Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement by Prof. Jose Maria Sison of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle calling for the release of Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera.

Washington DC - Smiling at supporters with his fist in the air, Ricardo Palmera, a leading Colombian rebel was led from the courtroom by guards Oct. 12. Palmera, a negotiator and spokesperson for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was kidnapped and brought to the United States. He is now on trial in Federal Court.

Washington D.C. – Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera goes on trial here Oct. 10, in one of the most bizarre cases ever. Palmera is a negotiator for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the FARC. The FARC controls 40% of Colombia and has 27,000 armed fighters. The trial of Palmera is an attempt by the Bush administration to criminalize a national liberation movement.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera

Fight Back! interviewed Oscar Silva, the Colombian lawyer for U.S. political prisoner and Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera. The U.S. government is holding Palmera in a prison cell without access to his lawyer, reporters or his family and friends. Palmera, born to a wealthy family, has dedicated his whole life to the working class and peasant farmers of his country. Palmera’s only crime is to struggle for the Colombian people and their right to rule their own country. The trial is a sham and is an attempt to criminalize one of the leading groups fighting for Colombia’s liberation – the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Washington D.C. – Jailed Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera was in the U.S. District Court of Washington D.C. Jan. 24 and 25. Palmera is an important leader for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the FARC, who represented the organization in the peace negotiations with the Colombian government. During the hearing, FBI agent Alex Barbeito testified that Palmera willingly and with the approval of his Colombian lawyer talked to the FBI on three occasions. This was challenged by the defense, who presented Palmera’s Colombian lawyer, Oscar Silva. Oscar Silva said he, “Never spoke to a jail administrator, or authorized a judicial procedure without his own presence, and that Silva himself spoke to Ricardo Palmera before his extradition, and he vowed, ‘he would not allow the FBI to interrogate him.’”

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera. We urge all readers to send holiday greetings to Palmera and forward this appeal to others who support justice.

Tells Colombian Revolutionaries: “Come to D.C.”

Washington, D.C. – A U.S. judge placed ads in Colombia’s newspapers the last week of August “ordering” the FARC – the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, to appear in his Washington D.C. courtroom. This adds to a list of bizarre procedures involving the extradition, imprisonment and trial of Ricardo Palmera, an important FARC leader. U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan ridiculously asserts that the FARC members should leave their homeland and come to the U.S. to appear on charges of, “taking hostages in violation of U.S. laws.”

Commander Sonia, a leader of the FARC (the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) was extradited to the United States on March 9. In many press reports the women rebel commander is also referred to as Omaira Rojas.

In a statement issued Feb. 27, Colombia’s largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), said that extradition of an important guerilla leader to the United States was a roadblock to organizing an exchange of prisoners of war in Colombia. Ricardo Palmera, also known as Simon Trinidad, is being held in a prison near Washington, D.C.