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<h3><b>U.S. Attorney’s Office Confirms Investigation Is Ongoing into
Anti-war Activists<br><br>
</b></h3><font size=3>The <b>Northern Illinois Assistant U.S. Attorney
Barry Jonas</b> stated that the “investigation is continuing” into the
case of the anti-war and international solidarity activists hit with FBI
raids and grand jury repression. Barry Jonas is known for his leading
role in prosecuting the leaders of the Holy Land Foundation while he was
trial attorney for the Department of Justice Counter-terrorism
Section.<br>
<br>
This confirms what the U.S. Attorney’s office related some months ago -
they are preparing multiple indictments of multiple activists. The FBI
raided seven homes and the government subpoenaed 23 international
solidarity activists to a Chicago grand jury over a year ago. The
anti-war activists refused to appear at the secretive grand jury and
launched a campaign against political repression. The U.S. government is
threatening to imprison anti-war activists on the grounds of “material
support for terrorism.”<br>
<br>
The confirmation of the ongoing investigation came during a January 24,
2012 phone call between Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Jonas and attorney
Bruch Nestor, who represents some of the political activists.<br>
<br>
Nestor initially contacted Minneapolis Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew
Winter to view some of the sealed documents in the case. The grand jury
proceedings against the anti-war activists are secret. The vast majority
of documents relating to their case are under seal, meaning the targeted
activists or their attorneys cannot view them. Assistant U.S. Attorney
Winter helped to oversee the Sept. 24, 2010 raids and in recent months
represented the government on the issue of returning property seized in
the raids. Winter told Nestor to contact Chicago Assistant U.S. Attorney
Barry Jonas.<br>
<br>
Jonas told Nestor the documents would remain secret "pending
completion of the investigation."<br>
<br>
<b>Barry Jonas is responsible for railroading the Holy Land leaders.</b>
Jonas views solidarity with Palestine as a crime deserving long-term
imprisonment. He is willing to pull every dirty trick available to him to
obtain convictions. The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development
was once the largest Muslim charity in the U.S. Its efforts were geared
towards providing humanitarian aid to help the people of Palestine and
other countries. In 2001 its offices were raided. Three years later, five
people associated with the charity were indicted. The first trial ended
with a hung jury. The second trial ended with convictions. The five
defendants received sentences that range from 15 to 65 years in
prison.<br>
<br>
The Holy Land trial included secret witnesses - the defense never got to
find out who the witnesses were - the use of hearsay evidence, and the
introduction of evidence that had nothing to do with the defendants in
the case, such as showing a video from Palestine of protesters burning an
American flag, as a means to prejudice the jury.<br>
<br>
As lead prosecutor, Barry Jonas played a key role in all this. He is now
working under Chicago U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who runs the
federal grand jury attacking anti-war and international solidarity
activists.<br>
<br>
The Committee to Stop FBI Repression urges all supporters of peace with
justice to sign the pledge to take action
(<a href="http://stopfbi.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8b7315d854bc40ca9fa6dd227&id=d6e8dc0c4b&e=b7378561ef">
http://www.stopfbi.net/get-involved/pledge-of-resistance</a>) in the
event that international solidarity activists are indicted.<br><br>
In a closely related case, the FBI directed the LA Sheriff to raid the
home of
<a href="http://stopfbi.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=8b7315d854bc40ca9fa6dd227&id=ffc6dfb672&e=b7378561ef">
veteran Chicano leader Carlos Montes</a>. Carlos Montes is now facing
trial and imprisonment on six felony charges relating back to a student
protest that happened 42 years ago. See
<a href="http://stopfbi.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=8b7315d854bc40ca9fa6dd227&id=2c100d2f13&e=b7378561ef">
www.StopFBI.net</a><br><br>
<br><br>
<i>Copyright © 2012 Committee to Stop FBI Repression, All rights
reserved.</i> <br>
Thanks for your ongoing interest in the fight against FBI repression of
anti-war and international solidarity activists! <br>
<b>Our mailing address is:</b> <br>
Committee to Stop FBI Repression <br>
PO Box 14183<br>
Minneapolis, MN 55414<br><br>
<br>
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