veronza Bowers Transferred
Former Black Panther political prisoner
Veronza Bowers Jr. has been transferred to
USP Atlanta. Bowers has been held illegal-
Iy for several years by the US government.
Please send our comrade a leter of support

Veronza Bowers Jr. 35316-136
USP-Atlanta

PO. Box 150160

Atlanta, GA 30315

Eric McDavid Transferred
Eco-Anarchist_political prisoner has
been transferred to FCI Victorville.
McDavid was recently convicted to 20
‘years in prison for conspiracy 1o participate
in Earth Liberation Front actions. His con-
Viction rests on the testimony of govern-
ment snitch and two of his co-defendants
turned government witnesses, looking to
escape harsh sentences. His new address is:

Eric McDavid 16209-097
ECI Victorville Medium 11
PO. Box 5700

Adelanto, CA 92301

New Knee for Tom Manning
Tt has ben reported tht Tom Maning
1. So please send him o card

Tom Manning #10373-016
PO. Box 4000
Springfield, MO 65501

FORMER IRISH PRISONER. OF WAR
DETAINED BY VS IMMIGRATION

Former Irish Republican Prisoner of War,
Pol Brennan, has been detained by the US
Border Patrol and is awaiting possible
deportation. Brennan was arrested January
29th at a border checkpoint in southern
Texas. He was identified through finger-
printing after a search of his background
through the Joint Terrorism Task Force and
Interpol.

In 1974, Brennan was intemed for one
year by British authorities without being
charged with any eriminal act. Two years
later, he was sentenced to 16 years n the H-
block section of Belfast’s Maze prison. He
partcipated in the dirty protests and at one
point shared a cell with Bobby Sands, who
later died on hunger stike.

In September 1983, thirty-cight prisoners
broke free from the Maze. He soon arrived
in the United States, where he quietly lived
and worked in the construction trade.

Between 1992-1994, Pol Brennan and
three other lrish Republicans (Kevin Arit,
James Smyth and Terrence Kirby) were
arrested in California. The men, known as
the H-Block 4, fought a lengthy legal battle
against an attempt by the British to extradite
them. Smyth was extradited to Northern
Ircland in 1996 and returned to prison. He
was then released in 1998 as part of the
Good Friday Agreement. In 2000, the
Britsh government announced that exiradi-
tion requests for Brennan, Artt and Kirby
were being withdrawn as part of the Giood

Friday Agreement. The men officially
remained fugitives, but in 2003 the Prison
Service said they were not being “actively
pursued”.

Bremnan was granted permission to
remain in the US after the extradition case in
2000 was dropped, although his immigra-
tion status is still undecided. In 2006 he
received a misdemeanor assault conviction
after beating a building contractor who had
refused to pay him $1.000 in wages owed.

Prosccutors have argued that Brennan
should be denied bail because of his ques-
tionable_immigration status, the misde-
‘meanor conviction and his IRA past.

In 2000, President Bill Clinton
announced that deportation proceedings
against the former IRA prisoners would be
halted and they would move into “deferred
action” status. Although the action was
hailed at the time as a victory for the peace
process, the former prisoners’ status
remained untesolved. A number of former
IRA POWs face the same possible future as.
Brennan, the threat of deportation, although
they have built new lives and raised their
families in the U.S.

In response {0 the arrest of Brennan,
U.S.-based Irsh groups have joined up with
former IRA prisoners living in the U.S. have
formed a new group, Thar Saile (Overseas).
The group hopes to assist those who immi-
eration status is unresolved or who are
threatened with deportation.

For more information about Thar Saile
conact:

Thar Saile
PO Box 891054,
Temecula, CA 92589-1054

Letters to Pol Brennan can be mailed to:

Pol Brennan
AR 785 324

South Texas Detention Complex
566 Veteran's Drive

Pearsall, TX 78061

McGowan Faces Grand Jury in Wisconsin

The government is still determined o
escalate the campaign 1o undermine the
environmental movement. In the recent
months, reports have continued to update the
prisoner support_community as Danicl
McGowan was transferred and forced to
stand in front of a Grand Jury in Wisconsin,
held in contempt and three more environ
mentalist were arrested.

‘While Daniel was in the process of being.
transferred to_another fucility, he was
informed that he was being transferred to
Madison, Wisconsin because of a subpoe-
naed to stand before a grand jury. The grand
jury was investigating a 2000 atick at a fed-
eral orestry research station in Rhinelander,
Wisconsin. Authorities claim that during the
attack SO0 trees were damaged and spray
paint and etching cream was used to vandal-
ize US. Forest Service vehicles. The esti-
mated damage went far beyond $500,00.

From June 11 10 July 24, Daniel was
transferred back in forth to county jails in
Wisconsin, during which time he appeared
twice before the grand jury in Madison.
Daniel only responded to questions regard-
ing his plea agreement and remained silent
on attemps o get him 1o confirm the names.
of the others the jury intended to indict.
Because he refused to give names, the court
charged him with civil contempt. The con-
tempt charge remained for a week, until the
‘zovernment lifted the charge.

Since then, Daniel has been transferred
back to Terre Haute. He has been informed
that he has been designated to special unit in
the federal prison in Marion, Ilinois. He is
waiting to be transferred.

Meanwhile, three other individuals have
been indicted, Katherine Christianson,
Bryan Rivera (a.k.a Bryan Lefey) and Asron
Ellringer. Daniel is currently an unindicted

coconspirator. Also indicted s lan Wallace, a
well known government stool. The three
have been charged with conspiring to dam-
age government property and damaging
‘overnment property. They face up to 15
Years in prison if convicted.

The indictment claims the five met at the
annual Earth First conference in Tennessee
in late June or early July. There, they
planned the attack against the facility in
Rhinelander. After the attack in July 20th,
McGowan and Christianson sent out the
‘communiqué on behalf of the ELF claiming
responsibility for the attack.

It should be noted that most of the infor-
‘mation in the indictment involves activities,
other than the sending out of the commu.
niqué, that revolve around or include Mr.
Wallace. This must be part of lan Wallace's
n-going cooperation with prosecutors into
Midwest ELF actions.

Woodfox’s Conviction Overturned

A federal judge has overtumed Albert
Woodfox's conviction. Woodfox, who was
held in solitary confinement for over 36
years, s one of three former Panthers known
2s the "Angola Three."

The Angola 3 are Herman Wallace &
Albert Woodfox, who spent nearly 36 years
n solitary and are sill serving lfe sentences
in Angola for the alleged murder of Brent
Millr, a white correctional officer, in 1972;
‘and Robert Wilkerson, who like Hermian and
Albert, was targeted for his activism, and
then freed in 2001 afier 29 years in solitary.

The three men were targeted because
they were organizing for humane treatment
and o put an end to segregation in the
prison. The three men assisted in organizing
wark stoppage and hunger strke in attempt
t0 achieve their demands. Their activism

angered prison authorities, who were deter-
‘mined to silence them.

A combination of fabricated evidence
and a racist all-white jury convicted the
three men who were sentence to life and
placed in isolation to ensure their organizing
days were over.

Woodfox's conviction was overturned
because one of his former lawyers failed to
object to a prosecutors testimony about a

witness' credibility during his second trial,
The judge also found the lawyer failed to
abject o testimony from a witness who had
died after the fist trial.

Woodfox, 61, was convicted of murder in
1973 and again at a second trial in 1998, He
was in solitary confinement at the Angola
prison from 1972 uniil this year, when he
was moved into a maximum.security dormi-
tory with other inmaes.

One of the "Angola Three" has been
released, after 29 years in isolation.

Herman Wallace is also appealing his
conviction, using similar arguments used by
Woodfox. Earlier this year, Wallace, was
also moved out of solitary confinemernt,

“The state attorney general has sated he is
going to appeal the decision, bring the case
before the Sth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

State Supreme Court Ruling Against Omaha Two

by Michael Richardson

‘The Nebraska Supreme Court denied a
pro se parole bid by Ed Poindexter in a
decision many expected was a foregone
conclusion.~ However, in_ denying a
request for parole eligibility the state high
court signaled the difficulty Poindexter
faces later this year when his request for a
new trial is argued by Lincoln attorney
Robert Bartle.

Poindexter was convicted in 1971 for
the bombing murder of an Omaha police-
man, Larry Minard, in a controversial tral
marted by conflicting police_testimony,
withheld evidence, and fainted assistance
by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Poindexter and co-defendant Mondo we
Langa (formerly David Rice) both deny
any involvement in the crime and were
both targets of FBI director J. Edgar
Hoover under the infamous Operation
COINTELPRO which targeted the Black
Panthers for “no holds barred” treatment,

Poindexter's request for @ new trial
omes after sophisticated vocal analysis by
Voice analyst Tom Owen in 2006 revealed
that the confessed bomber, 15 yew-old
Duane Peak, did not make the emergency
call that lured Minard to his death. Peak
implicated Poindexter and Mondo we
Langa making his credibility eritical and
Leaving an unknown caller af age

Retired Omaha detective Robert Pheffer
also contradicted his own trial testimony
about finding dynamite that was allegedly
used in the fatal bomb in a dramatic and
emotion-charged hearing in Douglas
County Distriet Court last year before
Judge Russell Bowic.

At the time of the trial Omaha was
gripped by racial tension. Former Nebraska
govemor Frank Morrison was Poindexter's

Ed Poindexter from Omaha Two

court-appointed public defender. Morrison
described Omaha in a 2003 deposition.

“There was tremendous racial fecling.
North Omaha was one of the hottest spois
in the whole United States for racial vio-
Lence.t In fact, when in 1966 we had to call
out the National Guard, they set fire to
North Omaha and we hid to bring in the
National Guard and take over to preserve
order. There was terrible racial fecling.|
dont have words to describe it, but there
was terrible discrimination and hatred of
African-Americans, terrble.”

The “terrible racial fecling” Morrison
described was fueled in part by COINTEL-
PRO dirty ricks initiated by the FBI to dis-
rupt the Black Panthers. Both Ed
Pointdexter and Mondo we Langa had been
sceret targets of Hoover s clandestine oper-
ation but the compromised role of the FBI
was unknown by Omaha police who were

assisted by the federal agents in the search
for Minard's killes and unknown by jurors
who convicted Poindexter unaware of
Hoover's secret directives against the
Black Panthers.

‘The FBI, in cooperation with Omaha
Assistant Chief of Police Glenn Gates, kept
the recording of the emergency call from
defense attorneys while the jurors who
decided the fate of the two Black Panther
leaders never heard the voice of the anony-
‘mous caller. A secret COINTELPRO memo
obiained after the 1971 trial under the
Freedom of Information Act revealed that
release of the emergency tape recording
would be “prejudicial to the police murder
trial” case against Poindexter and Langa.

“The jurors also never knew that Peak.
the confessed bomber, brokered a deal
where he served 33 months of juvenile
detention and then walked free in exchange
for his testimony against Poindexter and
Langa. Nor did the jurors know that
Raleigh House, the supplier of the dyna-
mite, would never be formally charged and
only’spent one night in jail before being
released on his own signature because the
police wanted to claim Langa supplied the
dynamite. In fact, Omaha Police Captain
Murdock Plater did indeed make such a
claim in swomn festmony fo a
Congressional commitiee contradicting
actual rial testimony about the dynamite.

Details about the compromised FBI role
in the case did not come until years after
the trial and only judges, not jurors, have
since been_told about the withheld evi-
dence, conflicting and contradictory police
testimony, about the deal with Peak, and

Continued on Page 10

TP TP TP

Pannell Gets One Month and $250,000 Fine for Cop Shooting

Alleged former Black Panther, Joseph
Pannell, who was accused of shooting a
Chicago police officer in 1969 and who
fled to Canada where he lived for more
than 30 years will serve minimal jail time
and coniribute $250,000 t0 a police aid
fund under a plea agreement reached on
February 22 in Cook County Criminal
Court. Pannell, S8, who voluntarily
retumed to Chicago carlier i February
after skipping bail in the 1970s, entered a
euily plea to a charge of agaravated bat-
tery and was sentenced to 30 days in jail
and two years' probation.

He also will contribute $250,000 to the
Chicago Police Memorial Foundation,
which aids children of police officers who
have been catastrophically injured. This is

the same amount raised from community
‘members in Toronto and defense lawyers in
Caok County.

Pannell had been charged with attempt-
ed murder in connection with the shooting
of Officer Terrence Knox, who was on
patrol near 76th Street and Drexel Avenue
when he approached Pannell, then 19, and
asked why he wasn't inside nearby Hirsch
High School. Pannell is accused of having
shot Knox several times in the right arm,
striking a major artery and several nerves.
Although Knox still has partal use of the
arm, the injury eventually caused him to
retre from the police force and go into pri-
vate business. Knox's family came up with
the idea of the $250.000 payment 10 aid the
families of wounded police oficers.

For decades, Pannell lived in Canada
under the alias of Douglas Gary Freeman.
He married, started a family and worked a5
a rescarch library assistant nar Toronto.
He was arrested in Canada in 2004 afler the
Chicago police cold-case squad, with the
help of the FBI and Royal Canadian
Mounted Police, tracked him through fin-
gerprint records. Uniil recently, he fought
extradition to the United States in Canadian
courts.

Pannell was accused of having member-
ship in the Black Panther Party in the
19605, but Pannell's attomey, Neil Cohen,
has denied this, claiming the accusation is
designed to diséredit him. In our view such
connetions gives him more not less credi-
bilty. Either way, Pannell is now free!

Shirosaki Faces Series of Health Issues

A series of reports have been sent out of
USP Terte Haute regarding the health of
Japanese ~ political prisoner, Tsutomu
Shirosaki. Shirosaki, who i serving a 30-
year sentence for his alleged involvement
in the Anti-lmperialist International
Brigade, has suffered health issues ranging
from near blindness to being infected with
the norovirus. Shirosaki's condition is
directly caused by the cruelty and incom.
petents of the prison authoritics

Three years ago, Shirosaki has sugery
o his right eye after it was discovered he
had cataracts. At the time, Shitosaki was at
USP Beaumont and the prison stayed on
top on his recovery. During the post-opera-
tion check-ups it discovered he also had
elaucoma and cataracts in the lef eye as
well. He was informed he was going to
have surgery to fi the problem, but before
it could be done he was transferred to USP
Terre Haute.

Since his transfer, the quality of medical
care has been seriously reduced in Terre
Haute. Shirosaki has received litle care
regarding his post-operation care, checking
the status of his right eye only once. Refills
for eye drops have frequently been delayed,
causing Shirosaki to be nearly blind in his
et eye.

Although doctors at Terre Haute have
scheduled Shirosaki for sugery, he is con-
cerned that if he has surgery the post-oper-
ation care he would receive would be equal-
Iy as poor as what he is receiving now.
However, if he refuses to have the sugery,
he will get disciplinary punishment_and
may never get the operation he desperately
necds. He has opted to risk surgery and
hope that he does not become blind.

‘Shirosaki has also requested a transfer
in hopes of being sent to prison facility
where care s better than at USP Tarre

Haute.

In early April, a letter was sent to
the Los Angeles chapter from Tsutomu
Shirosaki, informing the ABCF that the
Communication Management Unit at USP
Terre Haute was put on lock down due to
an_outbreak of the norovirus. Sadly,
Shirosaki became one of the victims of the
virus, becoming seriously ill.

The first victim became sick on the
night of March 28th. Shirosaki fell ill the
following moming. As the days passed
more inmates increasingly became ill. By
April 1st, nearly a dozen of the 47 inmates
in the unit had fallen ill to the virus.

Dactors or licensed medical profession-
als only visit the unit once a week. Inmates
must submit a sick call form and wait until
the doctor comes. Despite the numerous
sick call forms submitted by the inmates,
according to Shirosaki, no doctor o med-
ical professional ever examined the
inmates. Instead the inmates were placed
on lockdown and were forced to wait out
the virus.

Originally, inmates thought the illness
was caused by bad milk, which Shirosaki
states happens “from fime to time.” It was
only after the lockdown was announced
did the prison authoritics inform the
inmates the illness was caused by the

Norovirus is transmitted by fecal con-
taminated food and water and by person-to-
person contact. Outbreaks of the virus
ofien occur in closed environments, such as
prisons and dormitories

Shirosaki is being held in a
Communication Management Unit were all
inmates are kept isolated from the general
public. All correspondence that comes into
the unit is monitored by the FBI and the
Department of Justice

In the letter written by Shirosaki to LA
ABCE, he stated that if the virus had been
life threatening, he and the others would
have died because everyone just assumed it
was the milk

Please write to Shirosak:

Tsutomu Shirosaki
20024-016
PO Box 33
Terre Haute, IN 47808

alela
g -,
ot ool ] iosst

Seven MOVE Members Denied Parole

Seven of the cight remaining "MOVE 9°
political prisoners have been denied parole
throughou the beginning of this year. The
MOVE members have been behind bars
since the 1978 atiack on the MOVE house
that left a Philadelphia Police Officer dead
and seven others injured.

In April, the three female MOVE 9
members, Debbie Sims Africa, Janet
Hollaway Africa and Janine Phillips Africa,
were informed of the decision and the rea.
sons for the rejection. They were told the
denial of their parole was because they had
minimized o denied the "nature and cir-
cumstances” of the offense, "refused to
accept responsibility” and lacked remorse.

The following month, Michael Davis
Africa and Edward Goodman Africa were
denied parole. And in June William Phillips
Africa and Delbert Orr Africa.

The Philadelphia District Atiorney's
O flice urged the board to require the defén-
dants to serve the maximum of their 30- to
100-year prison terms.

The seven were among nine MOVE

members, convicted in a 19-week trial in
1980, An eighth member, Charles Simms
will be go before the board in November:
Merle Afica, the ninth member, died on
March 13, 1998 under suspicious circum-
stances.

All nine were found guilty of third-
degree murder in the shooting death of a
Philadelphia Officer and the attempted mur-
ders of the others shot and injured that day.
when police tried to evict 12 adults and 11
children from their headquarters at 33d and
Pearl Streets in Poweltown Village.

During the alercation, police surround-
ed the headquarters and pumped hundreds
of gallons of water into the house and
opened fire with high-powered weapons
and tear gas. When the shooting stopped, a
op named James Ramp lay dead. MOVE
adults came out of the house carrying their
children through clouds of tear gas and
were immediately taken into custody.
MOVE claims it never fired any shots and
o MOVE members had any weapons when
they were arrested.

There was no evidence that anyone from
MOVE shot Ramp, and there is evidence he
could have been shot by police fire. An
autopsy showed Ramp was shot from above
and behind while MOVE members were in
the basement. None of the weapons the
police claimed to have "found" in the
MOVE house had the fingerprints of any
MOVE members on them. No ballistics
match linked the weapon that killed Ramp
with any weapon connected with MOVE.

The 1978 confrontation was 2 pivotal
moment in the city’s torturous history with
the radical group and ultimately set the
stage for another disaster - the May 1985
fire that killed 11 MOVE members, includ-
ing five children, and destroyed 61 houses
in West Philadelphia. The 11 were killed
after police dropped a bomb on the MOVE
headquarters and decided 1o let it burn. No
cop was ever charged with these murds.

The MOVE parole decisions illustrates
that the Pennsylvania authorities will stop
at nothing 1o continue their repression
against the MOVE organization.

Anarchist Prisoner Escapes and is Recaptured

Anarchist prisoner and long-term prison
resister John Bowden went on the run in
mid-may while out on routine shopping
trip from HMP Noranside. His freedom
lasted only a fewe weeks for he was capture
on June 6, 2008, He is now back in maxi-
mum security in Scotland.

Police discovered Bowden hiding on a
farm on the outskirts of Glasgow, after they
received a tip from an informant, The inci-
dent at the farm quickly escalated into o
tense siege situation, with armed anti-terror
Police surrounded the farm. It was at this
point that John feared that this was 2 scene
the caps would be only 100 happy for him
not to walk out of alive. However with the
intervention of sympathetic journalist a
line of communication was opened and the
sicge 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 pre-
dictably sensational headlines (‘Mad
Axeman on the loose’, etc..) when in reali-
ty he had been on home leave once a month
for the past 12 months and on the long road
to eventual release.

John was convicted for a murder he

describes as stpid and a terrible mistake,
has spent his entire adult life in prison.
Politicized by his incarceration he's regular-
Iy paid the price for his resistance through
long_periods of isolation, brutal beatings
and treatment amounting (o torture. He has
never been broken and is one of the UK's
‘most artculate and vociferous prison writ-
ers and a powerful advocate of prisoner's
rights.

Bowden was days away from being
reconsidered for parole. He felt, however,
this was nothing more than a dog-and-pony
show and they were looking 1o ix him.

In May 2007 the Scottish Prison and
Probation Service (SPS) were involved ina
clumsy attempt to prevent his parole by
framing him (and smearing the ABC pris-
oner support network) with accusations that
the ABC was involved in terrorism and that
Bowden was therefore associating with ter-
rorists! This all spectacalarly 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’ term 1o suit their preju-
dices. Not having a fixed date to work
towards is a form of torture in isel. On top.
of that, in May this year, during a routine
drug tast he provided a filse positive result
for cocaine (a second subsegquent tet estab-
lished 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
escaped.

At the moment John is facing fresh
charges over his escape while on home
leave (and resisting arrest) and is potential-
Iy likely to suffer a major setback o his
eventual release. Therefore it is vital that
John s supported through these difficult
times and the Scotish Prison Service put on
notice that it cannot isolate and persecute
prisoners at will

Wite to John Bowden at

John Bowden
Prison No. 6729

HM Prison Glenochil

King OMuir Road

Tullibody FK10 3AD Scotland

Notes for 2008 ABCF Conference in L.A.

On June 7-8th delegates from ABCF chapters converged in Los Angeles for the first conference in
over two years. Representatives from Toronto, Montreal, New York and Los Angeles were present.
However, delegates from New Jersey, Jacksonville and Philadelphia were unable to attend but for-
warded their positions on some of the most critical issues. Below are the issues addressed at the

conference and the outcome of those discussions. Overall, the conference was a success and the
ABC Federation was able to address some longtime critical conflicts in the organization. Chapters
left with a renewed commitment to the work of the Anarchist Black Cross Federation.

Active Groups/Inactive

Groups concem about non-active status
of some of the groups in the Federation
(New Jersey and Jacksonville).

Ouicome: Delegates at the conference
were made aware of present situation
affecting some of the members of those
‘roups. Federation Council agreed to leave
chapters on the list of ABCF groups. Los
Angeles. will keep ABCF abreast of any
updates of the two groups. The Federation
should inquire if there is anyone clse in
those chapters who can step up and play a
more active role. The inactive oganiza-
tions will not have a vote at the conference.
and their votes will not be reinstated until
the criteria of support group has been ful-
illed

Montreal and Philadelphia Vote
Monireal and Philadelphia were not
present at conference. Sara (former meni-
ber of Montreal) felt she could speak on
Monireal's position. LA has spoken with
Philadelphia cnough that they felt could
represent their position on the major issues.
Ouicome: All chapters agreed that
Monireal and Philadelphia would get to
Vote despite not being at the conference.

Drug Policy

NYC ABC put forward a proposal to
change to by-law #7 of the ABCF constitu-
tion.

‘Quicome: By-law #7 will be deleted and
replaced with the following language:

“All ABCF members should abstain
from illegal drug use and from abusing
alcohol, tobacco”and prescription drugs
“This is to defend our organization against
the harm that substance abuse has cause to
many organizations and communities of
resistance. All members are responsible for
doing everything within their power (o pre-
vent illegal activity from being associated
with members of the ABCE."

(This language will apply to both
Canadian and US chapters)

EL/AL Prisoners

‘A proposal was put forward by the LA
chapter that would createguidelines for
EL/AL prisoners for ABCF political pris-
oner recognition.

Outcome: The parameters for EL/AL
prisoners for the ABCF list will include:

“EL/AL prisoners who aboveground
work or communiqué(s) (for actions they
have pleaded to) contextualize them as part
of the broader anarchist, socialist, anti-cap-
italist or ant-imperialst strugeles.”

(This language will be worked into the
ABCF guide)

Prison Council

Proposal was put forward that the ABCE
should find way to increase involvement
of the Prison Commitice (PC),

Outcome: The ABCF will encourage the
PC to have a greater involvement n the
Update (artcles, etc.) and overall general
discussions in the Federation. Every group
s encouraged to have contact with prison-
ers on the PC but specific ABCF members
will be responsible to be the main contact
from PC members.

‘Contacts for PC:

Tim (PH) - Ojore Lutalo
Brandan (NYC) - Maliki Latine
Matt (LA) - Bill Dunne

Andrew (NYC) - Daniel McGowan

Additional prisoners will be asked if
they are interested in taking on PC posi-
tions (Sekou Odinga, Oscar Lopez and
Sekou Kambui.) Sara will contact said pris-
oners. There is a_concern about role of
MeGowan on the PC becase of his trans-
for

Caucus

Proposal put forward to renew some of
the caucuses. Sara would like to see
stronger support for Women's Caucus in
the ABCF.

Outcome: Women's Caucus will be
established. Men's Caucus and others may
be formed as a sign of support and solidar-
ity.

Website/Listserve

‘There was a concern about how mem-
bers cannot get on the list. Yahoo list has
not been working properly. There was also
concerned about how LA ABC's PP/POWs
fiers are difficult o find.

‘Outcome: New lst will be formed and
discussions will be transferred to the lis.
Al groups are suppose 1o send Toronto

ABC a list of all member’s emails who
wish to be on the list. Toronio ABC will
‘maintain list. LA ABC will transfer flers
on to ABCF website.

October 10th March

Political Prisoner groups in New York
will organize a PP/POW march on o the
UN. NYC ABC has asked for a showing
from the ABCF.

Outcome: Statement of solidarity will
be written by Brendan (NYC) and present-
ed to the ABCF for edits. Groups are asked
10 sign on to statement

Constitution

Changes on language on ABCF consti-
tution was postponed until next conference.
NYC raised concern about term “backward
and criminal” used in constitution. NYC
concerned about connotations. related to
words. They would like similar language
that is equally strong but does not have
same baggage.

FC discussed o need to rededicate the
ABCF 1o the constitution and the programs
of the organization (Warches). The council
also addressed the lack of consistent com-
‘munication and there is a need to formalize
communication. There is a concern on how
the ABCF can stay on top of the campaigns
and medical emergencies of the prisoners.

‘Outcome: The following measures have
been agreed upon to increase accountabili-
ty in the Federation:

The FC will meet the first Monday of
the month to address Federation issus.
Meetings will take place on the following
dates: 7/7, 84, 911, 10/6, 113, 12/1

‘The FC is calling for a renewed com-
mitment 1o the language regarding
fundraising for the Warchest. The language
insists that Branch groups send in “a rea-
sonable amount” to the Warchest monthly.
It was agreed that 2 reasonable amount
should be consistent with the monthly-mul-
tiplier used in the past. All groups will not
be expected to do some form of fundraising
for the Warchest cvery month. The
fundraising of cach chapter will be
reviewed at the monthly meetings.

A directory of contacts will be created
again. Contacts for the listserve will be also

The ABCF will begin to develop more month and will discuss what follow they can partcipate i conference
i ABCF willaso work o developing _the_organizaton “on September 26-250h

5
vale ]
'%' SN2,
Pog \’ M

Matt and Tim (LA) expressing their opinion

Brian (Toronto) and Lane (LA) on the drug Sara (Toronto) and Tim (LA)

Jeff Luers’ Sentenced Reduced, Transferred

On February 28, 2008, a re-sentencing
hearing took placs in the Lane County
Circuit Court in front of Judge Billings.
“This followed an Oregon court of appeals
ruling in February 2007 that Luers original
sentence of 22 years § months by Judge
Lyle Velure was illegal, and the appeals
court remanded the case back to Lane
County Circuit Court for re-sentencing
Following the appeals court decision,
negotiations have resulted in the decision
today to reduce Luers sentence to 10 years,
bringing his release date to late December
2009,

In June 2001, then 23 year-old Jeffrey
“Free” Luers was arrested for the burning
of three trucks at a Eugene car dealership.
His stated purpose was to raise awareness.
about global warming and the role that
SUVs ‘and trucks play in that process
Despite the fact that this action hurt no one,
caused only $28,000 in damages and the
cars were later resold, Luers received the
draconian sentence imposed by Velure.

Luers gained support locally as well as
all over the world as a political prisoner. It
is widely believed that Luers received such
a drastic sentence because of the political
nature of the action he took. Following his
original sentence, Amnesty International
and the Eugene Human Rights Commission
(EHRC) issued letiers of support citing that
the sentence appeared to be politically

motivated. During the course of his ial,
statements were made by the police and
prosecuting attorney that indicated it was
Luers" political views on trial, not merely
bis actions. His defense successfully
proved that evidence had been tampered
with, officers had lied and that the prosecu-
tor had manipulated evidence to get a legal
search warrant at his residence. Luers was
given a sentence that attempted 10 send the
message to environmental and social jus-
tice activists that even a merely symbolic
act of property destruction could be pun-
ished more harshly than many crimes
against persons.

Prior 1o his imprisonment, Luers was a
very well respected community activist in
Eugene, Oregon involved with forest
defense and cooking free food for the city's
homeless population. He has remained
active from prison, often writing news arti-
cles and monthly dispatches to his growing
list of supporters. With a release date on the
horizon, Luers future is bright and he plans
to pursie courses and looks forward to
sharing quality time with his family and
loved ones.

Statement from Jeffrey Luers:

“Today I feel a great weight lfied off of
me, and my loved ones. While I believe my
new sentence is still more of a reflection of
my activism and my dissent than my actual

erimes; 1 am looking forward to my much
closer release date.

1 am proud of the many things 1 have
accomplished wiile incarcerated, includ -
lng reaching beyond oceans and borders 1o
help raise awareness about global warm -
ing and to help combat social injustice.

Tam dhankful of my family, friends and
the_thousands of supporters and fellow
activists from around the world who have
stood by me since day one.

And I'd especially like 10 thank my
attorneys, and friends. Lauren Regan,
Misha Dunlap and Shawn Wiley for never
aiving up on gerting me out sooner than 22
years.

T am happy to say this journey is almost
over and I'll be coming home soon.”

In mid April, Jeff was transferred to the.
Columbia River Cortectional Institution in
Portland, Oregon. It is not currently known
if this is his final destination prior to his
release.

Overall, the news for Jeff is fantastic
news. JefFis expected to be released by Fall
2009,

For those interested in writing him:

Jeffrey Luers # 13797671
CRCI

9111 NE Sunderland Ave
Portland, OR 97211-1708.

Tre Arrow Takes Plea for 78 Months

In June 2008, ELF political prisoner,
Tre Arrow, pled guilty to two counts of
arson, one count for the Ross Island Sand
and Gravel incident and one for the
Schoppert Logging incident. Arow will
receive a sentence of 78 months at his
sentence. He will receive credit for the
time he spent in Canadian jails and in
American jails. Arrow was facing life in
prison if convicted of all 14 counts in the
Indictment. The twelve other counts will
be dismissed at sentencing.

Arrow is wanted by the government in
connection with the April 13, 2001 arson
at Ross Island Sand and Gravel in
Portland. Three trucks were damaged in
the amount of $200,000. The ELF
claimed for the attack. He was also want-
ed for an attack a month later at Ray
Schoppert Logging Company in
Estacada, Oregon, on June 1, 2001 Two
logging frucks and a front loader were
damaged, resulting in $30,000 worth of
damage. The ELF did not claim responsi-
bility. but the explosions were similarly
ereated by milk jugs filled with gasoline,
and a fuse made from incense and a pack
of matches.

“Arow was connected with the. in

dents after Jacob Sherman, who had been
detained for over 4-months in connection
with the arsons, named three others who
participated in the actions: Tre Arrow,
Angela Cesario and Jeremy Rosenbloom.
Cesario and Rosenbloom entered plea
agreements, however they disputed
Sherman's claim that Arrow was the mas-
termind for the arsons. They claimed
Jacob Sherman was the actual master-
mind.

‘Arow was indicted by a federal grand
jury in Oregon and charged with four
felonies for this crime on October 18,

2002. He was listed on the FBI's
December 2002 most-wanted list, and
appeared on the America’s Most Wanted
television program.

Arrow sought political asylum in
Canada. On March 13th, 2004, Arrow
was arrested in Victoria for stealing bolt
cutters and was also charged with being
in Canada illegally. He was in custody in
Victoria's Wilkinson Penitentiary where
he unsuceessfully fought extradition back
10 the United States. Atrow has avoided a
possible sentence of life in prison with
the June 3rd, 2008 plea agreement that
will include time served in Canads

Amow's family and supporters had
expressed concern that he could not
receive a fair trial in the United States
due to character assassination by the
‘media; several newspapers have referred
1o Armow as an "eco-terrorist”, and the
FBI held his capture up as an example of
its success in prosecuting terrorists in a
2004 report to Congress. Judges in both
Canadian and American cases against
him have ruled that the term “terrorist”
could not be used during the proceedings
against him

Continued from page 4

about the voice analysis that contradicts the
story of the state’s chief murderous witness
against Poindexter.

The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that
Poindexter's bid for parole must fail
because the Board of Pardons has not com.
muted his life sentence o a term of years
thus depriving the Board of Parole the abil-
ity 1o grant a parole request. n responding
to Poindexter's arguments that numerous
other prisoners serving life sentences have
been released on parole after serving less
time than he has the court said that a com.-
mutation of sentence was a “discretionary
state privilege” and that even if “granted

nerously in the past” Poindexter had no
legal enitlement to similar consideration.

While the expected ruling against parole
for Poindexter does not presage the out-
come of his pending new trial equest some.
of the language in the decision does sug-
gest that attorney Robert Bartle will have

s work cut out for him during oral argu-
ments scheduled for this fal

In the ten-page decision there were
three references to the underlying crime,
the murder of Larry Minard. In the opening.
summary of the decision the Nebraska

FREQUENTLY U

degree murder.”

ing. |
describe

dished headlines.

Meanwhile,

serving life

ED

Supreme Court properly noted
jury convicted Edward Poindéxter of first

“There was terrible racial feel-
don’t have words to
but there was terri-
ble discrimination and hatred of
African-Americans, terrible.”

However, two later references were less
neutral and potentially betray a bias of the
court to the prosecution case.
discussed sentencing statutes, “in
when Poindexter committed his offense.
In the conclusion of the decision the court
repeated the bias and used the statement
“when Poindexter commitied his crime” to
describe the killing of Minard,

Nebraska newspapers, which have not
reported on the COINTELPRO manipula-
tion of the case against Poindeter, bran-

Poindexter Denied Parole following the
language of the court decision.

Ed Poindexter and Mondo
we Langa remain imprisoned at the maxi-
mun; seeurity Nebraska State Penitentiary

senten

T 1971 3

Minard’s Killers, Duane Peak,

The con-
fessed bomber; Raleigh House, the suppli-
er of the dynamite; and the unknown emer-
gency line caller walk free.

Last week in Baton Rouge, Louisiana,
federal Magistrate Christine Nolan recom.
mended that_ Black Panther Albert
Woodfox, serving a life sentence at Angola
State Prison, should be granted a new
trial.+ U.S. District Judge James Brady has
yet 1o rule on Nolan's recommendation.t
The new trial recommendation followed a
state court denial of a new trial request last
month for co-defendant Herman Wallace.{
Wallace and Woodfox were held in solitary
confinement for 36 years and only recently
have been moved to regular maximum
security cells. The two men, leaders in a
prison chapter of the Black Panthers, were
convicted for the murder of a prison guard
during a riot at the prison in 1972 on the
testimony of another prisoner relcased in
exchange for testimony against the
Panthers.

In Nebraska, a decision on Poindexter’s
request for a new trial is expected later this

The court
1970

about Cop'Killer

1 Richard is a freclance writer
based in Boston. He writes about politics,
election law, human nutrition and cthics)

Acronyms/ Terms

ABCE: Anarchist Black Cross Federation - anti-authoritarian feder-
ation of ABC groups who support and defend PP/POWS.

ABC-BG: Branch Group - ABCF group with more responsibilities
than a SG.

ABC
than 3 BG.
AIM: American Indian Movement - above ground revolutionary
organization of Native Americans.

Anarchism Free o libertarian socialism. Anarchists are opposed to
‘government, the state, and capitalism. Therefore, simply speaking,
‘anarchism is a no government form of socialism. Types of anarchists
include: Anarcho-Communist, Anarcho-Syndicalist, Autonomist,
Collectivist, Individualists, and Mutualists.
'BLA: Black Liberation Army - revolutionary Black clandestine for-
mation formed to defend the Black community and the BPP, ina
tive since the "80s.

BEP: Black Panther Party - sbove ground Black revolutionary
‘group seeking Black politcal power, disbanded in the mid-'70s.
FALN: english translation: Armed Forces of National Liberation -
revolutionary clandestine group fighting for Puerto Rican independ-
EC: Federation Council - decision-making body of the ABCE.
MOVE: Not an acronym, the name of

Philadelphia whose members are commitied o the teachings of John
Aftica. Their belef is in “lfe.

PC: Prisoner’s Committee - rotating body of 5 PPPOWs on the
ABCF's FC

Support Group - ABCF group with fewer responsibilties

PRIPOWS: Politcal Prisoners and/or Prisoners of Wa.
(See page 1)

Self-Defense: The legal act of proteting one’s life or the life of
‘another with the idea/purpose of self-determination and independ-
ence. Armed self-defense is relative 1o the ABCF, specifically in the
USS. i that as the organization grows, 50 (00 grows the need o pro-
tect ourselves from the armed aggressor of the state, right wing, and
other ideological opponents. (Firearms training as preparation for
self-defense are legal activities within the confines of the U.S.)
Self Determination: The right by virtue of which all peoples are
entitled freely to determine their political status and pursue their
economie, social, and cultural development. All peoples may, for
their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources
without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international eco-
nomic cooperation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit and
international law. In no case may a people be deprived of their own
means of subsistence,

SDS: Students for a Democratic Socicty
ed in the 60s.

The Update: This is a quarterly publication of the ABCF.

WUO: Weather Underground Organization - first the Weatherme
Tater known as the WUO, evolved out of the SDS as an underground
formation of primarily white anti-imperialst revolutionaries from
the student movement,

(The ederation (ABCF) produces. the
Revolutionanvlitcal Dictionary with these and other expanded def -
initions of poliical terms. Asailable from Los Angeles ABC for $1 and
o 41 cents stamps.)

e student group found-

Anarchist Black Cross

Avelino Gonzalez Claudio Arrested,
Puerto Rican Community Harassed

On February 7, the FBI captured Los
Macheteros member Avelino Gonzalez
Claudio in the Pucrto Rican town of
Manati. Gonzalez Claudio, who has been
living 23 years underground, was wanted in
connection with the 1983 armed robbery of
$7.1 million from the Wells Fargo armored
car_depot_in Harford, Connecticut. The
expropriation was the largest in the United
States.

Gonzalez was one of 19 people indicted
in the planning and participation of the
Hartford expropriation. Some of those
imprisoned for the action ~(Antonio
Camacho-Negron and Juan _Segarra-
Palmen) had been supported by the ABCF
while imprisoned.

The FBI believes Gonzalez he has been
living In Puerto Rico since 1985 when he
fled after being indicted for the Hartford
expropriation. He has been teaching at a
private school under an assumed name,
Jose Ortega Morales before being captured.

‘Afier two brief court appearances on the
istand in February, a U.S. Distrct judge in
Puerto Rico ordered him_transferred to
Hartford, where he now is scheduled to
stand trial for participating in the Hartford
robbery

Gonzalez is facing 15 charges associat-
ed with the robbery, ranging from multiple
counts of robbery by force of a federally
insured bank, conspiracy to interfere with
commerce by robbery, the interstate or for-
eign transport of stolen goods, and conspir-
acy against the United States. If convicted,
‘Avelino Gonzalez Claudio could face up 10
275 years in prison.

Gonzalez has pled not_guilty to the
crime he s aceused. In April the court
denied bail claiming Gonzalez has as a
Righ risk.

Also wanted in_ connection to Los
Macheteros activity and the Hartford rob-
bery are Victor Gerena and Gonzalez's
brother, Norberto Gonzalez Claudio.
Gerena is believed to be in Cuba, whereas
Norberto is believed to be somewhere in
Puerto Rico,

Additional Charges.

‘Allegedly. the funds seized during the
Hartford action were to be used to fund the
Puerto Rican independence movement and
support other Leftist formations in Latin
America. From 1976 to the present day, the
Los Macheteros has taken credit for a vari-
ety of actions including the attack on 11
fighter jets at a National Guard air based
and killing of two sailors during an attack
on a US Navy bus.

Prosecutors are also trying to link
Gonzalez to additional actions believed to
be committed by Los Macheteros. In the
early *80, two rocket attacks targeted var-
fous US institutions in San Juan. The FBI
claims they found fingerprints matching
those of Gonzalez on the armrest of a
Chevrolet parked near the site of one of the
attacks targeting the FBI offices on October
30, 1983 Despite their claims of
Gonzalez's connection, the FBI admited
they cannot_conclusively tie Gonzalez's
fingerprints to the attackHowever, the FBI
claims they have tied Gonzalez's finger-
prints 1o a second rocket attack on the fed-
eral courthouse and US post office building
in 1985,

Renewed Harassment

Gonzalez's apprehension appears con-
nected to renewed govemment interest in
Los Macheteros. In September 2005, FBI
agents shot and Killed the leader of the Los
Macheteros, Filberto Ojeda Rios, who also
had been underground since the late 1980s.

Recent investigations have produced
scientific evidence that proves the FBI
agent who fired the fatal shot that killed
Ojeda Rios lied about the justification for
killing the revolutionary. The agent
claimed he fired because he could see
Ojeda Rios pointing a gun at him from
inside the residence. The evidence com-
piled determined the agent could not have
seen Ojeda Rios through the window as he
indicated.

The agent's bullet pierced a refrigerator
before hitting Ojeda Rios. Some reports
indicate Ojeda Rios was alive for 15 to 30
minutes before bleeding to death. Other
reports indicate he was alive for a consid-
erable amount longer before he bled to
death. In either case, no medical assistance
was given to Ojeda Rios 1o ry to save him.

Since Ojeda Rios' death, FBI agents
have served search warrants ‘on suspected
Los Macheteros members or sympathizers
in Puerto Rico and New York.

In mid-Apil, FBI agents visited several
Puerto Rican independentistas allegedly in
connection with an investigation currenly
underway. Two people associated withThe
New School, Miguel Viqueira and Tania
Delgado Soto were harassed and threatened
at their homes by agents, but were not
informed 2s to what the investigation was
about. “The New School” develops political
work in public housing and poor communi-
ties across the Island and is an integral part
of the independentista movement.

Some within the Puerto Rican commu-

Dity have suggested the harassmen is an
attempt 1o provoke a similar_incident 1o
what had taken place with Ojeda Rios.

1t seems the government will stop at
nothing 1o harassment, imprison and if
need be, assassinate the leader in the inde-
pendence movement in Puerto Rico. Under
the guise of fighting terrorism, the govern-
ment is determined to force colonialism of
the people of Puerto Rico, even if that
means using terrorism to do it

1tis for this reason the palifical prisoner
support community_needs to support
Avelino Gonzalez Claudio. The ABCF
encourages people to write him and do
what is necessary to provide assistance to
bim and family.

Avelino Gonzalez Claudio
Northern Correctional Institution
287 Bilion Road,

POB 665

Somers, CT 06071

More Grand Jury Hearings

‘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 inves-
tigating the Puerio Rican independence
movement. Two groups: Puerto Rico
Committee for Human Rights and the
National Boricua Human Rights Network
have filed motions (o intervene in support
to have the subpenas thrown out on con-
sttutional grounds.

So far, since the new year of 2008,
Puerto Ricans Tania Frontera, graph
designer, Christopher Torres, 4 sach
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 mun;
pality of Vieques, Puerto Rico) and a fifth
person, an_independentista and human
rights activist, have been subpoenaed o
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 estab-
lished pro-independence political print
ple of 'non collaboration’ to the grand jury
can be held in 'contempt of cour” and
imprisoned.

Fitzgerald Event Illustrates 40 Years of Resistance and Repression

On June 28th, supporters of Romaine
“Chip® Fitzgerald_gathered together to
raise awareness of his case and his July
2nd parole hearing. Chip. who will be
‘going on his 30th year in prison this fall,
has the unwanted privilege of being the
longest held Black Panther political pris-
oner in the United States. His case epito-
mizes the culmination of the dirty tricks
and tactics the U.S. government
employed in its effort to destray the
Black Panther Party,

‘Among the organization present at the
event were the Commitice to Free Chip
Fitzgerald Support, All of Us or None of
Us. the Brown Berets, Puerto Rican
Alliance, Anti-Racist Action, the Black
Riders, and the Anarchist Black Cross
Federation. Also represented in the crowd
were former members of the Black
Panther Party, including Ronald Elder
Ereeman, David Hilliard and Elaine
Brown

The gathering was a reminder of not
only the rich history of the Black
Liberation struggle found in the city of
Los Angeles, but also the nearly forty
years of political repression against the
Black Panther Party and those groups
who have been inspired by the orzaniza-
tion,

During the era of the Black Panthers,
Los Angeles saw some of the brutal
repression targeting the party. It is well-
documented that, in the late 19605, the
FBI and other policing agencies of the
‘zovernment developed and carried out
concerted plan to neutralize or wipe out
the Black Panther Party, after FBI
Dircctor J. Edgar Hoover issued his infa-
‘mous declaration that the Party was the
“greatest threal” to the nation’s security.
AS a result of the FBI's brutal campaign,
many Party leaders were assassinated,
falsely imprisoned, imprisoned under
extraordinary sentences, slandered and
demonized, as Party offices were assault-
ed and Parly programs were undermined.
L.A. party leadership scemed to be in
theit lin of sight.

The first Black Panther to be killed
was Bunchy Carter's brother, Arthur
Morris, who was killed in March 1968
under suspicious circumstances “. In
August of 1968, Los Angeles police
gunned down Panthers Tommy Lewis,
Steve Bartholomew and Robert Lawrence
while being pulled over at a gas station.

As part of the government plot, the
FBI helped to fucl the feud between the
Panthers and Karenga's United Slaves.
On December 30, 1968, a member of the
Party, Frank Diggs, was found dead in an
alley the Long Beach/San Pedro area of
Los Angeles. Though his death has

remained unsolved, some suggest it was
connected in the Panther/Karenga feud.
The following month, members of
Karenga's group killed John Huggins and
L.A. Panther leader, Bunchy Carter were
killed at UCLA. On March 14, 1969, fol-
lowing a student sirike meeting at
Victory Baptist Church, an altercation
ensued in the parking lof between United
Slave members and Panthers. Panther
Ronald Freeman, mentioned earlier in the
article, was wounded in the chest and
groin. Local police watched the fight
from their vehicle parked across the
street and did not intervene.

On September 18, 1969, Nathaniel

Matt (LA) & Jenn (Brown Beres

Clark was shot in the face in his sleep by
“party or parties unknown.” The same
month, Chip and several other Panthers
were involved in a shootout with a CHP
officer and sustained a gunshot wound to
the head. He survived this attack, only to
be arrested the following month and
charged with assault on police and the
murder of a security guard. He was con-
victed and sentenced to death, which was
commuted o life.

The same month Chip was arrested,
the LAPD shot two other Panthers,
Walter Toure Pope and Bruce Richards
Pope was killed in the incident. Pope was
trying to order food at Jack-in-the-box
restaurant when the police shot him,
believe he was “trying to rob the place.”

The LAPD finished the year with
nearly six-hour assault against the L.A.
Panther headquarters by the LAPD's
newly formed SWAT Team at the same
time the Chicago police assassinated
Fred Hampton and Mark Clark in
Chicago.

During the same period of Chip's
frame-up. the government was working
on convicting Geronimo Pratt for Santa
Monica robbery and murder that the FBI
knew he was not guilty of committing.
He served 27 years in prison before the
truth was reveled.

At the same time Pratt was being rail-
roaded, his pregnant wife Sandra Prait,
was found dead on the side of the road
Her body was riddled with bullets

Same Weapons, Different Era

‘And while some may believe that the
tariing the Black Liberation movement
and the Black Panther Party in Los
Angeles has disappeared with along J.
Edgar Hoover and the father of SWAT
and former Police Chief Dary! Gates, we
Would be strongly mistaken i we believe
that to be the case

1t should be no surprise that among
those who atiended Chip's event were
members of the Black Riders Liberation
Party (BRLP). The Riders, who some say
is today’s manifestation of the Panther,
Has been the target of the LAPD for well
over ten years now

Last year, the three leading members
of the Black Riders Liberation Party,
General Wolverine Shakur (ak.a.,
TACO. - Taking All Capitalists Out),
Sechzvan White (aka.. Siress) and
Aryana Shakur, were indicted on bogus
chane to possess automatic weapons and
‘Sttempted possession of a machine gun

“The three have remained in prison
with 1 bail of half a million for Aryana to
2 million dollars apiece for T.A.C.0. and
Stress.

“The District Attomey claimed that the
Black Riders Liberation Party attempted
1o purchase weapons in order to further
thetr plot to enter and shoot up various
LAPD stations in the city. While the
prosceutors have developed this outra-
eous story, they have not charged the
Members of the organization with the
plot, only with the weapons charges.
However it was this unsubsantiated aile.
gation that was the basis to Justify the
taids, undercover cops and surveillance
direcied at the BRLF.

In addition to these charges the

.
T.A.C.O. from the BRLP (center)

District Atiorney attempted add a gang
enhancement charge, but that was later
dropped. They were forced 1o drop the
enhancement charge when_ undercover
officers testified that the BRLP claimed
no territory, bore no_identifying gang-
style tattoos and, in fact, resembled the
Black Panther Party. Police acknowl-
edged under oath that the Black Riders

were proud Africans, advocates for Black
unity and avowed communists. This testi-
mony makes clear the political nature of
the charges and the whole case.

In late July, the three Black Riders
facing charges pled to attempted posses-
sion of a machine gun. Comrades Aryana
and Stress were released. General TACO
received two years with time served. He
s expected 1 be released in six months
or less.

General TA.C.O. and others formed
the Black Rider Liberation Party while
being held in a California Youth Authority
prison. At the time he was working with
New Panther Vanguard, which was
formed after the erosion of the Panther
Party in Los Angeles. TA.C.O. split the
New Panther Vanguard because he felt the
organization did not reflect the issue
impact young black youth. The BRLP was
furthered developed by members of the
Blood and Crips, while the organization
was working on the gang truce.

‘Although the BRLP have been the tar-
gets of police harassment and set-ups for
their entire 12-year history, the recent
series of busts and high-power raids have
taken place in the context of the BRLP
popularizing the case of the San
Francisco 8, as well as, leading Black
resistance and building Black-Brown
unity against the racist Minutemen.

Combined with the effectiveness of
their "Wach programs and their
peace-making efforts and political educa-
tion with Bloods and Crips street onzani-
zation members, these successes brought
the BRLP under the cross hairs of the
highly political repressive apparatus of
the LAPD.

The BRLP has been building chapters
and making contacts in San Diego,
Sacramento and the Bay Area. As their
recognition and support in the Black
community of south LA, Crenshaw,
Watts and the Inland Empire has grown,
the police have grown mare intent on dis.

rupting their activities. These latest raids.
and high bails are furiher proof that the
System hates and wants to destroy organ-
ized resistance among Black community.

Throughout the ongoing campaign by
the government against the Riders, for-
mer Panthers have continued fo offer
their support and experience. The Riders.
have continued to provide support for
Panthers currently in prison and/or facing
charges - like the San Francisco 8.

The cvent for Romaine Fitzgerald
illustrated 1o all participants both the
extent the government will go to repress.
resistance movements, as well as, the
resilience of revolutionarics to continue
the struggle for the liberation.

despite the celebratory nature
of the event for Romaine Fitzgerald, it
was reported a week later that Chip was.
denied parole. He was instructed o return
in one year. It has been reported that Chip
remains strong and s awaiting his free-
dom,

The Anarchist Subsistence Program

The Anarchist Subsistence Program seeks o provide
material aid to those PP/POWs who come from our own
anarchist/anti-authoritarian community.

As with the Warchest, this program is designed o aid
PP/POWSs who receive little financial aid. However, it is
unique because it exclusively assists those from the anar-
chist/anti-authoritarian community

Over the last few years there has been an increase of
anarchist/anti-authoritarian PP/POWSs. Most of these new
prisoners have support committees who raise awareness
and funds on their behalf. Long held anarchist/anti-author-
itarian PP/POWS have had their support overshadowed by
these new cases. This program is designed to ensure that
support for them remains consistent

The two functions of this support campaign include a
monthly Hnancial assistance and forty 43¢ postage Stamps
per month. Supporters of the Anarchist Subsistence
Program sénd whatever funds they can to Philadelphia

Subsistence Report for 2007

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL

ABC (who facilitates the program) who in tum distributes
the funds among anarchist political prisoners who partici-
pate in the program. All U.S. supporters also take turns
Sending the stamps dircctly io Philadelphia ABC.

Lised here are the montbly check documenttion and
sotation of groups sending stamps. If you want to support
i important program and help us cxpand the number of
Anarchist Subsistence Program campaigns we run, contact
Philadelphia ABC. Make checks or money orders out only
to: TIM FASNACHT. Funds should be sent in the last
week of the month before the month the funds will be used
(i.e., send March funds in the 3rd week of February).

(" Stamp Schedule
Aug- Philadelphia
Sept- Los Angeles
Oct- Los Angeles
Nov- Los Angeles

NY ABCF 00 0 20 20 0 75 | Sendacheckormoneyorder toPhiladelphia ABCF made
LA ABCF 00 0160 0 0 0 outtoTim Fasnacht for forty 43¢ stamps in the last week of|
TORABCF 0 0 0 0 0 0 50 |themonth before the month forwhich you are responsible.
nX 0 0 0 0o 0 5 o

Philadelphia ABCF
TOTAL 0 0 0 180 20 50 i35
P.O Box 42129
Philadelphia, PA 19101
Name: Ph Send cash.checks or mos
| Street Address made to TIM FASNACHT to:

| City/State/Zip.

Philly ABCF

| ONE TIME DONATION []

Pl commit to 6 months || Tll committo 1 year ||

MONTHLY SUPPORTER [ ]
Monthly supporters, please check one of the following:

Box 42129
PA 19101

Philadelphia
imABCF@aol.com
toll free (877)

Amount:s

$

$50,000 Raised Through the Warchest Program
SUPPORT THE ABCF WARCHEST

‘The ABCF has initiated a program designed to send monthly checks to PPPOWSs who
have been receiving insufficient, littl, or no financial support during their imprison-
ment, PPPOWs requesting funds complete an application of financial questions.
‘When the ABCF has collected sufficient funds to send out another monthly check, the
applications are reviewed by a rotating body of PP/POWs called the Prisoner
Committee, who make a judgement on which applicant s in the most financial necd.
There is also an emergency fund designed to immediately send checks to those
PP/POWS in nced of one-time or emergency
Founded in 1994, the Warchest has provided cor
ing a much- neglected comradely function. Since its inception, the ABCF has raised
over $50,000 with just this one program. Al funds raised go directly to the political prisoners, for which the program is designed.
Despite our success, our comrades are stil in dire need of funds. Endorse this program by giving a monthly or one-time donation
to increase the number of prisoners being supported monthly. A financial report is published that documents all money reccived
and the prisoner it was sent to. The prisoners” addresses are also printed so that endorsers may write and hold us accountable.

Send cash,checks or mos made to TIM FASNACHT to:
Philly ABCF e P.O Box 42129 e Philadelphia, PA 19101 ¢ timABCF@aol.com

FUNDS IN __JAN FEB_MAR_APR_MAY JUN JUL %
LA ABCF 0 o 0 0 50 0 0 005 3800
PHL ABCF 20 0 0 20 20 0 25 1996 4143

1997 3544
TORONT ABCF 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 To08 7643
JAX ABCF 0 o 0 o 0 50 0 ~To%o E8ia
NY ABCF 0 0 0 20 20 0 201 2000 3514
2001 5290
RYAN/ALSKA 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 5002 2873
PROPAGANDI ) 0 o 0 115 0 005 ires
JUSTIN/CLEV 0 0 [} [} 0 0 0 2004 UNACC*
2005 4439
ANON 0 0 0 0 0 25 0 006 3268
TOTAL 45 0 0 40 540 190 326 2007 4312
2008 1141
FUNDS OUT Jan-08 FEB_MAR_APR_MAY JUN JUL ToTAL 177
SEKOU KAMBUI 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 FUNDS OUT
RUSSELL SHOATZ 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 1904 120
JOSEPH BOWEN 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 1995 2796
HANIFF BEY 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 199 4308
HERMAN BELL 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 e
SEKOU ODINGA 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 —j a2
RUCHELL MAGEE 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 2000 4544
ALVARO HERNANDEZ 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 001 4637
MALIKI LATINE 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 2002 4320
TSUTOMU SHIROSAKI 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 2003 1300
OJORE LUTALO 0 0 0 0 100 0 o0 2004 UNACC*
TOTAL 300 300 300 300 400 300 300 2005 2620
2006 2880
2007 3471
FUNDS REMAINING: $2172.50 2008 2200

TOTAL 49132

(*Funds unaccounted for due to unreported funds from Jacksonville ABCF) .fi

“Your ABCF Guide to PP/POW Support is great, PERIOD!"
- New Afikan POW Sundiata Acoli

“You can see many of our concerns addressed in this pam -
phiet.”

- former Puerto Rican POW Carmen Valentin

“Itis extremely well thought out and put together.”
- Anti-Imperialist PP Tom Manning

What's the ABC? What's the ABCF? Who are Political Prisoners? Who
are Prisoners of War? Where are they? Why make a criteria? What do
you mean by “documentation”and how do 1 get it? What kinds of sup -
‘port do Polltical Prisoners need? How should 1 o about my work?
What can PPIPOWS gt in prison? What do I need o know if I want -
ed 10 visit? Can I bring them food packages? What abour clothes?
Wit do you mean' by ‘principled support”? How do I get involved?

This is a practical guide compiled by Political Prisoners and
Prisoners of War themselves, based on concrete history and work
experience. 1t will help answer all of the above questions and more.
The ABCF guide to PPPOW includes definitions that were demo-
cratically agreed upon at an international tribunal, spet
dures ini

bl P

PP et
o T i o

" proce-
ob ‘documentation on PP/POW's. information on
visiting, phone contact, food/clothing packages, and the working
policies of the ABCF in our work to support PPPOW's. Send $1
‘and two stamps to

ABCF-LA « PO Box 11223 « Whittier, CA + 90603

LA-ABCF

Branch Group

PO Box 11223
Whittier, CA 90603

“This work is not done for glory, but because we believe in mutual aid.”