[Ppnews] Animal Rights Activist charged with Terrorism

[PPnews at freedomarchives.org]

Peter Young was arrested on March 21st in San Jose, CA. He has been
"WANTED" since 1998 after being indicted on charges of violating the
Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act by releasing mink from five Midwestern fur 
farms.


On October 28, 1997 Sheboygan County Sheriff's deputies in Wisconsin pulled
over Justin Samuel and Peter Young, after fur farmers suspected they were
watching their mink barns. Authorities found items that led to a six-count
federal indictment against Samuel and Young 1998. The two were charged with
violating the then named Animal Enterprise Protection Act with the alleged
intent to coerce mink farms out of business by inflicting economic loss and
damage. "The indictment reflects the determination of the law enforcement
community and my office to address criminal activity designed to curtail or
shutdown a lawful industry," said US Attorney Peggy Lautenschlager in
Wisconsin's first case of "animal enterprise terrorism."

Justin Samuel and Peter Young were pulled over by police in the vicinity of
the farms after suspicious fur farmers contacted authorities. A vehicle
search allegedly yielded animal rights literature, as well as other
"suspicious" items. In September 1998, a federal grand jury indicted the duo
on charges of animal enterprise terrorism and unlawful interference with
interstate commerce. Both Samuel and Young went underground and nothing was
heard from the two until September 4, 1999, when Samuel was arrested in
Belgium and eventually extradited to the U.S. to face criminal charges.

Despite an enormous outpouring of support from the activist community, on
August 30, 2000, Samuel entered into a plea agreement with the U.S.
Attorney's office in which he implicated Peter Young (his co-defendant) and
promised to "make a full, complete, truthful statement regarding his
involvement in violations of federal criminal statutes charged in the
original Indictment, as well as the involvement of all other individuals
known to him regarding the crimes charged in that Indictment. And the
defendant agrees to testify fully and truthfully at any trials or hearings."

Samuel eventually served two years in prison and is now free and living in
San Diego, California. Despite his repeated efforts to reintegrate himself
into the animal rights movement, most activists and organizations have
shunned him as an untrustworthy individual and a snitch.

While bad timing and dumb luck led to the initial indictment of the two,
Samuel's fear and lack of moral fortitude is responsible both for his own
prison time and for the likelihood that Peter Young (if apprehended) may be
found guilty and sentenced to a lengthy imprisonment. Like so many others
under police pressure, Samuel clearly fell for the oldest tricks in the book
of law enforcement: To this day, he claims he did not tell his inquisitors
anything they did not already know. Unfortunately, it is not Justin who will
pay the price for his fears, but Peter Young-- and any other activists
Justin chooses to name to protect himself.

Excerpts from:
http://www.nocompromise.org/issues/25hallofshame.html
http://www.earthfirstjournal.org/efj/feature.cfm?ID=21&issue=v19n7


Support Jailed Activist!!!!

Visit <http://www.SupportPeter.com>www.SupportPeter.com for more info

PETER YOUNG UPDATE 3/30

We have just talked to Peter and he was happy to report that after a large 
volume of phone calls came in, he started to receive vegetarian meals 
(vegan meals are absolutely out of the question, but does offer Peter an 
upgrade from his "piece of lettuce" each day). However, this has abruptly 
ended, and now he is back to regular food. He has been in for 9 days and 
has only received two meals he could eat. To top it off they have denied 
him access to his lawyer because he refuses to take the TB test (which 
contains animal products).

PLEASE!! Take a few moments to politely call the jail and express the 
following:

*Peter needs vegan meals. They have provided him meatless meals before, 
they can do it again.
*Peter is guranteed the right to be visited by his attorney of record
*Peter can take a chest X-ray (which his father has offered publicly to pay 
for) instead of taking the TB test

Santa Clara County Jail: (408) 299-8770
Direct number to dietician, Anna: (408) 957-5452

Peter has told us that this means the world to him, and after hearing about 
the support, he was left "glowing for hours".

Peter Young appeared in court again this afternoon for his arraignment, but 
it was put over until April 11th so that Peter's recently hired private 
attorney can get acquainted with the case. Peter had a big smile on his 
face after seeing both local activists and some family members who Peter 
hadn't seen in close to a decade in court.

The court appearance ended without much excitement, besides a sloppy agent 
who gave himself up to activists quite easily while trying to
follow them around San Jose. After being called out and embarassed, he 
tucked tail and headed back to headquarters.

Peter's support website is up, albeit bare bones, but you can still read 
updates, find out what he can and cannot receive in jail and
most importantly an address to write him at. Peter loves mail and that's 
all he has right now to keep him connected to the outside. Take 5 minutes 
to write him a letter. If you can't afford .37 cents for a prisoner, visit 
<http://www.supportpeter.com/>http://www.SupportPeter.com and email him a 
letter: <mailto:letters at supportpeter.com>letters at supportpeter.com! No 
excuses! :) - remember, all letters are read by the authorities.

Questions, comments and more info at:
<mailto:info at SupportPeter.com>info at SupportPeter.com

He's in there for the animals, we need to be out here for him!





The Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9977
www.freedomarchives.org  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://freedomarchives.org/pipermail/ppnews_freedomarchives.org/attachments/20050401/bd557c7b/attachment.htm>