[Ppnews] US Attorney’s Office Confirms Investigation Is Ongoing into Anti-war Activists

[Political Prisoner News]

U.S. Attorney’s Office Confirms Investigation Is 
Ongoing into Anti-war Activists


The Northern Illinois Assistant U.S. Attorney 
Barry Jonas stated that the “investigation is 
continuing” into the case of the anti-war and 
international solidarity activists hit with FBI 
raids and grand jury repression. Barry Jonas is 
known for his leading role in prosecuting the 
leaders of the Holy Land Foundation while he was 
trial attorney for the Department of Justice Counter-terrorism Section.

This confirms what the U.S. Attorney’s office 
related some months ago - they are preparing 
multiple indictments of multiple activists. The 
FBI raided seven homes and the government 
subpoenaed 23 international solidarity activists 
to a Chicago grand jury over a year ago. The 
anti-war activists refused to appear at the 
secretive grand jury and launched a campaign 
against political repression. The U.S. government 
is threatening to imprison anti-war activists on 
the grounds of “material support for terrorism.”

The confirmation of the ongoing investigation 
came during a January 24, 2012 phone call between 
Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Jonas and attorney 
Bruch Nestor, who represents some of the political activists.

Nestor initially contacted Minneapolis Assistant 
U.S. Attorney Andrew Winter to view some of the 
sealed documents in the case. The grand jury 
proceedings against the anti-war activists are 
secret. The vast majority of documents relating 
to their case are under seal, meaning the 
targeted activists or their attorneys cannot view 
them. Assistant U.S. Attorney Winter helped to 
oversee the Sept. 24, 2010 raids and in recent 
months represented the government on the issue of 
returning property seized in the raids. Winter 
told Nestor to contact Chicago Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Jonas.

Jonas told Nestor the documents would remain 
secret "pending completion of the investigation."

Barry Jonas is responsible for railroading the 
Holy Land leaders. Jonas views solidarity with 
Palestine as a crime deserving long-term 
imprisonment. He is willing to pull every dirty 
trick available to him to obtain convictions. The 
Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development 
was once the largest Muslim charity in the U.S. 
Its efforts were geared towards providing 
humanitarian aid to help the people of Palestine 
and other countries. In 2001 its offices were 
raided. Three years later, five people associated 
with the charity were indicted. The first trial 
ended with a hung jury. The second trial ended 
with convictions. The five defendants received 
sentences that range from 15 to 65 years in prison.

The Holy Land trial included secret witnesses - 
the defense never got to find out who the 
witnesses were - the use of hearsay evidence, and 
the introduction of evidence that had nothing to 
do with the defendants in the case, such as 
showing a video from Palestine of protesters 
burning an American flag, as a means to prejudice the jury.

As lead prosecutor, Barry Jonas played a key role 
in all this. He is now working under Chicago U.S. 
Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who runs the federal 
grand jury attacking anti-war and international solidarity activists.

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression urges all 
supporters of peace with justice to sign the 
pledge to take action 
(<http://stopfbi.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8b7315d854bc40ca9fa6dd227&id=d6e8dc0c4b&e=b7378561ef>http://www.stopfbi.net/get-involved/pledge-of-resistance) 
in the event that international solidarity activists are indicted.

In a closely related case, the FBI directed the 
LA Sheriff to raid the home of 
<http://stopfbi.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=8b7315d854bc40ca9fa6dd227&id=ffc6dfb672&e=b7378561ef>veteran 
Chicano leader Carlos Montes. Carlos Montes is 
now facing trial and imprisonment on six felony 
charges relating back to a student protest that 
happened 42 years ago. See 
<http://stopfbi.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=8b7315d854bc40ca9fa6dd227&id=2c100d2f13&e=b7378561ef>www.StopFBI.net



Copyright © 2012 Committee to Stop FBI Repression, All rights reserved.
Thanks for your ongoing interest in the fight 
against FBI repression of anti-war and international solidarity activists!
Our mailing address is:
Committee to Stop FBI Repression
PO Box 14183
Minneapolis, MN 55414



Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org  
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