Palestinian Political Prisoners
Palestinians, Native Americans: Linked Struggles
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Weekly Occupation Report (Link)
Know Your Rights! A four page pamphlet on how US residents should respond to visits from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Know Your Rights! was compiled by the Free Tarek Support Committee
www.freetarek.com
Statement from the Tarek Mehanna Support Committee, December 20, 2011:
"All who have followed Tarek's trial with a belief in the possibility of justice through the court system will be shocked to learn that today the jury found him guilty on all seven counts of the indictment. In the six weeks that the prosecution used to present its case, it presented no evidence linking Tarek to an illegal action. Instead, it amassed a large and repetitive collection of videos, e-mails, translated documents, recorded telephone conversations and informant testimony aimed at demonstrating Tarek's political beliefs. The core belief under scrutiny was one that neither Tarek nor his defense team ever denied: Muslims have a right to defend their countries when invaded.
The prosecution relied upon coercion, prejudice, and ignorance to present their case; the defense relied upon truth, reason and responsibility. The government relied upon mounds of "evidence" showing that Tarek held political beliefs supporting the right to armed resistance against invading force; they mentioned Al-Qaeda and its leadership as often as possible while pointing at Tarek. It is clear they coerced Tarek's former friends and pressured them to lie, and many of them admitted to such. There is a long list of ways this trial proceeded unjustly, to which we will devote an entire post. The government's cynical calculation is that American juries, psychologically conditioned by a constant stream of propaganda in the "war on terrorism," will convict on the mere suggestion of terrorism, without regard for the law. Unfortunately, this strategy has proved successful in case after case.
Tarek's case will continue under appeal. We urge supporters to write to Tarek, stay informed, and continue supporting Tarek in his fight for justice. Sentencing will be April 12th, 2012. We will be sending out more information soon.
A beacon of hope and strength throughout this ordeal has been Tarek's strength and the amount of support he has received. Tarek has remained strong from day one, and even today he walked in with his head held high, stood unwavering as the verdict was read to him, and left the courtroom just as unbowed as ever. His body may be in prison now, but certainly this is a man whose spirit can never be caged. His strength must be an inspiration to us all, even in the face of grave circumstances. Before he left the courtroom, he turned to the crowd of supporters that was there for him, paused, and said, "Thank you, so much." We thank you too. Your support means the world to him."
The Inquisition Comes to Boston
by Richard Hugus
" . . . a case in point is the conviction of Tarek Mehanna in a Boston federal court on December 20, 2011. Mehanna is an Egyptian-American Muslim who was arrested by the FBI in 2009, at the age of 27, on charges of material support for terrorism. He spent two years in solitary confinement in a prison in Plymouth, Massachusetts before facing trial -- in a sense, convicted without a trial. When the trial finally took place it went on for eight weeks. It was a circus of prejudicial evidence, government-coerced informers, Patriot Act snooping by the FBI, phony government experts on terrorism, and all-around ignorance about the Muslim religion."
Vittorio Arrigoni, A Fallen Palestinian Hero
by Amer Jubran
April 16, 2011
On Friday April 15, 2011 a criminal group with ties to the Israeli
Mossad and Saudi intelligence abducted and executed 36 year old
pro-Palestinian Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni.
One does not need to know much about Vittorio Arrigoni to express
admiration. This Italian traveled far from home, subjected himself to
serious Israeli military threats, and went through the quandaries of the
deposed Egyptian regime of Mubarak to come to help the Palestinians in
Gaza Strip. He resided in impoverished Gaza for over three years, rather
than indulge in life in much more prosperous cities in Italy.
However, his biggest battle was to accept defending Palestinians who
believe in and practice armed resistance. This acceptance is hard to
obtain in the face of defamation carried out by European official policy
and media in support of Israel and Israel's massive crimes against the
Palestinians. In one picture, Vittorio wrote in Arabic on his arm "Long
Live the Resistance." Many western activists defend Palestinians on the
basis of "human rights" and say they are for "peace between Palestinians
and Israelis." Very few of them support the Palestinians' right to armed
resistance. But Vittorio supported the Palestinian resistance by going
to its headquarters -- Gaza.
This cowardly execution comes at a time of Israeli military escalation
against Gaza. Such escalation is intended to let Israelis practice their
favorite habit of killing Palestinians, re-establish awareness about its
might, intimidate the resistance, and send a bloody message to
international activists that Israel will repeat itself if any new
vessels sail to Gaza.
The direct result of this attack on our Italian brother is to declare:
-- Gaza is not a safe place
-- Palestinians are not faithful to those who support them
-- Islamic values and Islamic humanity are questionable
Palestinians do not have to feel defensive, as our loss is Vittorio
himself. His blood has fallen on the soil of Gaza, which makes him a
true Palestinian martyr. In the long history of this struggle, thousands
of Palestinians have been killed at the hands of collaborating Arabs and
Palestinians to benefit Israel.
Rest in peace brother, as the resistance will avenge your killing.
Insubordinate Arabs
Amer Jubran
March 12, 2011
"Although surprising to all, the revolutions currently sweeping through the Arabic countries were imminent. The tranquil conditions present in these countries in December of 2010 were only the silence before the storm. But one would ask: Why these revolutions? How did they happen? And who is doing what?"
NECDP Statement
February 16, 2011
FBI Targeting Palestine Solidarity Activists in New England
"This attention to solidarity activists comes at a moment when zionists are increasingly on the defensive. In 2010, officials at the "Israeli" Foreign Ministry said that they were considering stopping lectures by official representatives around the world because these only provide targets for a rapidly growing protest movement. The Reut Institute--a prominent zionist think tank--suggested in the same year that unless a new strategy were developed against the Palestine solidarity movement (including "legal" intervention, e.g. repression), "Israel" might soon find itself in the position of being an international pariah state. A central strategic recommendation of the Reut report was to distinguish between critics of Israeli policy and those who are committed to "delegitimizing Israel." They suggest that it's important to treat the "critics" as potential allies--and give them more room to express themselves--in order to isolate the "delegitimizers." "
October 15, 2008
Why should movements for social and political change adopt anti-Zionist principles as part of their work?
Zionism must be confronted as a form of white supremacy that exists within our movements for liberation and social change. Zionism has its main base of political, economic and military support in the “United States.” While the vast majority of the world’s people recognize that the Palestinian struggle is a legitimate struggle against genocidal colonial violence, no movement in the US has yet emerged capable of challenging this base of support. One reason for this is the pervasive influence of Zionism across the entire spectrum of US politics.
A Short History of the Colonization of Palestine (pdf)
Myth/history fact sheet.
Confessions of a human bomb from Palestine
Featuring articles by and for u.s. political prisoners and their supporters.
Statements from U.S. Political Prisoners In Support of Palestine
See Jericho Boston for information on and activities in support of U.S. political prisoners.
