Don't Let them Intimidate activist!

[Puregonzo1188]

SUPPORTERS OF the right to dissent are turning out this week to defend antiwar, pro-Palestinian and socialist activists who have become targets of federal prosecutors as part of an investigation into supposed "material support of terrorism."

Since September, at least 23 activists in Minneapolis, Chicago and other cities have been issued subpoenas to appear before a federal grand jury.

In a series of raids conducted last September on the homes and offices of members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Twin Cities Anti-War Committee and a pro-Palestinian organization, FBI agents removed financial records, personal documents--even children's artwork--reportedly as part of an investigation into "material support" of groups on the State Department's list of "designated foreign terrorist organizations." The investigation is alleged to be related to the interaction various activists may have had with groups in Colombia, Lebanon and Palestine.

As Mike German, National Security Policy Counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union and a former FBI agent specializing in domestic counterterrorism, explained to Democracy Now! the scope of the government attack on these activists is particularly chilling given that none are considered a threat--as even the government has admitted.

"In fact," German said, "the FBI spokesman said immediately after the raids that there wasn't a threat to the community. So it sort of leads to a question of why there is this nationwide, you know, early morning raids--as if these are Mafia groups." German went on to point out that the materials requested in the search warrants are clearly protected by the first amendment, like "address books, computer records, literature and advocacy materials."

More at link:http://socialistworker.org/2011/01/25/dont-let-them-intimidate-activists