$2 A B C F U P D A T E Q UA R T E R L Y P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E A B C F Fall 2006 "Any movement that does not support their political internees is a sham movement." - O. Lutalo Issue #45 Black Panther, Michael Zinzun, Remembered

Also in this Update: Campaign for the Virgin Island 5 • Sinn Fein Snitch Found Dead • Update on Cuban 5 • Rod Coronado Arrest • Update on McGowen Case • Josh Wolf Jailed Again • Statement by Seth Hayes on Parole Denial • Peltier's Statement on Ireland Hunger Strike, 81 • Omaha 2 Update • “You Call this Democracy” by Ojore Lutalo • Personal Appeal by Jaan Laaman • Former Irish POW Arrested in So Cal • And Much More In the 80s,however, the ABC began to gain W H AT IS THE ANARCHIST BLACK CROSS FEDERAT I O N ? popularity again in the US and Europe. For years, the A B C ’s name was kept alive by a The Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) began provide support to those who were suff e r i n g number of completely autonomous groups shortly after the 1905 Russian Revolution. It because of their political beliefs. scattered throughout the globe and support- formed after breaking from the Political Red In 1919, the org a n i z a t i o n ’s name changed ing a wide variety of prison issues. Cross, due to the group’s refusal to support to the Anarchist Black Cross to avoid confu- In May of 1995, a small group of A B C Anarchist and Social Revolutionary Political sion with the International Red Cross. collectives merged into a federation whose Prisoners. The new group, naming itself the Through the 1920s and until 1958, the org a n- aim was to focus on the overall support and Anarchist Red Cross (ARC), began to pro- ization worked under various other names defense of Political Prisoners and Prisoners vide aid to those Political Prisoners who were but provided the same level of support as the of Wa r. refused support by the PRC. other groups working as Anarchist Black Various groups have since merged in In the early decades, the organization had Cross. numerous networks throughout the globe chapters throughout Europe and North After 1936, the ABC expanded its aid to working on various prison issues. T h e America. These chapters worked together to places such as Greece, Italy and Spain. Anarchist Black Cross Federation (ABCF) provide assistance to prisoners only in In 1958, the organization collapsed but has continued its mission to focus on the aid Russia. Soon other groups, such as the r e e m e rged in 1967 in London, England. and support of Political Prisoners. We take Latvian Anarchist Red Cross, emerged to Once again ABC chapters spread throughout the position that PP/POW’s demand our top provide aid in other Eastern European coun- the globe providing support for imprisoned p r i o r i t y. We strive to continue with the same tries. Armed with the ideas of mutual aid a n d comrades. Sadly, by the end of the 1970s dedication and solidarity to our fallen com- s o l i d a r i t y, these groups worked tirelessly to only a handful of ABC chapters still existed. rades as those before us have shown. Introduction: The ABCF is: “Crucially important to maintaining the anarchist integrity of this org a n i z a t i o n PRISONER’S COMMITTEE is the fact that Branch Groups and Support Groups are freely autonomous to OJORE LUTALO BILL DUNNE take on whatever initiatives they can to further the Unity of Purpose of the #59860 / Box 861 10916-086 A B C F. So long as these initiatives do not contradict any preexisting agree- Trenton, NJ 08625 Box 019001 Atwater, CA 95301 ments (Tactical Unity) that have been made by the A B C F, it is not necessary SEKOU KAMBUI 113058 / BOX 56 HANIF BEY for all groups to approve of and/or agree with programs, projects or work of SCC (B1-21) 295933 / Box 759 other ABCF collectives.” [from the ABCF Constitution and Structure] ELMORE, AL 36025 Big Stone Gap, VA 24219 JAAN LAAMAN The following definitions are used to describe the below terms whenever W41514 / Box 100 they appear in the ABCF Update or any other ABCF literature. South Walpole, MA 02071 P o l i t i c a l P r i s o n e r ( P P ) : A person incarcerated for actions carried out in ABCF GROUPS support of legitimate struggles for self determination or for opposing the NJ ABC PHILLY ABC illegal policies of the government and/or its political subdivisions. [Special PO Box 8532 P.O Box 42129 International Tribunal on the Violation of Human Rights of PP/POW's in Paterson, NJ 07508 Philadelphia, PA 19101 U.S. Prisons and Jails, Dec. ’90] JAX ABC PO Box 350392 WINNIPEG ABC P r i s o n e r o f Wa r ( P O W ) : Those combatants struggling against colonial and Jacksonville, FL 3D-91 Albert St. 32235-0392 alien domination and racist regimes captured as prisoners are to be accorded Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 1G5, Canada the status of prisoner of war and their treatment should be in accordance with MONTREAL ABC the provisions of the Geneva Conventions Relative to the Treatment of P.O.B 42053 SUCC LA ABC Jeanne Mance Prisoners of War of 12 August, 1949 (General Assembly resolution 3103) PO BOX 11223 Montreal QC Whittier, CA 90603 H2W 2T3 Canada Petition for Sekou Kambui New Afrikan political prisoner Sekou Kambui had a parole hearing scheduled for this past June. The hearing date has passed, but the hearing still has not taken place. Sekou and his supporters believe that it will be held in December. We are asking supporters to sign the web petition that can be found at the address below. Thank you for your continued s u p p o r t . Write to Sekou: Sekou Kambui (William Tu r k ) # 113058 Box 56, SCC (B1-21) Elmore, A L 3 6 0 2 5 - 0 0 5 6 w w w. p e t i t i o n o n l i n e . c o m / s e k o u / p e t i t i o n . h t m l www.abcf.net 1 ISSUE #45 Fall 2006 5/26/06, and said that he is not in the hole pectedly taken from USP A t w a t e r. He has NEWS FROM THE FRONT but rather his unit is on lockdown due to an been sent to USP Big Sandy in Kentucky. incident in the mess hall. We are sking for people to send him a letter Harold Thompson Attacked During the Lockdown, Bashir’s cell was and let him know that he is in our thoughts. Anarchist prisoner Harold T h o m p s o n ransacked by prison authorities, who later has been attacked by a gang of white fas- claimed that "he had contraband books in Bill Dunne #10916-086 cists. He was placed in the hole and was his cell." All the books that Bashir had P.O. Box 2068 transferred. He faces permanent disability received had been sent through the prison Inez, KY 4 1 2 2 due to 5 months of denied medical trea- and had been approved. m e n t . Also due to the lockdown, Bashir is in a Camacho Negron is Free He is looking to file a lawsuit but needs cell that has a lot of traffic in front of it, On September 2, 2006 A n t o n i o to replace his law books and other things he which makes it difficult for him to get any Camacho Negron was released from lost during the attack and transfer. rest. Philadelphia FDC. He immediately con- To contact Harold, write to him at: There is also a serious concern about tacted ProLibertad with the good news. B a s h i r ’s health. Because of a heart condi- According to Antonio, the government says H a rold H. T h o m p s o n tion there is a concern that the noise and he no longer “owes” them any time. # 9 3 9 9 2 lack of sleep may cause needless stress. Antonio Camacho Negron was arrested P.O. Box 11 5 0 Also, the food provided him usually con- earlier this year for violation of his parole. Henning, Tennessee sists of a bagged lunch, which will be espe- He was confined in “the hole” for the 3 8 0 4 1 - 11 5 0 cially hard on Bashir due to his diabetes. entirety of his imprisonment. His family has asked that people call or Since his original release, Negron has Jalil Denied Parole write to the Warden at Great Meadow - refused to recognize the authority of the US On August 1, 2006, Jalil Muntaqim was 518-639-5516 (Comstock) - asking him to government over Puerto Rico and its peo- denied parole for the third time since his better Bashir’s living conditions as well as ple. Because of this refusal, the government imprisonment. The parole board enforced his food and medical care: has continued to pressure and harass P a t a k i ’s unwritten policy to deny parole to Camacho Negron. anyone convicted of a violent crime. T h i s B a s h i r H a m e e d / York unwritten policy has been enforced since #82-A-6313 Lefty is Recovering the parole of Kathy Boudin. Great Meadow Correctional Facility William “Lefty” Gilday is recovering Jalil is currently preparing an appeal of Box 51 from surgery from an arterial blockage. the parole denial. He is asking people to Comstock, New York 12821 Cards and well- wishes can be sent to: write to Robert Dennison at the NYS Division of Parole to request that a Full Warden c/o William ‘Lefty’ G i l d a y Board Review be conducted regarding his Great Meadow Correctional Facility # W 3 3 5 3 7 August 1, 2006 parole denial. Box 51 PO Box 1218 Comstock, New York 12821 MCI Shirley R o b e rt Dennison 5 1 8 - 6 3 9 - 5 5 1 6 S h i r l e y, MA 0 1 4 6 4 - 1 2 1 8 NYS Division of Parole 97 Central Av e n u e John Bowman Medical Crisis Letter Received 1 Year Later A l b a n y, New York 12206 John Bowman, a former Black Panther In late June, LA-ABCF received a and recent SF Grand Jury resister, has just response from Romaine ‘Chip’ F i t z g e r a l d 15 Black Riders Arrested been diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer. to a letter sent him almost a year prior. Fifteen members of the Black Riders This news came as a shock to all of us. We Since then, letters have been sent in Liberation Party were arrested, as part of are trying to raise $5-10,000 in the next two response to Chip’s letter, but there has been the continued harassment of the org a n i z a- weeks to help him seek additional medical no response back from him. Such “delays” tion. On June 6th, LA S h e r i ffs arrested the care in the hope of extending his life. T h i s are part of an attempt to undermine support members and charged them with robbing brother is a wonderful human being and has to Chip and his comrades- so please contin- their own van. given the best part of his life to his com- ue the support! Eight of the men have been transferred munity and the original principles of the to one of the county jails, possibly the Tw i n Black Panther Party. We are asking that Lynne Stewart Gets 2+ Years Towers. Six women are being held at people respect his privacy in this diff i c u l t Lynne F. Stewart, the radical defense another jail in Lynwood. One sister is in and painful period by not contacting him l a w y e r, was sentenced, on October 16th, to juvenile custody. until he is ready to respond to messages and two years and four months in prison on Since its split from the New Panther s u p p o r t e r s . false charges that she smuggled messages Vanguard Movement, the leader of the from an imprisoned muslim cleric client to Black Riders have dealt with serious Please make donations out to: his followers in Egypt. harassment by police in Los Angeles. T h e Stewart was facing up to thirty years Party is known in LA for its militancy, its Committee for the after being found guilty of conspiring to aid high percentage of young members and its Defense of Human Rights alleged terrorists and lying to the govern- attempts to build unity within the prison PO Box 90221 ment. The bogus allegations was an attempt s y s t e m . Pasadena, CA 9 11 0 9 to silence a radical and effective lawyer. Lynne has been a thorn in side of the Hameed on Lockdown Bill Dunne Transferred government for several decades, having On 5/28 we spoke with Bashir's sister After three months of being in “the been a lawyer for members the UFF and the and family, and they wanted to thank every- hole” and facing considerable harassment, Black Liberation A r m y. She is presently one who has called the prison on his behalf. including threats of being transferred to free while she appeals the conviction that His mom and brother saw him on Friday, Marion or ADX Florence, Bill was unex- has ended her career as a lawyer.

2 You Call This Democracy? -Ojore Lutalo, New Afrikan POW I was held incommunicado for six days would become my six day stay in the cold of long and twelve feet wide. I tore up a sheet in New Jersey Trenton State Prison's dra- the boom-boom room. I moved to the front to cover up the puddle of water on the floor, conian and nightmarish mental health unit, of the cell to have my hands cuffed behind to keep my bare feet dry, and wrapped the called 1-C by prison workers, and the boom- my back through the bars. The sergeant told other sheet around my body. boom room by many prisoners. I was not me to back out of the cell when the cell door I started pacing up and down the cage to allowed to shower, change my clothing, or opened and face the wall. generate some body heat. When I grew have soap, a toothbrush, wash cloth or As I backed out of the cell, I looked to weary of this, I sat atop the stainless steel towel. I was not allowed to make telephone my right and saw an agent from the prison's sink, hugging my body with the sheet and calls or send out or receive personal or legal Special Investigation Division (SID) squad thinking, "The way that I am now being mail. I was also not allowed to receive per- recording the action. One of the extraction treated is illegal." sonal or legal visits or take part in any inside team members placed a hand between by The coldness of the cage was setting in or outside recreational activities. cuffed hands, and I was escorted off the tier. again because I could feel my body starting Here's my Story: ENTERING THE LIVING NIGHT- to shake like a pair of loaded dice in a crap New Jersey State Prison Administrative MARE OF 1-C, THE BOOM-BOOM game, so I got off the sink and started pac- Segregation Unit (AD-SEG) 7-Wi n g - 7 - ROOM, TO WHICH NO LIVING PER- ing the floor again. Right-6-Tier-Cell #22. SON SHOULD EVER BE SUBJECTED! I entered the woes of the boom-boom On Monday, September 12th, 2005, 6- As I entered 1-C, I noticed that it has four room at 1:30 am, and at 9:30 am they gave tier was slated for afternoon yard. I or five cells located behind a long floor-to- me back my clothing! The telephone was approached 6-tier gate to be strip-searched ceiling fence, with each cell fully enclosed. ringing off the hook. Calls were coming in and was told by the security guard conduct- They put me in the first cell and asked if I from other prison security guards wanting to ing the strip searches that I could not partake was going to comply with their orders once know if Lutalo had bugged out, gone crazy. in yard movement because I was on “NO they removed the hand cuffs. I said yeah. Around 9:30 pm on the 13th, I covered CONTACT STATUS,” which meant that I They uncuffed my right hand and told me to up the dirty foam mattress with a paper could not go to the yard or visit any other place my hand behind my head. They did sheet and laid down fully dressed to doze prisoners in AD-SEG. the same with my left hand and then told me off. Shortly after, I woke up to the sound of I asked the security guard why I was on to turn around and strip. I went through the splashing water, to see water leaking from NO CONTA C T S TATUS and who had strip search motions: raised my hands, the ceiling and running down the wall, seep- placed me on it. He told me that he did not opened my mouth, stuck out my tongue, lift- ing under the mattress. know. I was not allowed to go to the yard or ed my private parts, turned around, raised I jumped up and tore up the other paper receive visits by myself either! I was only up each foot, and then spread my butt sheet to soak up the water. I called the allowed out of the cell once a day for ten cheeks. Then they told me to turn around guard, who was watching me on the camera minutes to take a shower! and face the wall until they left. from his desk. He opened the gate and came I addressed this repressive situation by They left, and I turned around to put my to the cage door. I pointed to the problem way of the administrative remedy form clothing on, only to find out that they took and asked for some more paper sheets. He dated September 11th, 2005. The person my clothing with them! There I stood, butt told me they didn't have any more. I asked who responded said: "the writer will attempt naked in a cold cell, standing next to a pud- him if could he move me to another cage, to address this situation." My thoughts dle of water! and he replied that he would check with the were: things could not get any worse! Little I surveyed the rest of my repressive sur- s e rgeant. Now the water was running did I know, the worst was yet to come...... roundings. The cage was twenty feet tall, underneath the cage door. Eventually the Around 1:30am on Thursday, October twenty feet long and fifteen feet wide, with sergeant came and saw the problem. Two 13th, 2005, the following events transpired: two ceiling-mounted observation cameras! hours later they transferred me to cage #2, It dawned on me that I was in a "close watch which did not have the twenty-four hour Lock Up, Lock Down cell!" One camera was over the dirty, bare camera watch. Cage #2 had another dirty The lock up and lock down started foam mattress on the floor, which was also foam mattress with two paper sheets atop it. around 1:30 am, when a cell extraction team dirty. The other camera was located over the Cage #2 was just as cold as cage #1, so I of several security guards dressed in combat door. The cell light was located high against started pacing the floor to generate some gear woke me up. The extraction team ser- the wall. This burning light stayed on at all body heat. geant called out my name and said: "Per hours, making sleep difficult and your eyes Just like I was illegally placed in 1-C, the orders of the warden, you are to be moved to start feeling like they have sand underneath boom-boom room, it was illegal for the war- 1-C (the so-called mental health unit)," their lids. Focusing soon became difficult. den to have placed me in a cage that had without telling me why! So I started think- Back to the cage. The cage had built into been condemned. I stayed in cage #2 until ing, why the boom-boom room, since it is the wall a stainless steel toilet and a sink. Saturday afternoon of October 15th. That well known that I do not suffer from any The window in the cage, which was seven afternoon a sergeant came to the cage and psychological decompensations. feet long and six iches wide, was situated told me I was being moved to 1-C overflow. I got up and started to feel around in the eight feet high in the back. The vent in the I would at last have a bed to sleep in. I rolled darkness of the cell for my clothing to get cage was located high up against the wal. It up my paper sheets, got handcuffed and was dressed (they turned the power off, for some blew out freezing cold air twenty four hours escorted to 1-C overflow. reason). The sergeant told me to turn the cell a day. 1-C overflow was on the left side of 1-C. light on. I told him that I couldn’t because The cage floor was painted gray. The They put me in cage #1 there. I entered to the power was off. He asked for a flashlight, bottom half of the walls were gray, and the find a steel bed frame bolted to the wall and but they didn't have one among themselves. upper walls were white, with a window in floor, covered with a dirty foam mattress. I finally got dressed for the unexpected, the door. I moved towards the door window, The cage also had two wall-mounted close- but I could not find any thermal underwear bare footed, to check it out. What I found watch cameras. Expectedly, this cage was in the dark, which I would need during what were two white, paper-thin sheets, six feet as cold as any other in the boom-boom

3 Clemency Campaign for Virgin Island 5 Hanif and his comrades were notified by a team grant clemency to prisoners before his departure of attorneys from the islands that they were put- in Novemeber. Hanif and the attorneys believe, ting together a campaign for clemency. The out- with enough public support, that they have a going governor has made it public that he will chance at clemency from Governor Tu r n b u l l . The "Vi rgin Island Five" are a group of electric shocks with "cattle prods", had before was told that those charges could be activists accused of murdering eight people plastic bags tied over their heads and water brought up again if she did not find the in the U.S. Vi rgin Islands. The murders forced up their noses by the "defenders of accused guilty. took place during a turbulent period of the law." The judge (Warren Young) over- • The court refused to throw out the "fake rebellion on the Islands. During the 1970s, looking the case prior to being placed on as with much of the world, a movement to the federal bench had worked as confessions", even after it was proven that resist colonial rule began to grow in the Rockefeller's private attorney and had even they were obtained through torture. U.S. occupied Vi rgin Islands. handled legal matters for the Fountain • Even the Assistant District Attorney Joel From 1971 to 1973, there was a small Valley Golf Course. Sacks and several police officers testified scale Mau Mau rebellion taking place on E v e n t u a l l y, the five went to trial in and admitted that they knew the defendants the islands. This activity was downplayed what became known as the "Fountain had been tortured, and that the "confes- by the media, for fear it would damage the Valley" murder trial. This was an obvious sions" extracted had been obtained by such tourist industry, on which the island's sur- Kangaroo Court and a mockery of any vival depends. Then on September 6th, sense of a fair trial. On August 13, 1973, methods. 1972, eight American tourists were gunned each of the five men were convicted and To d a y, Warren (Aziz) Ballantine, Meral down at the Rockefeller-owned golf sentenced to eight consecutive life terms. A (Malik) Smith, and Hanif Shabazz Bey are course on the island of St.Croix. Quickly look at the incredible conduct of the trial all confined in federal prisons. Ismail A l i the colonial authorities picked up over one will tell anyone why: was liberated to Cuba via an airplane hundred blacks for interrogations, and the • The court refused to excuse juror member hijacking in 1984. Raphael (Kwesi) Joseph U.S. colonial troops carried out a series of Laura Torres, former wife of detective Jorge was granted a pardon by the V.I. governor in 1992. Six years later Kwesi was myste- repressive acts of violence against the Torres, one of the arresting officers. black community. The F.B.I. and the riously found dead of poison-laced drug • Nine jurors testified that during the delib- overdose, after it was said that he was United States Army troops led a 300-man erations they were threatened with F.B.I. invasion force into the islands and used about to reveal evidence that would have strong-arm tactics to conduct house to investigations on themselves and members exonerated at least one more defendant. house searches of the low-income areas. of their families, and also threats of prose- Please address all letters of support for The island was put under virtual martial cution. clemency to: l a w, and eventually five men, Ismail A l i , • The jury deliberated for nine days, and Governor Charles Turnbull Warren (Aziz) Ballantine, Meral (Malik) told the judge that they were "hopelessly Smith, Raphael (Kwesi) Joseph, and Hanif O ffice of the Governor deadlocked", yet he still refused to dismiss 21-22 Kongens Road St. Shabazz Bey were apprehended and then them and call a mistrial, which worked to c h a rged with the attack. All the men were Thomas, US V.I 00802 known supporters of the Vi rgin Island inde- compel a guilty verdict. pendence movement. • Four jurors, including the jury foreman, Write to Hanif: The five were charged after being sub- signed statements that they had been forced Hanif Shabazz Bey jected to vicious torture in order to extract into a guilty verdict by the judge, police, and (B. Gereau) # 295933 confessions. They were beaten, hung from Wallensridge State Prison F.B.I. One juror whose daughter was P.O Box 759 Big Stone Gap, VA 2 4 2 1 9 their feet and necks from trees, subject to charged with bank robbery several years Former Sinn Fein Informant Found Dead Last issue of the Update, we reported H o w e v e r, charges against him over what about Denis Donaldson, a Sinn Fein Party became known as "Stormontgate" were member who had been discovered as a dropped by the UK authorities without British informant. On April 4th, explanation last year. Shortly after came Donaldson was found dead due to several the bombshell that he had in fact been a shotgun blasts to the chest. He was British spy for more than two decades. dressed for bed when he died. No group claimed responsibility, but The first two shots were fired through both sides, Republican and Loyalist, are the front door; apparently as he attempted pointing fingers. Republicans claim to bolt it, and the second two hit him as he Loyalists did it to undermine the peace retreated into the cottage. His right hand process, while Loyalists claim it was a was also badly damaged by gunshot. Donaldson was the cause of the collapse standard assassination by the Irish Donaldson had been hiding in a run- of the power-sharing administration at Republican A r m y. The IRA has disavowed down cabin near Glenties village in Stormont in 2002, when he and two others any involvement, but some have suggested County Donegal. He had been living there were accused of running an IRA spy ring at that this could be the act of one of the break since the news broke about him being an the heart of the government. All three men way groups, such as the Real IRA o r i n f o r m a n t . were arrested due to the allegations Continuous IRA.

4 Longtime Revolutionary Passes On Long after other revolutionaries of his oral race. Sometimes, instead of observing and day had retired or found less-confronta- Zinzun was working on issues in documenting police actions, Zinzun was tional ways of fighting the system, former Pasadena, Kwaku Duren in Long Beach in the middle of the fray. Black Panther member Michael Zinzun and Thigpenn on a case in Pacoima. T h e In 1982 he was present when Pasadena was still on the front line, doing battle three men came together in the Coalition police officers attempted to arrest a man with police. Against Police Abuse, Thigpenn said. for public drunkenness and another for In frequent clashes — some on the When an allegation of abuse arose, allegedly striking a police off i c e r. Police streets, others in the courtroom — Zinzun coalition members would meet with the later arrested Zinzun, accusing him of challenged the practices of law enforce- victim's family and the community and making threats against five officers at the ment agencies in Southern California. search for ways to achieve justice, scene, an allegation he denied. Those battles won him the respect of Thigpenn said. The coalition also docu- "I been around police long enough to some, the scorn of others, and led to mented incidents of abuse and sometimes know what you can and can't say to the changes in the Los Angeles Police accompanied community members to the police," he told a Times reporter in 1982. Department. In 1986, Zinzun lost the police stations to file complaints. The case was later dropped. sight in one eye in a confrontation with The 1986 incident, in which Zinzun Pasadena police. He later won a $1.2-mil- lost his sight, began when he heard the lion settlement. shouts of a man being arrested by police. "I'd rather lose an eye fighting against A crowd gathered and in the commotion injustice than live as a quiet slave," he that followed, police said Zinzun punched told a Times reporter in 1986. "I just can't an off i c e r. see myself standing back." He injured his eye, they said, when he Zinzun, who protested police brutality, fell while being chased by police. Zinzun worked with at-risk youth and was the denied striking an off i c e r. He said that he host of a cable television program, died was pushed down on the pavement and Sunday in his sleep at his home in that officers had beaten him with a flash- Pasadena, said his wife, Florence. He was light. 57. The cause of death has not been deter- After Zinzun lost an election for a seat mined. on what is now the Pasadena City "Michael became an icon [because of] Council, he successfully sued the city of an uncompromising commitment to doing Los Angeles and an assistant police chief this work, the courage to follow his con- for defamation. A lawyer for Zinzun victions, and being unafraid to challenge a rgued that during the campaign the city power and authority — at times at dra- and the assistant chief disseminated infor- matic personal costs," said A n t h o n y mation in a way that wrongly suggested Thigpenn, a longtime friend and president that Zinzun was the subject of a file in the of Strategic Concepts In Organizing and Police Department's anti-terrorist divi- Policy Education, a social justice org a n i - sion. A jury awarded Zinzun $3.8 million, zation in South Los Angeles that teaches "I'd rather lose an eye fight - but in 1991 a judge overturned the award. residents to understand and participate in Interest in Zinzun's efforts to combat public policy formulation and decision- ing against injustice than live police abuse increased after the beating of making. "There's a real question who will as a quiet slave" Rodney King and the 1992 riots. carry on that work now that Michael's Mainstream leaders were much more gone." -Michael Zinzun accessible to members of the coalition. Zinzun came of age in the highly A key element of the org a n i z a t i o n ' s "Before you couldn't even get them on the politicized days of the late 1960s. platform was the call for the creation of a phone," he told The Times in 1992. The beginning of his radicalization civilian police review board in cities Zinzun was born Feb. 14, 1949, in came when he was an auto mechanic, throughout Los Angeles County, a call Chicago and spent part of his childhood in operating his own small repair shop that reached its height after the controver- the Cabrini-Green housing projects His behind a gas station in Altadena. A l a rg e sial 1979 police shooting of an A f r i c a n father died when he was 8, and his moth- oil company purchased the station and American woman, Eula Love, outside her er sent him to Pasadena to live with an evicted Zinzun, putting an end to his home in South Los Angeles. The coalition aunt. entrepreneurial endeavor. collected thousands of signatures but In addition to his wife, Florence, In 1970, he joined the Black Panther failed to obtain enough support to place whom he married in 1982 after his divorce P a r t y, found it politically stifling, and left the issue on the ballot. from his first wife, Zinzun is survived by less than two years later. He later referred By the late 1970s, Zinzun's org a n i z a- his mother, four sisters, two brothers and to his time in the party as "an educational tion had attracted the attention of the Los six children and stepchildren. experience," one that clearly influenced Angeles Police Department's Public Though he continued to work on police his life's path. Disorder Intelligence Division, which issues in recent months, Zinzun had By the mid-1970s, there was "almost infiltrated the group with undercover turned his attention to the kitchen. He was an epidemic of either shootings or beat- agents. The coalition joined with other enrolled in a Pasadena culinary school, ings" of African Americans by police, o rganizations and sued the police. In the studying to be a chef. "He just wanted to said Thigpenn, who was director of cam- fallout surrounding the lawsuit, the LAPD learn everything," his wife said. paign field operations for A n t o n i o disbanded the division. The coalition (Article was originally published in the Villaraigosa during the 2005 L.A. may- received part of a monetary settlement. L A Ti m e s )

5 Statement by Seth Hayes on Parole Denial LA-ABCF’s Statement on the Death of M. Zinzun We would like to take a moment to express our sorrow in G r e e t i n g s , the recent death of Michael Zinzun. We hope his family can I am writing to thank you for your support, love and concern in my be comforted by the knowledge that Michael was loved and bid for release at my fifth parole board appearance. Sadly, release was- admired by many who had the joy to cross paths with him, if n't granted. Instead I've received, once again, an additional two-year hit only for a fleeting moment. for the fifth time. "Due to the seriousness of the crime, release at this To those who may be unaware of Zinzun's impact in our time would undermine respect for the law. " c o m m u n i t y, he was a former member of the Black Panther This is a standard, pat answer based upon political views (the gov- Party in Los Angeles, co-founder of the Coalition A g a i n s t ernor continually insists that violent felony offenders should not receive Police Abuse (CAPA) and a founding member of the National parole) rather than the application of the law. We are going to appeal. Black United Front. Most notably, he was a founding member Naturally that brings up the need for your continued support. Yo u of the organization Community in Support of the Gang Tr u c e have been strong for me over this difficult period and I ask you for that that achieved a truce between the Crips and the Bloods in support and commitment a while longer. I have already submitted my Wa t t s . appeal papers. I now await the transcripts from the parole board hear- In a statement regarding his death, LA P a n t h e r, Ta l i b a h ing. It is from those transcripts and our strategy that I hope to secure S h a k i r, stated that “Michael's passion did not have social or r e l e a s e . geographical boundaries. He possessed the orator skills of As things develop, I will update everyone through mail and the web Malcolm, the fearlessness of Steve Biko, the determination of page www. s e t h h a y e s . o rg. It is hoped that the court will agree that the Che. He welcomed a battle as Crazy Horse did. He was and decision of the parole commissioner was unreasonable and opt for will always be the example for generations to follow. ” another hearing that follows the guidelines of parole law rather than the We in LA ABCF would like to state for the record that implicit political stance of the governor. Again, thank you for your con- Michael Zinzun was one of those who inspired us to move tinued show of love and support. I look forward to seeing your eff o r t s forward in the revolutionary struggle. It was his orator skills in the vanguard of the future. We are correct, and we will win. described by Shakir which lifted our hearts and spirits into the In struggle, a i r. It was his determination and fearlessness that allowed us Robert Seth Hayes to think that anything was possible. Only a few people in his- tory move beyond the point of inspiration to that of aspira- Please address all correspondence to: tion- Zinzun is one of those few. Our sorrow in his death is only overshadowed by the Robert Seth Hayes #74A2280 knowledge that he now rests among those spirits mentioned in Wende Correctional Facility these previous words. This is the rightful place for man like P.O. Box 1187, 3622 Wende Road Michael Zinzun. Alden, New York 14004-1187 USA We wish his family strength in this moment of sorrow. A m a n d l a , For more info: w w w. s e t h h a y e s . o r g Los Angeles Chapter Anarchist Black Cross Federation

A Personal Appeal by Jaan Laaman - Ohio 7 Political Prisoner Allow me to update my legal situation from earlier this year. I This is the first time in my life I have tried to raise money for am still in Walpole - Massachusetts state prison. As I explained my own legal defense. I do admit, I feel awkward asking for your before, I have been locked up for over 21 years now. While I help like this, but it is so necessary. The only way I can launch and expected to finish my state sentence in March and then be taken to wage this legal battle is with your support now. My Freedom Fund the federal system to begin a 53 year, sentence, Massachusetts is staffed by a few sincere volunteers and all proceeds go directly "found" an additional 3 to 5 year sentence they claim I still must towards paying for defense fees and lawyers. This is a one time c o m p l e t e . legal effort which will be resolved one way or another in the next I am the last Ohio 7 person with a release date who is still in year or so. Of course my hope and intention is to overturn my case, c a p t i v i t y. My Ohio 7 comrade Tom Manning is also still in prison, prove my innocence and finally join my now 24 year old son and doing a life sentence without a real parole date. family and all of you outside again. Last year I discovered a possibility of reopening and challeng- I need your help to do this now. Make checks out to: Jaan ing my Mass case. If I can overturn this, I would be overdue for Laaman Legal Freedom Fund, and send them to- release on federal parole. Of course any legal effort is an uphill bat- tle, particularly for political prisoners. This is a realistic possibili- Jaan Laaman Legal Freedom Fund ty though, and the first appeal I am hopeful about as well as deter- P.O. Box 681 mined to win. I need good and committed legal repre-sentation to East Boston, MA 0 2 1 2 8 fight this appeal. Because of the war and the present repressive cli- mate in this country, I have to hire and assemble my own legal I am encouraging groups and organizations to hold fundrais- team. Just weeks ago, I lost my last chance to get a legal aid/state ers, parties or other events to support my fight for freedom. Yo u appointed and paid-for appeal attorney. No government agency can contact the Freedom Fund P.O. Box or me to discuss such wants to assist me in gaining justice and freedom, especially if e ff o r t s . there is some real chance of my winning. My defense is totally in Seriously consider helping me now, and thank you for your sup- my hands and the hands of the people now. p o r t . Some months ago I established a Legal Freedom Fund and FREEDOM IS A C O N S TA N T S T R U G G L E ! began raising funds for my fight for justice and freedom. Thankfully some people have stepped forward and supported me, Jaan Laaman (W87237) especially family and close associates, but I am still in REAL n e e d P.O. Box 100 of at least many thousands of dollars more and I am asking for your South Walpole, MA 0 2 0 7 1 help now.

6 Update on the Case of the Cuban 5 by Rene Gonzale Sehwerert - Cuban 5 Political Prisoner Although it is a hard task to write an judge panel wouldn't prosper. History then limit for them to rule and all that can be update on something that doesn't change, proved logic wrong when the Court of done is to wait...and keep up the fight!!! I'll attempt to do so through these words, in Appeals accepted a rehearing en-banc, Raising awareness on the case continues the hopes of giving you, the reader, an idea vacating the previous decision by the direct to be a priority. It is imperative to break the of how our legal case stands now. appeals panel. wall of silence erected around the case by Let's go back to May of last year, 2005. More papers were again exchanged back the media until everybody knows of this A decision was reached then by the and forth until everything was ready for the history of twisted, vindictive “justice.” Committee on Arbitrary Detentions of the hearing on the 14th of last February. On the 3rd of last June a little ray of UN Human Rights Commission, stating According to all accounts the hearing hope broke out when the Washington Post that our trial had been held in violation of went as well as expected. The defense was published an article on its front page. T h e the international standards of due process, able to make its case as to the denial of due writer did a fine job, and the article gave us as well as American law. The Committee process by holding the trial on Miami. It hope that, in the case of a new trial, the gov- called on the US Government to remedy was a test that the defense attorneys passed ernment won’t be able to keep the proce- such an injustice. No matter, the call fell on by answering every question posed by the dures hidden from the public as before. deaf ears. It was the first time some light judges. The prosecuters were unable or As for the five of us, we are ready for the was shed on our case. unwilling to do the same. Again, the hopes f i g h t ! ! ! . Three months after another victory was were raised that the court would uphold the A big hug, won, when the three-judge panel from the decision by the three judges, and this time 11th Circuit of Appeals in Atlanta decided we expect that both logic and law will pre- Rene Gonzale Sehwerert in our favor by ordering a new trial. T h e vail; though history will decide. # 5 8 7 3 8 - 0 0 4 unanimity of the decision and the thorough- Four months have elapsed since the FCI Marianna ness of its 93 pages raised the hopes that an hearing and no word from the Court of P.O. Box 7007 appeal by the prosecutors to the full twelve- Appeals have been heard. There is no time Marianna, FL 32447-7007 USA Peltier's Statement on Ireland Hunger Strike, 81 I have to acknowledge that another year has passed since my and the struggles of your people are all connected. We truly are all illegal imprisonment; thirty years have gone by while I, Leonard r e l a t e d . P e l t i e r, remain incarcerated. It seems that this year is one for Thirty-one years ago the Lakota elders asked for help and pro- reflection. Relatives from struggles around the world are stopping tection from the GOON squad that was terrorizing the Lakota to reflect on the lives of friends, comrades, and loved ones who are Nation. I, along with many others, responded to that call. I simply now gone. During the past thirty years I have seen many people responded to a call to help others protect our lands, culture and tra- leave my life and journey to the spirit world. I have learned from ditions. the many people that have come into my life the true meaning of I ask that you not lose focus on the real issue, which is that peo- friendship and solidarity. With that, I must salute and address my ple suffering extreme hardships do not need to be. Even today we friends, brothers and comrades in Ireland. I especially want to see children, women and elders being murdered in Pine Ridge and express my condolences to the families of the Hunger Strikers Belfast, on Big Mountain in Navajo country and in Basque country from a quarter-century ago. I want to send my warmest greetings to in Spain; all in the name of justice. From Chiapas to El Salvador my friend Gerry Adams. I also want to salute each of my friends and all around this Mother Earth lands are being taken, cultures are throughout Ireland that have supported me for so many years. I being robbed of their languages; and the extermination of traditions pray that you will continue to lend me your support and consider are occurring on a daily basis. me your friend. I must share with you that, as the years have passed, every day At this time, my friends and relatives in Ireland are suff e r i n g I routinely hear the sounds of my cell door opening in the morning loss, but also are celebrating the memories of those from their com- and closing at night. Yet I have not forgotten what I considered my munities who have now gone to the spirit world. Twenty five years duty when asked to respond to the call our Elders sent- a cry for ago you lost ten young men in the prime of their lives; men who help. Now I once again must call on you for your help. I ask you to would have been starting families or graduating from university if join your voices and efforts with mine. A young Cheyenne man by they'd been born into a more just society suffered in the most inhu- the name of Dave Bailey is our Leonard Peltier Defense Committee mane way possible. When Bobby Sands died on May 5th, 1981, representative for Ireland and England. I ask that you help him in millions of people from around the world joined their voices his efforts to highlight my case, and search for solutions in that part together to condemn the British government that allowed him to of the world that will eventually mean I never again have to hear perish. I joined my voice to theirs. I fasted in solidarity with the the sounds of cell doors opening and closing. I ask you to do all Hunger Strikers for forty days during that dreadful year. Fasting is you can to support his efforts, my efforts, and the efforts of all something that I have done many times, when I was a free man, Indian people. I humbly thank you for the warmth, hospitality, and while participating in our sacred Sun Dance. The sufferings of our support that you have shown our people over the years when they relatives in Ireland are pains that we as Indian people know all too have come into your community. As you commemorate your fallen well. Our suffering, our fasting and our struggling links us togeth- and your dead, remember that our suffering is linked to yours. We er with a common bond. That is why I say to you, there in Ireland, mourn with you and pray for you. as relatives. you are my relatives. As your relative, let me join my thoughts, tears and prayers with yours as you commemorate your fallen, Mitakuye Oyasin (We are all related) especially those who died on Hunger Strike in 1981. My family In the Spirit of Crazy Horse and your families, my pain and your pains, my people’s struggle Leonard Peltier

7 Omaha 2 Transfer and Update in Case Ed Poindexter has been transferred back In a recent develpment, a ruling by frame the two men. to the Nebraska State Penitentiary from the Douglas County District Court Judge Those who have heard the tapes indicate Minnesota Pen. According to to his co- Richard Spethman has effectively reopened that it does not sound like Duane Peak, the defendent, Mondo we Langa [formerly, the 35 year old wrongful conviction of the man who, when 15-years old implicated Ed David Rice], the transfer was made to save two former panthers, convicted of the and Mondo. Ed’s new address is: the state of Minnesota the cost of caring for killing of a police off i c e r. Documents dis- Ed's medical needs. He is in a wheelchair covered under the FOIA have shown that a Ed Poindexter # 2 7 7 6 7 n o w, suffering primarily from complica- 9 11 call from the night of the killing had P. O. Box 2500, tions of diabetes. been supressed as part of an attempt to Lincoln, NE 68542 GREEN SCARE McGowan and Friends May Get Break Ann Aiken, a federal judge in Eugene, Facing A i k e n ’s Sept. 12 deadline, the continuing their case. OR, wants to know whether the government government may simply refuse to respond, The criminal case in Eugene presents an used warrantless wiretaps to investigate the most likely citing something called the state advantage to the defense not offered to the present group of activists accused of more secret privilege—a tactic Aiken may or may civil trial: If warrantless surveillance was than a dozen acts of sabotage in Oregon and not buy. indeed used, the government, not the defen- the West between 1996 and 2001. If the government does testify that it used dants, bears the burden of proof. The prose- This issue could ultimately unravel the warrantless surveillance, the judge will have cutors must show that illegal means were high-profile charges against a group of a chance to rule on the big question: whether not used to gather evidence. activists accused of being part of the Earth the wiretaps, approved with nothing more In motions before Aiken, defense attor- Liberation Front, which the government has than the president’s OK, violate Fourth neys have asserted that the government’s portrayed as one of the most serious “ter- Amendment guarantees to freedom from repeated references to terrorism are a strong rorist” threats to domestic tranquility. unreasonable searches and seizures. sign that warrantless surveillance played a “ I t ’s going to be embarrassing…for the If the judge rules that investigators’ role in the investigation. government if they find out they’ve used methods broke the law, then the resulting In addition, one of those accused, warrantless surveillance,” says Lewis & evidence could be excluded. Depending on Daniel McGowan, received word that Clark Law School professor John Parry, how much evidence was gathered—directly Judge Aiken had signed off on the motion, who specializes in criminal and constitu- or indirectly—through the use of warrant- which allowed his electronic monitoring tional law. “They’re going to have some less wiretaps or other electronic surveil- device to be removed. Other restrictions explaining to do.” lance, prosecutors may have a difficult time still apply. Rod Coronado in Prison Again! Former Earth Liberation Political the initials of the ELF. Coronado, a self- his commitment to social change through P r i s o n e r, Rod Coronado has been sentenced described "unofficial ELF spokesman," gave non-destructive means. Citing his desire to to eight months in prison and could be look- a talk on militant environmental activism in raise his young son without teaching him that ing at more indictments against him. T h e San Diego 15 hours later, where he explained "violence is a necessary evil", Coronado present sentence is related to a 2004 indict- how to make incendiary devices. He denies expressed hope that others in the earth and ment for an environmental action in A r i z o n a . any role in the incident, and investigators do animal liberation movements would consider On December 2, 2004, Coronado was not consider him a suspect in starting the fire. more "peaceful" methods: indicted on three charges related to Earth Coronado's latest arrest is associated with In my years past I have argued that eco- First! hunt saboteur actions to disrupt a hunt the FBI's Operation Backfire, a sweep of nomic sabotage was an appropriate tactic for of mountain lions in Sabino Canyon, near grand jury indictments against alleged A L F our time. Like all strategists I have also been Tucson, by dismantling a lion trap and and ELF members, termed the "Green Scare" forced to recognize that times have changed spreading feline urine. by activists. Some alternative media sources and it is now my belief that the movements to On December 13, 2005, he and co-defen- have criticized these arrests, calling them a protect earth and animals have achieved dant Matthew Crozier, 33, were found guilty "witch hunt" and voicing concern that enough with this strategy to now consider an of felony conspiracy to interfere with or Coronado was simply exercising his consti- approach that does not compromise objec- injure a government official, misdemeanor tutional right to freedom of speech when he tives, but increases the likelihood of real interference with or injury to a forest off i c e r, "responded to a question from an audience social change. Let our opposition who and misdemeanor depredation (theft or member ... and explained how he had con- believe in violence carry the burden for its destruction, or the attempt to do so) of gov- structed a non-explosive, incendiary device justification, but let those who believe in ernment property. out of a plastic jug filled with gasoline to peace and love practice a way of life that our Coronado was re-arrested in February on commit a past arson for which he had long society sorely needs now more than ever. a felony charge of demonstrating the use of a since been sentenced and done his time." If Rod can be reached at: destructive device. The indictment indirectly found guilty of the charges, Coronado faces a relates to an August 1, 2003 fire in San Diego maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Rodney Coronado #03895000 that destroyed an apartment complex causing In September 2006, Coronado sent an PO Box 6900 an estimated $50 million worth of damage. A open letter to supporters from his prison cell Florence, AZ 85232 banner was found at the scene inscribed with in Florence, Arizona, in which he announced

8 Hogg Infested by Rats Eugene, Oregon, US - Federal Judge unindicted co-conspirators Jacob had attended ELF planning meetings Michael Hogan refused to release F e r guson, Jennifer Kolar and Lacey dubbed "book club meetings" by the J e ffrey Hogg, an environmental activist Phillabaum are also assisting the prose- p a r t i c i p a n t s . and 32-year-old nursing student, who cution. A number of the cooperating Hogg was jailed by the court last has spent the last three months in jail witnesses named Hogg as someone who May in order to coerce him into testify- without charge. Hogg is accused of ing before a grand jury. According to being involved with an Earth the law he may be required to stay in Liberation Front (ELF) cell that the jail a total of 18 months or until the FBI is calling "the Family." Six mem- term of the grand jury has expired, but bers of the alleged cell pled guilty last only if the court believes to do so may month to numerous counts of arson. A l l coerce him into testifying. Hogg has six, Kendall Ta n k e r s l e y, Darren missed his final exams and his grandfa- Thurston, Kevin Tubbs, Stanislas ther's funeral while imprisoned. He tes- M e y e r h o f f, Chelsea Gerlach, and tified under oath on August 15th that he Suzanne Savoie, signed plea agree- will never testify at a grand jury pro- ments which requires them to assist the ceeding. During the hearing a group of prosecution's efforts to arrest and con- activists held a demonstration of sup- vict other activists. At least three other port for Hogg outside the courthouse. Josh Wolf Released and Jailed Again San Fransisco, California, US - A number of organizations have been Freelance journalist and grand jury resister supporting Wolf's effort to maintain his Josh Wolf was granted bail on September 1, journalistic integrity including the A C L U , 2006, after spending nearly a month behind the National Lawyers Guild, Reporters bars. Wolf was arrested after refusing to Without Borders, and the Society of share unedited footage he shot of an anar- Professional Journalists, which contributed chist protest against the G8 summit in July $31,000 to defray his legal expenses. 2005, with a grand jury. During the demon- In Wolf's own words, cooperating with stration a police officer suffered a serious the grand jury would turn him into "a sur- head injury and demonstrators allegedly veillance camera for the government.'' vandalized and attempted to set fire to a Many corporate news organizations are police car. believed to willingly share footage with Wolf claims that he did not see the police and so are already made unwelcome altercation that left the officer injured nor at many protests. did he capture it on video. He has so far Josh was ordered to return to prison on refused to surrender the footage, claiming September 22nd pending a hearing before his journalistic right to withhold unpub- the entire 9th Circuit Court of A p p e a l s . lished material and keep his sources con- For more information, check out: f i d e n t i a l . h t t p : / / f r e e j o s h . p b w i k i . c o m / Italian Anarchist Face Repression Pisa, Italy - On July 7th, six members of sorship." The sole evidence the govern- agencies, and the barracks of the Il Silvestre collective who published the ment was able to provide was the original Carabinieri, a military police force whose green anarchist magazine Terra Selvaggia copy of the COR communiqué, which the jurisdiction includes civilians. Following ( Wild Earth) were convicted of activities defendants claim was sent to them anony- the arrests, COR issued a statement say- associated with the Marxist group COR mously through the mail. That same letter ing that Il Silvestre had nothing to do (Revolutionary Offensive Cells). Five of was also sent to two other newspapers. with their actions and said that they their co-defendants were found not guilty. A d d i t i o n a l l y, prosecutors pointed to the planned to continue attacks in Italy. The defendants were arrested in the sum- group's radical insurectionary publication COR's politics seem to be an amalga- mer of 2004 after a COR communiqué was Terra Selvaggia and their support of jailed mation of anarchism, Marxism and published in their Terra Selvaggia maga- Swiss environmental saboteur Marco environmentalism, and the language zine. During a police raid on their Via del Camenisch, who served a 12-year sentence found in its communiqués is laced with Cuore (House of the Heart) home, an orig- in Italy for destroying electricity pylons. Communist overtones. Il Silvestre is a inal copy of the communiqué was discov- COR claimed responsibility for green anarchist group that had little ered. William Frediani, Francesco Gioia, between 20 and 30 bombings and arsons more than a limited affinity with COR, Costantino Ragusa, Alessio Perondi, in mid-2003. The group targeted Italy’s and whose ideology is starkly diff e r e n t . Benedetta Galante, and Leonardo Landi major union headquarters, as well as COR aims to "act as a link between var- were each sentenced to between 3 1/2 and members of 3 major political parties: the ious fighting Communist revolutionary 6 years in prison. National Alliance (AN), Forza Italia, and components, and insurrectional anar- Supporters who attended the trial have Italia dei Valorias. The group also chist and anti-imperialist groups" across called it a farce and an act of "state cen- attacked newspapers, temporary job the world.

9 Shell Apology to Rossport 5 flammable liquid and set it on fire. Police I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S In May 2006, the Shell Oil company investigating the attack caught up with the made a public apology to the Rossport three, aged 27, 30 and 31, in a delivery van Finnish Anarchist Jailed Five, a group of Irish residents who were in Omonia. They admitted their involve- jailed for 94 days for blocking Shell Oil ment under questioning. Two of the three Finnish anarchist Henrik Rosenberg was arrested also have previous arrests for sentenced to 195 days in prison for refusing plans to pipe raw gas through their commu- arson and other charges. to participate in the military conscription. nities and dangerously close to their family h o m e s . A search is on for the man that caused His sentence began on March 20 and is not the ATM fire and the female owner of the schedule for release until the fall. Shell claims that mistakes had been moped he was riding. While the Finnish conscription provides made in handling the affair and that it wish- es to discuss alternatives. Residents in the The fingerprints of the 32-year-old were for an alternative service, there is an also found on a canister of flammable liq- increasing amount of people who are Mayo County communities claim that hun- uid used in a fire set at the Royalist objecting to both the conscription and the dreds are willing to go to jail rather than see toxic and deadly gasses piped in National Organization two days before. a l t e r n a t i v e . “Anti-Fascist Action” claimed responsi- R o s e n b e rg, who is also an MC, has per- through their neighborhoods. For more bility for both attacks as well as several formed for ABC benefits and has helped information check out: www. c o r r i b s o s . c o m other arsonist attacks in the past 10 years raise money for Jeff Luers. There is an online petition for Rosenberg at: Three Arrested in Greece w r i - i rg . o rg / c o / a l e r t s / 2 0 0 6 0 3 2 5 a . h t m l Greek police in late July announced the Polish Antifa Denied Release arrest of three suspected members of the The parole board in Poland denied the urban guerrilla group "Anti-Fascist release for Anti-Fascist To m e k Group Targets Oil Executive Wilkoszewski without any legitimate rea- Initiative de Resistance Internationaliste Action", a group believed to be responsi- ble for a series of arsonist attacks since son. The reason was simply, “the time is (IRI) has claimed credit for an explosion 1 9 9 4 . not yet ready.” Tomek was given a 15-year that destroyed a car that belonged to Carol The three were caught in Omonia, sentence due to a fight with several neo- Montreuil, an oil industry executive. An e- downtown Athens, after a man set fire to a N a z i ’s that left one dead. Since his impris- mail from the group claimed the action was National Bank of Greece ATM. onment Tomek has maintain that he his performed due to the oil company’s record The fire was set by a 32-year-old man actions were done in self-defense. His Next hearing for parole will be in six months. profits and damage to the enviroment. on a moped, who doused the ATM with a FREQUENTLY USED Acronyms/ Terms ABCF: Anarchist Black Cross Federation - anti-authoritarian fed- PP/POWs: Political Prisoners and/or Prisoners of War. eration of ABC groups who support and defend PP/POWs. (See page 1.) ABC-BG: Branch Group - ABCF group with more responsibilities Self-Defense: The legal act of protecting one’s life or the life of than a SG. another with the idea/purpose of self determination and independ- ABC-SG: Support Group - ABCF group with fewer responsibilities ence. Armed self-defense is relative to the ABCF, specifically in the than a BG. U.S., in that as the organization grows, so too grows the need to AIM: American Indian Movement - above ground revolutionary protect ourselves from the armed aggressor of the state, right wing, organization of Native Americans. and other ideological opponents. (Firearms training as preparation Anarchism: Free or libertarian socialism. Anarchists are opposed for self-defense are legal activities within the confines of the U.S.) to government, the state, and capitalism. Therefore, simply speak- Self Determination: The right by virtue of which all peoples are ing, anarchism is a no government form of socialism. Types of entitled freely to determine their political status and pursue their anarchists include: Anarcho-Communist, A n a r c h o - S y n d i c a l i s t , economic, social, and cultural development. All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources Autonomist, Collectivist, Individualists, and Mutualists. without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international BLA: Black Liberation Army - revolutionary Black clandestine economic cooperation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit formation formed to defend the Black community and the BPP, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of their inactive since the ’80s. own means of subsistence. BPP: Black Panther Party - above ground Black revolutionary SDS: Students for a Democratic Society - left student group found- group seeking Black political power, disbanded in the mid-’70s. ed in the ’60s. FALN: english translation: Armed Forces of National Liberation - The Update: This is a quarterly publication of the ABCF. revolutionary clandestine group fighting for Puerto Rican inde- W U O : Weather Underground Organization - first the pendence. Weathermen, later known as the WUO, evolved out of the SDS as FC: Federation Council - decision making body of the ABCF. an underground formation of primarily white anti-imperialist rev- M O V E : Not an acronym, the name of an organization based in olutionaries from the student movement. Philadelphia who are committed to the teachings of John Africa. T h e i r (The A n a rchist Black Cross Federation (ABCF) produces the belief is in “life.” R e v o l u t i o n a ry Political Dictionary with these and other expanded PC: Prisoner’s Committee - rotating body of 5 PP/POWs on the definitions of political terms. Available from Jacksonville ABC for $1 ABCF’s FC. and two 37 cents stamps.)

10 Herman Wallace Gets Another Day in Court There has been a break in the case for Penitentiary at Angola. They are serving Wallace by using the testimony of prison Herman Wallace of the Angola 3. The Fifth sentences of life without parole as a result snitches, a notoriously unreliable form of Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans has of wrongful convictions for the 1972 mur- evidence. At their separate trials, diff e r e n t ordered a lower court (date set for der of a prison guard. Robert Wi l k e r s o n , snitches – telling different stories – testi- September 19th) to hear evidence about the the third member of the Angola 3, proved fied against the two men. Since the trials, testimony of Hezekiah Brown, a prison his innocence and was released in 2001 new evidence has emerged that these wit- inmate who alleged he saw Wallace and after spending 29 years in solitary confine- nesses were coerced or bribed with par- Woodfox kill prison guard Brent Miller. m e n t . dons, early releases, and free cigarette After the trial, it was discovered that Brown • Woodfox and Wallace were activist rations. was provided a pardon, a transfer to mini- prisoners who risked their lives by stand- • Three of the state’s witnesses have mum security confinement and a carton-per- ing up against racism, prison rape, and vio- now admitted that they lied under oath and week cigarette ration in exchange for his lence at Angola, Louisiana’s slave planta- have recanted their testimony against false testimony. The bribery was illegally tion-turned-prison farm. In 1972, the Woodfox and Wallace. Others have come withheld from defense lawyers during prison was racially segregated (80 percent forward to identify the prisoner – now dead Wallace's trial. of the prisoners were – and still are – – who actually committed the murder. T h e If the court finds that Brown received African-American), had an all-white staff , courts in Louisiana have yet to rule on this these favors, that they were not disclosed to and was known for terrible brutality. e v i d e n c e . the defense or the jury and that the state's Between 1972 and 1975, 40 Angola pris- • While they wait for the courts to grant suppression of them could have contributed oners were stabbed to death and 350 more them the justice for which they have wait- to Wallace's conviction, then Wallace's con- were seriously injured in an epidemic of ed 34 years, Woodfox and Wallace contin- viction will be overturned. Given the over- violence. ue to spend at least 23 hours of every day whelming evidence that Wallace and his co- • Woodfox and Wallace, along with alone in 6-by-9 foot cells. The un-air- c o n- defendant, Albert Woodfox, are innocent, many other prisoners, responded to these ditioned concrete block cells are excruciat- supporters are optimistic of a positive out- conditions by organizing themselves, ingly hot during the summer months. T h e come. establishing political education programs ACLU has filed a federal civil rights law- The Angola 3 civil rights suit, alleges among prisoners and organizing civil dis- suit alleging that these conditions are cruel that their 34+ years as well as Robert King obedience, such as work stoppages and and unusual punishment. Wi l k e r s o n ’s 29 years in solitary confine- dining hall strikes. Woodfox and Wa l l a c e • Wallace has been wrongfully held in ment is a violation of the right to due founded a chapter of the Black Panther isolation for 34 years because of his process and amounts to cruel and unusual Party inside the prison. involvement with the Black Panther Party punishment. The suit, which the Supreme • When a prison guard was found at Angola Penitentiary. The Louisiana Court of the United States has ruled has stabbed to death in 1972, Woodfox and Court of Appeals ordered the evidentiary merit to proceed, is moving forward in fed- Wallace were immediately placed in soli- hearing into Wa l l a c e ’s claim that the state eral court and could go to trial in the fall of tary confinement and charged with the failed to disclose to him that prison off i- this year. m u r d e r. The prison administration cials paid the chief prosecution witness at unleashed a reign of terror on the black his 1974 trial with cartons of cigarettes and Facts about the Angola 3 Case prisoner population, including beatings, a pardon of his life sentence for testifying Albert Woodfox and Herman Wa l l a c e forced shaving of Afro haircuts and mass against Wallace. have spent the past 34 years in solitary solitary confinement. For more information, visit: confinement at the Louisiana State • The state prosecuted Woodfox and w w w. a n g o l a 3 . o rg , Former IRA POW Arrested in SoCal F r i d a y, September 1, 2006- Former Irish in 1998. Republican prisoner, Sean O'Cealleagh O'Cealleagh has since moved to the (also known as Sean O’Kelly), was arrest- United States but has continued to face ed by agents of ICE (Immigration Control harassment for the incident. In February and Enforcement) at his home in 2004, he was arrested at Los A n g e l e s Westminster , CA. International Airport when he returned O ' C e a l l e a g h ’s arrest was related to his from a visit to the North. He was released a previous conviction and life sentence for few months later, pending the US the killing of two British soldiers in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Northern Ireland. The killings took place appeal of the lower immigration court’s shortly after the Milltown murders- when a d e c i s i o n . member of the Loyalist paramilitary group, In 2004, the courts ruled that his arrest Ulster Defence Association, attacked a and imprisonment were “political in Republican funeral with hand grenades and nature” and that he had a right to stay in the two pistols. The UDA man, Michael Stone, c o u n t r y. The US Immigration and Customs killed three people, with the whole event the recent incident still in the minds- by Enforcement appealed the decision, which being recorded by television news cameras. pulling the soldiers out of their cars, strip- has led us to this point. It was during the funeral of one of ping and then shooting them. O'Cealleagh O’Cealleagh has recently made the deci- S t o n e ’s victims, IRA man Kevin Brady, was accused of being involved in the sion to go back to Ireland on his own that two soldiers drove into the funeral pro- killings but has always maintained his accord rather than spend any more time cession and were discovered. Members of innocence. He was finally released from behind the prison bars. His family has sold the crowd immediately responded – with prison due to the Good Friday A g r e e m e n t their home and has moved back to Ireland.

11 rooms. into the cage to discover that the cage was this a democracy? I was given two security toothbrushes, a another "close watch" one, with another If they came for me this way on the small tube of toothpaste, a bar of soap and dirty foam mattress on the floor and a close inside, they can come for you the same way one dirty cotton spread, so thin you could watch camera mounted in the ceiling by the on the outside. All in the name of democra- see through it. I was also given four paper door. The stool and cage- shelves had been cy! Do you still call this a democracy? wash cloths. They would not give me any removed, and the light switch and wall sock- I need outside legal help to get a transfer paper sheets or a clean blanket. I was not ets had steel plates over them. Again, the to a prison out of state... allowed to shower. Nor was I given a clean lights were constantly glaring and every- change of clothes. thing was filthy! New Issue of 4strugglemag I stayed in 1-C overflow until 8:30 am I requested cleaning equipment and a Tuesday morning, October 18th. Tuesday telephone call. Both requests were denied Issue #7 Out Now! Writings by morning of the 18th at 12:40 am, five guards by the guards in the control booth. I used toi- came into the cage with a nurse. The ser- let paper to clean the floor and the sink as Political Prisoners and edited by geant told me that the nurse wanted to take best I could!! Bill Dunne. Available online at: my vitals. I thought this was a strange This MCU close watch cage was smaller request since I had not requested any med- than the close watch cages down in the www.4strugglemag.org. ical assistance and it was 12:40 am with five boom-boom rooms, 1-C, so my eyes were guards standing there. I reluctantly consent- hurting more from the glare of the twenty- Articles by Jaan Laaman, Rene ed. The nurse only took my blood pressure four-hour lights! You call this a democracy? and left the cage without taking my temper- Today is Thursday, October 20th, 2005, Gonzale Sehwerert, Kevin “Rashid” ature, pulse or heart rate, or asking any ques- and I still do not know why I was placed on Johnson, Kenneth Haramia Foster, tions about my medical history, which I no contact status on September 12th, 2005 Dan Berger, Doc Holiday, Nuh thought were all part of taking one's vitals. or why I was placed in the boom-boom room 1-C on Thursday October 13th, 2005, or Washington, Kenneth Lee The Sequel why I was re-interned in the Management Broussard, Sara Falconer, Marilyn Around 8:30 am on Tuesday October Control Unit on Tuesday October 18th, 18th, 2005, three security guards showed up 2005. You call this a democracy? Buck, Shaka and Sankofa Zulu at the cage door in 1-C overflow.The ser- Per orders of the warden, I was placed on geant told me that I was being moved to the no contact status. Per orders the warden, I 4strugglemag Management Control Unit (MCU). I got my was illegally interned in the prison's so- few items together and was handcuffed and called mental health unit; per orders of the P.O. Box 42053 escorted to the MCU. I entered MCU on the warden, I was interned in the Management Succ. Jeanne Mance right side, 4B-Right, and cell #6 opened up. Control Unit. All of this without ever The handcuffs were removed, and I stepped "BREAKING A SINGLE RULE!" You call Montreal QC H2W 2T3 Canada The Anarchist Subsistence Program The Anarchist Subsistence Program Supporters of the Anarchist Subsistence Stamp seeks to provide material aid to those Program send whatever funds they can PP/POWs who come from our own anar- to Philadelphia ABC (who facilitates the chist/anti-authoritarian community. program) who in turn sends the total Schedule Presently, we are aware of less than amount from all supporters to Ojore ten ‘Class Wa r ’ PP/POWs in North m o n t h l y. All U.S. supporters also take America who identify themselves as part turns sending the stamps directly to October- Philadelphia of the anarchist or antiauthoritarian com- Philadelphia A B C . munity. From information provided to us Listed here are the monthly check by these political prisoners, we realize documentation and rotation of groups November- Jacksonville that Ojore Lutalo is in more financial sending stamps. If you want to support need than most. Because of this and this important program and help us December- Los Angeles because Ojore has provided an immeas- expand the number of A n a r c h i s t urable amount of time, guidance and Subsistence Program campaigns we run, focus to the collectives that make up the contact Philadelphia ABC. Make checks January- Philadelphia ABCF, the organization has made Ojore or money orders out only to: TIM FA S- the focus of our first subsistence support N A C H T. Funds should be sent in the last campaign. week of the month before the month the Send a check or money order to The two functions of this support funds will be used (i.e; send March Philadelphia ABCF made out to Tim campaign include a monthly check and funds in the 3rd week of February). Fasnacht for forty 39 cent stamps in the forty .39 cent postage stamps per month. last week of the month before the month JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG you are responsible for. PHILLY 0 0 0 0 15 0 0 0 Philadelphia ABCF NJ/HAYES 0 0 10 0 10 10 0 0 P.O Box 42129 LA 0 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 Philadelphia, PA 19101 RYAN/ALSKA 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 TOTAL 0 0 110 0 25 20 0 0

12 Sekou Odinga Ruchell Cinque Magee # Herman Bell Ricardo Jimenez Alvaro Luna Hernandez Dylcia Pagan 05228-054/ Box 1000 A92051 / 3B-05-103 79C0262 / Box338 # 88967-024 255735/ Hughes Unit # 88971-024 Marion, IL 62959 Box 3466 Napanoch, NY 12458 PO Box 1000 A-2 Rt. 2, Box 4400 5701 8th St., Camp Parks Receives $30 per month Corcoran, CA 93212 Eastern Corr. Facility Lewisburg PA 17837 Gatesville, TX 76597 Dublin CA 94568 Receives $30 per month Receives $30 per month Received $30 per month Receives $30 per month Received $60 per month

Hanif Shabazz Bey W.J. “Wolverine” Ignace James OJ Pitawanakwat Russel Maroon Shoats Sekou Kambui Joseph Bowen 295933 / Box 759 RRAC Matsqui / Box 400 Mission Inst. / Box 60 AF-3855 113058 / Box 56 SCC AM-4272/ 1 Kelley Drive Wallensridge Supermax Abtsfrd., BC Mission BC V2V 4L8 175 Proggress Dr. (B1-21) Coal Township, Pa Big Stone Gap, VA 24219 V2S 5X8 Canada Canada Waynesburg, PA 15370 Elmore, AL 36025-0056 17866-1021 Receives $30 per month $30 every 3rd month $30 every 3rd month Receives $30 per month Receives $30 per month Receives $30 per month

Ojore Lutalo Jalil Muntaqim Sundiata Acoli (Squire) Carmen Valentin Jaan Laaman Thomas Manning 59860 / PO 861 (Bottom) 77A4283 39794-066 / Box 3000 # 88973-024 W41514 / Box 100 10373-016 /Box 1000 SBI# 0000901548 Box 618 135 State St. White Deer, PA 17887 5701 - 8th. St. Camp Parks South Walpole, MA 02071 USP Leavenworth Trenton, NJ 08625 Auburn, NY 13024 USP Allenwood Dublin CA 94568 Received Emergency Funds Leavenworth , KS 66048 Received Emergency Funds Received Emergency Funds Received Emergency Funds Received Emergency Funds Received Emergency Funds

Richard Williams Veronza Bowers Edwin Cortes Adolfo Matos Oscar Lopez Rivera Jihad Abdul Mumit FALLEN COMRADE 35316-136 / Box 819 92153-024nBox 1000 88968-024 87651-024 / Box 33 323749-138 Died in Incarceration Coleman, FL 33521-0819 Lewisburg, PA 17837 3701 Klein Blvd Terre Haute, IN 47808 Box 1000 Nov 4, 1947- Dec 7, 2005 FCI Coleman Received Emergency Funds Lompoc, CA 93436 Received Emergency Funds Lewisburg, PA 17837 Received $30 per month Received Emergency Funds Received Emergency Funds Received Emergency Funds “Thanks much for the support you’ve been organizing. I really appreciate it. After not having any or very little support for so long, it now seems like people have all of a sudden realized that I am alive.” ~ Sekou Odinga (New Afrikan Prisoner of War)

Name: Ph: Send cash,checks or mos Street Address: made to TIM FASNACHT to: Philly ABCF City/State/Zip: P.O Box 42129 ONE TIME DONATION MONTHLY SUPPORTER Philadelphia, PA 19101 Monthly supporters, please check one of the following: [email protected] I’ll commit to 6 months I’ll commit to 1 year Amount:$ toll free (877) 673-2658

13 SUPPORT THE ABCF WARCHEST The ABCF has initiated a program designed to send monthly checks to PP/POWs who have been receiving insufficient, little, or no financial support during their imprisonment. PP/POWs 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 is in the most financial need. There is also an emergency fund designed to immediately send checks to those PP/POWs in need of one-time or emergency assistance. Founded in 1994, the Warchest has provided consistent and reliable financial aid, serving a much neglected comradely function. Since its inception the ABCF has raised nearly $43,000 with just this one program. All funds raised go directly to the political prisoners for which the program is designed. Despite our success, our comrades are still in dire needs 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 received 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 • P.O Box 42129 • Philadelphia, PA 19101 • [email protected] WARCHEST REPORT 2006 FUNDS IN 1994 351 FUNDS IN JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG 1995 3860 LA ABCF 0 0 200 0 0 0 625 0 1996 4143 MTL ABCF 0 0 0 0 0 0 37.89 0 1997 3544 PHL ABCF 55 55 0 40 25 0 0 25 1998 7643 JAX ABCF 120 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1999 5814 2000 3514 NJ ABCF 20 20 20 20 0 0 0 0 2001 5290 CHRIS/NJ 0 0 0 0 20 20 0 0 2002 2873 EZE/NJ 0 0 0 0 0 0 50 100 2003 1785 RYAN/ALSKA 0 0 0 0 0 25 25 25 2004 UNACC* PROPAGANDI 113 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2005 4439 SMF 41 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2006 1802 TOTAL 45058 ANON 0 0 0 120 0 0 0 0 TOTAL 349 75 220 180 45 45 737.89 150 FUNDS OUT 1994 120 FUNDS OUT JAN FEB MAR APRIL MAY JUN JUL AUG 1995 2796 SEKOU KAMBUI 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 1996 4308 RUSSELL SHOATZ 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 1997 4588 JOSEPH BOWEN 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 1998 6412 HANIFF BEY 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 1999 5191 HERMAN BELL 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 2000 4544 SEKOU ODINGA 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 2001 4637 2002 4320 RUCHELL MAGEE 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 2003 1300 ALVARO HERNANDEZ 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 2004 UNACC* TOTAL 240 240 240 240 240 240 240 240 2005 2620 2006 1920 REMAINING: $1800.45 TOTAL 42756 (*Funds unaccounted for due to unreported funds from Jacksonville ABCF)

14 “Your ABCF Guide to PP/POW Support is great, PERIOD!” - New Afrikan POW Sundiata Acoli

“You can see many of our concerns addressed in this pam - phlet.” - former Puerto Rican POW Carmen Valentin

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

W h a t ’s the ABC? What’s the ABCF? Who are Political Prisoners? Who a re Prisoners of War? Where are they? Why make a criteria? What do you mean by ‘documentation’ and how do I get it? What kinds of sup - p o rt do Political Prisoners need? How should I go about my work? What can PP/POWs get in prison? What do I need to know if I want - ed to visit? Can I bring them food packages? What about clothes? What 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. It will help answer all of the above questions and more. The ABCF guide to PP/POW includes definitions that were demo- cratically agreed upon at an international tribunal, specific proce- dures for obtaining 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 PP/POW’s. Send $1 and two stamps to:

A B C F - L A • PO Box 11223 • W h i t t i e r, 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.”