Chicago, IL -75 people entered the lobby of the Dirksen Federal Building here, Dec. 23, to make a statement to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and the FBI. They were there because four more anti-war and international solidarity activists have been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury.

Maureen Murphy, one of those targeted by Fitzgerald with a grand jury date of Jan. 25, made a strong statement to the press:

I have no intention in participating in the government's witch hunt. It is very clear that no crime has been committed and that the government's motivation in issuing these subpoenas is to have us name the names of other activists not only here in the United States, but also in places like Palestine and Colombia, where many of us have traveled to learn about the human rights situations in those places. We can only assume that the U.S. government shares intelligence with the governments of Israel and Colombia, whose repressive military rule the U.S. bankrolls at the taxpayer's expense. And it is essentially a prison sentence or worse for human rights activists in Palestine and Colombia to be singled out in this way. And I have no intention in playing any role in that.

#ChicagoIL #FBI #September24FBIRaids #grandJury #ElectronicIntifada #MaureenMurphy

This continues the repression unleashed by Fitzgerald on the anti-war movement since Sept. 24, when 14 subpoenas were delivered to anti-war, labor, and solidarity activists in coordinated raids involving more than 70 federal agents. Armed FBI agents raided homes, taking computers, phones, passports, documents, notebooks and even children’s artwork. Since then, a total of 23 subpoenas have been served to activists around the country.

Maureen Murphy said, “Along with several others, I am being summoned to appear before the Grand Jury on Tuesday, Jan. 25, in the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago. We are being targeted for the work we do to end U.S. funding of the Israeli occupation, ending the war in Afghanistan and ending the occupation of Iraq. What is at stake for all of us is our right to dissent and organize to change harmful US foreign policy.” Murphy is also the managing editor of the widely-read website, The Electronic Intifada.

In addition, three women in Minneapolis – Tracy Molm, Anh Pham, and Sara Martin – are threatened with reactivated subpoenas by Fitzgerald’s office and new Grand Jury dates. Tom Burke of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression explained, “It is likely the three individuals, like all the others so far, will continue to refuse to take part in Fitzgerald’s witch hunt. Fitzgerald can then call for putting them in jail as long as he wants.”

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #PalestineSolidarityGroup #September24FBIRaids #grandJury #ElectronicIntifada