From: "Stasi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [Peoples War] E.L.P NEWSLETTER (January 2002) Frontline Information Service - Update 12/30/01 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - E.L.P NEWSLETTER (January 2002) _______________________________ Produced by EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK "Prison is a weapon used by the State to crush individuals who step out of line" (Michael Collins, former Mayday 2000 prisoner) Welcome to the January 2002 edition of the ELP Newsletter. Britain is currently witnessing the proposal of some of the most pro-development, anti-environmental legislation ever seen. (See "Earth Liberation Investigation" on page 4). With such proposals being made, ELP would not be surprised to see an increase in Earth First! style protests. But with that runs the risk of imprisonment. It is totally unjustified that people should have to risk imprisonment because they want to try and save one little piece of the planet. It is totally unforgivable if, once inside, that prisoner was not given the support they deserve. Remember, no matter how long they are serving, they all deserve our support. Support the Earth Liberation prisoners. COURT REPORTS & LEGAL UPDATES SUPPORT TRASH On Halloween 2001 British eco-activist "Trash" was caught allegedly "trashing" quarrying equipment at the Nine Ladies quarry site. Judging by past sentencing for ecotage at this protest site, if found guilty, Trash is guaranteed a prison sentence. As far as we are aware, Trash is not yet inside. However, his supporters are asking that everyone sends him letters of support straight away to help keep his spirits strong. Please send letters of support to: Trash, c/o Nine Ladies Anti-Quarry Camp, Lees Cross, Lees Road, Stanton Lees, Nr Matlock, Derbyshire, England JOSE BOVE On 20/12/01 militant French farmer Jose Bove was sentenced to six months imprisonment for destroying a GM rice crop in 1999. However he has been allowed to remain free until after he has appealed the sentence. MUMIA ABU-JAMAL On 18/12/01 U.S. District Judge William Yohn overturned the death sentence imposed on Mumia Abu Jamal. However he let stand the first-degree murder conviction. Mumia is now due to be re-sentenced, probably to Life. MORE CENSORSHIP IN BRITAIN In November 2001, three British organisers of the international animal rights campaign 'Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty' were jailed for producing the SHAC campaign newsletter. The police claimed that the newsletter incited people to cause a public nuisance towards Huntingdon Life Sciences staff and investors by publishing their names and addresses. LINUS BROHULT In June 2000, ELP reported that Swedish eco-activist Linus Brohult, had been sentenced to one-year imprisonment for incitement after he allegedly described how to destroy road-building machines in the magazine Ekologisten. ELP also reported that Linus was out on bail awaiting his appeal. In December 2001 the appeal court effectively suspended the sentence and issued Linus community service instead. The Court of appeal agreed that two of the alleged inciting articles did not describe how to cause any damage. However, according to the court, two other articles did constitute incitement. Speaking after his appeal Linus stated "I am disappointed that court of appeal considers expressing ones opinion as an incitement. That is a defeat to a freedom of expression. But in the same time I feel great that I was not imprisoned." SANTA CRUZ 2 On 15/10/01 American activists Peter Schnell and Matt Whyte entered guilty pleas for possessing incendiary devices. They are due to be sentenced on 28/01/02. For more info e-mail < [EMAIL PROTECTED] > FLOWER POWER At the start of November 2001, during a British Royal visit to Latvia, peace activist Alina Lebedeva (age 16) slapped Charles Windsor (aka Prince of Wales) across the face with a bunch of carnations. Alina's action was carried out to protest the war in Afganistan. Initially Alina was charged with endangering life & threatened with 15 years imprisonment. However due to a wave of international protest & calls for clemency the Latvian Government dropped these charges against Alina. JON BATCHELOR On 02/01/02 American animal rights activist Jon Batchelor is due to appear in court charged with allegedly assaulting a police officer during an animal rights protest in 2001. Jon's supporters are warning people that Jon may be remanded as a result of this court appearance and he could be moved from jail to jail at short notice until he finally reaches Virginia where he is due to stand trial for the alleged assault. GREENPEACE 17 The trial of the Greenpeace 17 has been delayed until 08/01/02. Lawyers stated the defendants could not receive a fair hearing in America so soon after the September 11th attacks in New York. For more info check out www.greenpeace.org/~nuclear/ GM COURT VICTORY In November, 2001, British activists Barbara Charvet and Jim Ridout were found not guilty of criminal damage to GM corn destroyed on a farm in Herefordshire in August 2001. GEERT WAEGEMANS At the end of 2001, Belgium animal rights activist Geert Waegemans had his 5 year prison sentence (for the attempted arson) reduced, on appeal, to 2 years actual imprisonment. He will also have a 2 year suspended sentence after that. However, it is not yet known exactly how long Geert will have to spend inside as he is still to be sentenced for the 4 arsons which he has pleaded guilty to. In addition to this, at the end 2001, Geert had 4 more arson charges placed against him, which he denies. Geert's friends fear that if found guilty of these new charges Geert could be inside for a long time. ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS Dr. Yurl Bandazhevsky, Ul. Kalvarijskaya 36, PO Box 35K, Minsk 220600, Belarus. Serving 8 years for telling the world that the nuclear radiation around Chernobyl is worse than the Belarus Government has admitted. Jeremiah Rush Bowen, #108016, DCC, 1140 E 10th St, Delta, CO 81416, USA. Serving 2 years for an arson against a Townhouse. Expected release date, February 2002. Marco Camenish, Viale dei Tigli, 14 13900, Biella, Italy. Serving 12 years for eco-bombings in Italy. Also wanted in Switzerland to serve a 10-year sentence for eco-bombings. He reads French, German, Spanish & Italian. Ted Kaczynski (04475-046), US Pen - admin Max Facility, PO Box 8500, Florence Colorado 81226, USA. Is serving multiple life sentences for the infamous 'Unabomber' bombing & murder campaign, which was carried out against symbols of technology. Iņaki Garcia Koch, Carcel de Pamplona, C/San Roque. Apdo. 250, 31080 - Iruņez - Pamplona, Navarra (Espaņa), Spain Serving just under 5 years for sabotaging a dam construction site. Jeffrey Luers, #13797671, OSP , 2605 State St. Salem, OR 97310, USA. Serving 22 years & 8 months for arson on a car dealership & attempted arson of an oil truck. Craig Marshall, #13797662, SRCI, 777 Stanton Blvd, Ontario, OR 97914 USA. Serving 5 years 5 months for "Conspiracy to commit arson" and "possession of an incendiary device. Silvano Pellissero, Com. Mastrolierto, Via Ferrerinoli no2, Sanponso, 10080 Torino, Italy. Serving 6 years 8 months for allegedly sabotaging a rail line construction site. Silvana can read Spanish, Italian & French. Fran Thompson (93341), 1107 Recharge Rd., York NE 68467, USA. An eco-activist serving Life for shooting dead, in self-defence, a stalker who had broken into her home. Helen Woodson, 03231-045 FMC Carswell, POB 27137, Fort Worth, TX 76127, USA. Serving 27 years for robbing a bank & burning the money to protest globalisation. ANIMAL LIBERATION Greg Avery FF9142, HMP Belmarsh, London, SE28 0EB, England. Serving 12 months for helping organise Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) campaign. Heather Avery TE1951, HMP/YOI Highpoint, Stradishall, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 9YG, England. Serving 12 months for helping to organise the SHAC campaign. Neil Bartlett, FW7083, HMP Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1EA, England. On remand for allegedly making bomb hoax telephone calls to various animal & earth abusers. Dave Blenkinsop, EM7899, H.M.Prison Birmingham, B18 4AS, England. Serving 3 years for attacking the Managing Director of HLS. Also serving 18 months for rescuing 600 guinea pigs from a lab animal supplier. Mel Broughton DJ8216, HMP The Mount, Bovingdon, HP3 0NZ, England. Serving 4 years for conspiracy to cause explosions. Natasha Dellamaigne TE1952, HMP/YOI Highpoint, Stradishall, Newmarket, CB8 9YG, England. Serving 12 months for helping to organise the SHAC campaign. Rae Newlands GN6613, HMP Holloway, London, N7 0NU, England. On remand for various charges including bomb hoaxes, arson, criminal damage, harassment and conspiracy. Geert Waegemans, Begijnestraat 42 2000 Antwerp, Belgium. Serving 4 years for an attempted arson. Awaiting sentencing for 4 more arsons. Controversially Geert named police informant, Anja Hermans, as aiding him with his actions after she named him as an ALF activist & alerted the police to his activity PARTY & PROTEST Around the world there have been several massive protests against global capitalism and its environmental impact. The following have all been jailed in connection with the protests. Rob Middaugh (3 years - Expected to move soon. E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] for new address) Paul Robinson, KVA Karlskoga, Box 7, 69121 Karlskoga, Sweden (12 months) Robert Thaxton #12112716, OSP, 2605 State St, Salem, OR 97310, USA (86 months) PLOUGHSHARES (ANTI-WAR) Ploughshares is an international movement which uses accountable direct action to disarm weapons of mass destruction. The following have all carried out direct disarmaments. Rev Carl Kabat #03230-045, FCI, POB 5000 Greenville, IL 62246, USA. (12 months). Rev. Steve Kelly SJ, #00816-111, FCI, POB 7000, Ft. Dix, NJ 08640, USA. (14 months) Mordechai Vanunu, Ashkelon prison, Ashkelon, Israel. Serving 18 years for telling world media about Israel's nuclear capabilities. INDIGENOUS LAND RIGHTS Leonard Peltier #89637-132, PO Box 1000, Leavenworth, KS 66048, USA. An American Indian Movement activist, serving Life after being framed for the murder of 2 FBI agents. Eric Wildcat Hall, #BL-5355, Unit I/A 10745 Route 18, Albion, PA 16475-0002, USA. Serving 35-75 years for helping ship arms to Central American indigenous activists. MOVE MOVE is an eco-revolutionary group. There are currently eight MOVE activists in prison each serving 100 years after been framed for the murder of a cop in 1979. 9th defendant, Merle Africa, died in prison in 1998. Debbie Simms Africa (006307), Janet Holloway Africa (006308) and Janine Philips Africa (006309) all at: SCI Cambridge Springs, 451 Fullerton Ave, Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238, USA. Michael Davis Africa (AM4973) and Charles Simms Africa (AM4975) both at SCI Grateford, PO Box 244, Grateford, PA 19426-0244, USA. Edward Goodman Africa (AM4974), 301 Morea Rd, Frackville, PA 17932, USA. William Philips Africa (AM4984) and Delbert Orr Africa (AM4985) both at SCI Dallas Drawer K, Dallas, PA 18612, USA. Mumia Abu Jamal, (AM8335), SCI Greene, 1040 East R. Furman Highway, Waynesburg, PA 15370-8090, USA. In 1981 Mumia, was framed for the murder of a cop. Currently awaiting re-sentencing. DO YOU KNOW OF A PRISONER WHO IS NOT LISTED? ELP does not deliberately exclude any genuine eco-centric direct action prisoner. If you know of someone who you feel should be on our lists, but is not yet mentioned, please get in contact with us as soon as possible. Likewise if you, or your family or friend, have recently been arrested, please do get in contact with ELP as we can offer advice & support. STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE Some people listed in this Newsletter have carried out violent actions. ELP Newsletter does not condone violence. But we are also against censorship & believe people can decide for themselves who they wish to support. ABOUT E.L.P. SUPPORT NETWORK ELP was founded in 1993 to support jailed eco-activists. We do this by producing regular prisoner lists: Spirit of Freedom is ELP's on-line newsletter. View it at www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] or write to ELP c/o CRC, 16 Sholebroke Ave, Leeds LS7,England. ELP Newsletter is ELP's hardcopy publication (also available via e-mail). If you would like to receive a copy contact ELP Newsletter, BM Box 2407, London, WC1N 3XX, England. Or download a copy from the Spirit of Freedom. Urgent ELP! is an e-mail Bulletin which distributes the names of any new eco-prisoner as soon as ELP gets the details. For more info e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] North American ELP is as the name suggests ELP's North American contact. NA-ELP run a full complement of services including production of a hard-copy newsletter called Spirit of Freedom. For more info contact North American ELP, POB 11331, Eugene, OR 97440, USA. E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] PRISONER SUPPORT ANOUNCEMENTS The Anarchist Black Cross Network (which is different from the ABC Federation) has drawn up a draft proposal for the future of ABC prisoner support. View their new draft proposal at www.anarchistblackcross.org The Nuclear Resister is starting up its own e-mail prisoner alert list, to inform people of news prisoners as and when the Nuclear Resister hears about them. To join this list e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] EARTH LIBERATION INVESTIGATION It has been much speculated that the British 'New Labour' Government was planning to change planning permission legislation. On 17/12/01 the Governments plans were revealed in a Green Paper and the biggest casualty with the new plans, will be the environment. As the rules now stand, before any major development can take place there has to be a public enquiry, and these public enquiries can take years. Under the new plans, projects that are within the countries "national interest" will first be debated by Parliament. Parliament will decide if there is a need for the project. If they give their okay, there will then be a public enquiry B UT the public enquiry will not be allowed to challenge the principle that there is a need for the project nor will they be able to challenge its location. Projects that are of "national interest" will include nuclear power stations, radioactive waste disposal facilities, trunk roads, chemical plants, open cast mining and quarrying. Once Parliament has given its go ahead there will be no automatic right to object to a proposed project. The Governments Green Paper states "We need to address the flaws... in the system that frustrate business and others seeking to develop land." There is no mention of green belts, environmental protection or nature conservation. This Green Paper is a charter for the eco-destroyers. Blair and his buddies have declared war on the environment. STOP PRESS: ELVES AVOID TRIAL In our November 2001 Newsletter we reported that three activists in Nebraska, USA - Jason Thiemann, Kraig Schjodt and Brian Hindley - had been charged with criminal mischief at a number of golf courses that suffered ELF vandalism attacks. ELP has just learnt that the three have negotiated a deal with the courts that avoids any trial and any possible prison sentences. As all three were first-time felony offenders they qualified for a "diversion program" which essentially means they have to pay restitution and each do community service. After fulfilling the program the charges will be removed from their record! DEDICATION This edition of ELP Newsletter is dedicated to British animal liberation activist Barry Horne who died in prison on 05/11/01 following a hunerstrike. It is believed the hungerstrike was being carried out to protest the Governments' disasterous Foot & Mouth crisis policy. Barry was a dedicated activist and will be missed by the animal liberation movement. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - F R O N T L I N E - N E W S Now With 4600+ Subscribers! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -