U.S. Embassy, London - Vigil in Solidarity with NVDA to Shutdown Guantanamo

by LCWers Sun Jan 13, 2008 18:25

http://www.londoncatholicworker.org

by LCW Sun Jan 13, 2008 18:28

http://www.londoncatholicworker.org/

{Photo by a banshee}

by nickleberry Mon Jan 14, 2008 04:16 http://nickleberry-huxtable.blogspot.com

Great work folks. This is an important and tragic issue that we need to be constantly reminded about. The media have let it slide in recent months despite the fact that people still languish in Guantanamo under appalling conditions.

On a lighter note.... I love the oven gloves in Scott's outfit!

by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:46

Chairman of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff wants Guantanamo closed due to the bad effect it has on the U.S. image throughout the world. A decision to close is not on the agenda as yet.

Meanwhile, a 10,000 stong capacity refugee detention centre is being constructed at Guantanamo.........
See link
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080114/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/g...hiefs

by Ciaron - London Catholic Worker Mon Jan 14, 2008 20:53

....Lookin' Like Same Shit, Different Flies!

Six months ago, a handful of us gathered outside the Brisbane magistrate's court when the first person detained without charge under Australia's new anti-terror law as was being brought to court.http://www.ourbrisbane.com/living/brisbanelife/photos/d...os=10

Dr. Haneef an Indian Muslim had been working at a hospital on the Gold Coast when his cousin (once removed and 12,000 miles away)was involved in the attack on Glasgow airport. The then conservative Federal government, looking for a fear generating issue that may produce a wedge leading up to an imminent election, swooped on Dr. Haneef on the basis that the year previously he had left his sim card with another cousin in England. This cousin and the sim were in Liverpool, nowhere near the other cousin, London or Glasgow.

Several of us made our way up into the court, to hear the Feds who had finally laid charges a couple of days before. The charges did not contain any notion of "criminal intent" only vague notions of negligence - leaving a sim card with a cousin in England where another cousin had commited an offence.

It was a weird ambience in the court - in contrast tothe media hype - the security was lax and the cops didn't look like they were dealing with a hi octane security risk. The only aboriginal magistrate in Queensland had spent the weekend looking at the issues argued by the prosecution who wished to deny the defendant bail and the defense arguents. She ruled that Haneef should be granted bail on $10,000 (the prosecution wanted £100,000 once the application was granted) and should sign on three times a week (the prosecution wanted daily) as the magistrate assumed the good doctor would be returning to his work at the Gold Coast hospital. The prosecution did not appeal the bail. That afternoon the Federal Immigration minister pulled Dr. Haneef's work visa and keeping him in indefinite detention. For good measure the State Labor government put Hannef (who a magistrate thought was safe to have on the streets that morning) in maximum isolation on remand.

What was interesting was how few sections of civil society came out in defence of the rights of the Doctor and the civil liberties being denied this Muslim professional. The Indian government - no fan of Islamic militancy - were furious demanding that the civil rights of their citizen should be immediately reinstated and he be released on bail. Yet the churches, artists, activist scene and journos were quiet, the Labor Federal Opposition (now the government) supported the government's position.

As the case began to unravel thanks to the courageous tactics of the defense lawyers and a campiagning journo in Murdoch's "The Australian" (go figure!), the Federal government reluctantly released Haneef and let him leave for India. Haneef's wife had just given birth to their child - so he was keen to reunite with his family. The government position was that Haneef was still a "security risk" and would not be allowed to return to Australia to resume work.

60 MINUTES INTERVIEW WITH HANEEF AFTER RELEASE FROM PRISON
http://ninemsn.video.msn.com/v/en-au/v.htm?f=39&g=21c70...06020

In the last few daze, the appeal/counter-appeal process has exhausted itself Dr. Haneef has been totally vindicated and the actions of the former conservative government exposed as the cheap stunt to generate pre-election fear that it was....but what of the new Labor Government that had maintained its aquience in opposition? The following article in today's Guardian examines those issues and how they are playing themselves out in terms of the continued persecution of David Hicks recently released from Guantanamo

http://www.guardian.co.uk/australia/story/0,,2240352,00....html

by W.A.T. Update - Witness Against Torture Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:25

for an article from Sunday's Washington Post about the arrests, go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20....html

for an AP article:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iM9RxqlrX2JYbiemjJIZ...1E002

for Al Jazeera:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/548304B1-29C5-4A...9.htm

UPDATE ON JAN 11th ARRESTS AT THE SUPREME COURT

**********go to www.witnesstorture.org for photos and more details on the day**********

January 11, 2008 - 82 people were arrested at the U.S. Supreme Court as part of Witness Against Torture's January 11th action to Shut Down Guantánamo. About half were arrested inside the U.S. Supreme Court; the others were arrested on
the steps of the Court.

About 70 of those arrested withheld their identification and instead
gave the name of a detainee upon arrest. When the arrestees were called into court after 30 hours in custody, many of their cases on the docket were listed with the names of men in Guantanamo, and when the defendants appeared before the judge, they spoke these names into the court record.

As of 8pm, Saturday, all 82 people have been released. Many of the
arrestees were denied food and water for most of the 30 hours they were detained.

46 pled not guilty are going back to trial. Others accepted agreement not to be arrested for the next six months in exchange for
the charges being dropped.

People were charged with "unlawful free speech on supreme court
grounds." People who were arrested inside the building received an
additional charge of "causing a harangue within the supreme court."

Arrestees included people from all over the country; teenagers and
octogenarians; first time arrestees; & members of Witness Against
Torture's original delegation that walked to Guantanámo to visit the
prisoners in December of 2005.

The arrests followed a solemn march from the National Mall of 400
persons that included a procession of activists dressed like the
Guantánamo prisoners in orange jumpsuits and black hoods. The
procession was preceded with a short rally at the Mall organized by Amnesty International, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture and Witness Against Torture. The event was part of an
International Day of Action that was endorsed by over 100 groups and that included 83 events around the world.

Witness Against Torture would like to thank everyone who helped make yesterday's action the success that it was. Your prayers, your
participation, your endorsements, your publicity and of course your
financial support are all deeply appreciated. (If you haven't yet make
a donation to Witness Against Torture and would like to do so, please visit our website to donate on-line or else send a check made out to "Witness Against Torture" to Mary House Catholic Worker, 55 E. Third Street, New York, NY 10003.)

Photos, videos and press clippings will be posted to
www.witnesstorture.org in the coming days, so please check our website regularly.

Witness Against Torture
http://www.witnesstorture.org

by Ciaron - Catholic Worker Tue Jan 15, 2008 19:54

As we were organising for the January 11th. international solidarity events with the NVDA in D.C. to close down Gutatanamo, I renewed contact with Peter McGregor in Newcastle, Australia.

Peter was a longtime anarchist, anti-war and anti-apartheid activist. Peter was one of the major organisers in the successful anti apartheid movement that mobilised against the racially selected South African tour of Australiain 1971. We first made contact when I was in prison in the United States in the early '90's. Peter was always sound in his solidarity when one was before the courts or in jail. Peter died, aged 60, last Friday January 11th, as we were on the streets and outside U.S. embassies acting up and speaking out against Guantanamo.
More background, photo etc on link......
http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/story/r-i-p-peter-mcgreg...ivist

Last year Peter attempted to carry out a citizen's arrest on the then Australian Attorney General (and belive it or not Amnesty International member) Philip Ruddock responsible for the trashing of habeus corpus, outback and offshore detention gulags for refugees and abandoning Australian citizen David Hicks in the hell hole of Guantanamo. See link http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/node/51343

Peter will be missed by many who continue the struggle in Australia.

by Sydney Obit Wed Jan 16, 2008 09:46

http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/story/permanent-love-and...-2008

by D.C. Update Sun Jan 20, 2008 07:30

Slideshows
http://www.flickr.com/photos/codepinkalert/tags/guantan...show/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcivey/sets/72157603695361...show/

You tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYK-ImnIwmU

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=jlilyea

by London Guantanamo Campaign Tue Feb 05, 2008 05:47

On Friday 8 February 2008, the London Guantánamo Campaign will mark the first anniversary of its weekly vigil outside the US Embassy in Mayfair, London , calling on the American government to respect international law and take action to close Guantánamo Bay . The London Guantánamo Campaign has had a regular, peaceful presence outside the Embassy since 9 February 2007 at 6-7pm every Friday. During this time, we have been joined by many groups and individuals who share our concerns.

February 2008 also marks one year since Ahmed Belbacha, an Algerian national who lived in Bournemouth, was cleared for release; he has remained in Guantánamo Bay as the British government has refused to make representations on his behalf and he cannot return to his country of origin as his life would be in danger from both the Algerian government and Islamists. Ahmed Belbacha faces no charge and is free to leave as soon as he has a safe country to go to.

To mark this occasion, the London Guantánamo Campaign will be holding an extended two hour vigil outside the US Embassy in Mayfair, London at 6-8pm on Friday 8 February 2008, at the corner of North Audley Street and Upper Brook Street, (nearest tube: Bond Street/Marble Arch). We are inviting everyone, who is concerned that Guantánamo Bay is still open after six years and the continuing human rights abuses under the so-called “war on terror” all around the world, to join us and call on the US administration to respect internationally-recognised legal and human rights standards, to release detainees to countries where their safety will be ensured and to close down Guantánamo Bay and other illegal prisons in the “war on terror”. Events at this vigil will include readings of poems written by Guantánamo detainees, a performance of the street theatre piece Air Guantánamo by the Save Omar Campaign, and an open mic for the public to share their views about the continuing injustices at Guantánamo Bay .

Organised by the London Guantánamo Campaign, part of the National Guantánamo Coalition
For more details, please contact email london_gitmo at yahoo.co.uk

The London Guantánamo Campaign has been working for the past two years to seek the release of British residents held at Guantánamo Bay to the UK and the eventual closure of Guantánamo Bay and other illegal jails under the “war on terror”.

www.guantanamo.org.uk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Witness Against Torture Thu May 22, 2008 02:46 Washington DC, USA

Witness Against Torture Activists to "Represent" Detainees in Trial, May 27

WASHINGTON, DC – Detainees at the U.S. Military Prison in Guantánamo will finally get their day in court on May 27 – Superior Court, in Washington DC.

That is when 35 Americans from cities and towns across the country will go on trial for a protest at the U.S. Supreme Court on January 11, 2008. They face charges of either "unlawful free speech" or "causing a harangue" or both. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 60 days in jail, as well as fines and court fees.

In a new twist on traditional protest, the 35 activists will enter their names as those of actual Guantánamo inmates. On January 11th, they were arrested without their own identification and were taken into custody under the name of a Guantánamo prisoner. This act symbolically grants the Guantánamo prisoners their day in court-- which the Pentagon has denied them for years.

Father Bill Pickard, a Catholic priest from Scranton, PA, is one of the defendants. But he will be tried "as" Faruq Ali Ahmed, a Guantánamo detainee. "I went to the Supreme Court to make a simple plea that the inhumane treatment and actual torture of inmates at Guantánamo Bay stop," says Fr. Pickard. "I went to bring the name and the humanity of Faruq Ali Ahmed — who claims he traveled to Afghanistan in 2001 simply to teach the Koran to children and that he has no affiliation with the Taliban or Al Qaeda — before the law. He cannot do it himself, so I am called by my faith, my respect for the rule of law and my conscience to do it for him." Among the defendants is a hog farmer from Grinnell, Iowa, a social worker from Saratoga Springs, New York, and a legal secretary from Baltimore.

Representing themselves, the defendants plan on justifying their acts as upholding U.S. law and international human rights and will call witnesses to document the abuses at Guantánamo.

Witness Against Torture will hold two events related to the trial on May 27:

At 7:45 am, dressed in orange jumpsuits and black hoods, those facing trial will carry their Guantánamo inmates' names from the U.S. Supreme Court (Maryland Avenue and First Street) to the D.C. Superior Court (Carl Moultrie Court House, 500 Indiana, Ave NW), where their cases will be heard.

At 8:30 am, Witness Against Torture will hold a press conference outside the Superior Court. Defendants and witnesses will address the media. They will also hold a ceremony of justice, expressing their demand that the rights and humanity of the detainees be respected by placing placards bearing the detainees' names alongside copies of the U.S. Constitution, the Geneva Convention, and the sacred texts of various religious traditions.

The trial will begin at 9:30 am. Press is invited to attend all the proceedings.

The January 11 protest was organized by Witness Against Torture (www.witnesstorture.org), which was formed in 2005 when 25 Americans walked from Cuba to the U.S. detention facility at Guantánamo.

Please visit the website for more information, media contacts and to make a contribution to support our work.

###
This is the statement read inside the Supreme Court on January 11, 2008-- the date that marked six years of torture and abuse at the U.S. detention center at Guantánamo Bay.

Why are we here today at the Supreme Court?

January 11, 2008
We come to the Supreme Court today because it is the sixth anniversary of the opening of Guantánamo prison as a place where men, given the devious label "enemy combatant" have been held in indefinite detention, inhuman conditions, isolation and torture. We are here to bring their plight and the plight of all prisoners from this current war, to the "highest court in the land." We are here to make their suffering visible, to make their voices heard, to make their humanity felt.

Lawyers from the Center for Constitutional Rights and other organizations are working hard to bring the cases of the prisoners into the courts. But the lawyers can only do so much, because these prisoners--who have been illegally detained, and tortured, abused and kept from their families for years--are not even able to communicate openly with their lawyers. And so, after years of despair, many prisoners have lost what confidence they might have had in the legal process. More, highly competent lawyers who have patiently devoted their time and skills at great personal cost, are understandably frustrated because they are unable to conduct what a reasonable person would consider a reasonable defense.

The men at Guantánamo may seem very far from us; they not only have different names and cultures, but they have been relentlessly demonized and dehumanized by government officials who knew all along that almost all of them are innocent of any crime. We come here to bring their stories and assert their humanity, because for six years, men such as Sami al Haji from Sudan and Sabir Lahmar from Algeria have been denied the basic right to come here to present their own defense. We are here to tell these stories.

So we come to the Supreme Court on this January 11th to let the nine justices--who hold so much power over these men-- know that we care about the prisoners, that we are watching, that we expect and demand justice. Some of the recent Supreme Court rulings on the Guantánamo prisoners appear to be reasonable, but so far they have proven ineffective in securing even the most basic rights which accused persons should have--rights guaranteed by the fundamental laws and practices of U.S. society and by civilized nations all over the world. Again and again, an intimidated Congress--even the Democratic Congress elected with a mandate to reverse the Administration's abuses--has lacked the will to restore basic rights which everyone deserves.

We are here today to appeal to the Supreme Court Justices to stand up now to assert decisively an end to torture; to assert decisively the abolition of secret prisons supposedly outside the realm of law; and above all, to assert decisively the right of habeas corpus, the most crucial protection of any democratic society.

Although the justices don't always have the empire's poor and marginalized as their first concern, we appeal to them as people of conscience and humanity to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly.

To learn more about the trial, the defendants and the movement to shut down Guantánamo, visit www.witnesstorture.org

by footage Tue May 27, 2008 22:39

here is the link for footage of the nvda at the supreme court in jan 08.
defendants are now before the courts in d.c.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5858350707743499899

by 34 to be sentenced Fri May 30, 2008 05:17

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...lines

by 34 Youtube Sat May 31, 2008 03:06

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0Fdymwup9E

by Ciaron - Catholic Worker/Plowshares Sat May 31, 2008 14:41

Folks, thirty-four anti-torture activists were sentenced today, in the
conclusion of the "Put Guantanamo on Trial" trial in Washington, DC.
Twelve are now serving jail sentences ranging from one to fifteen days for the Close Down Guantanamo occupation of the U.S. Supreme Court on this year's anniversary of the torture centre's opening this past January. Those arrested were dressed in orange Gitmo jumpsuits, hooded and carried the name of a Gitmo prisoner. When arrested they gave the name of the Gitmo prisoner rather than their own so Gitmo prisoners names were uttered for the first time in U.S. courts

Some of these people in jail are dear personal friends. Carmen Trotta who came from New York
to Dublin to organise around the three Pitstop Ploughshares trials. Bill Frankel Striet who with his wife Sue, (now New Zealand barrister) Moana Cole and myself disarmed a B52 Bomber in upstate New York on the eve of the first Gulf War. Paul Magno, Red Sox fan, who served two years for a plowshares action in the mid-80's and now runs the Catholic Worker Book Service. DC Catholic Worker Art Laffin who has served sentences for multiple plowshares action and came to England in support of the Jubilee Ploughshares on trial in Essex in 2001. Longtime Catholic Worker Brian Terrel from the Catholic Worker farm in Malloy Iowa. Catholic Worker and journalist Clare Scaheffer Duffy
whose husband Scott attended the first Pitstop Ploughshares trial in Dublin 05.

The rest received suspended jail sentences ranging from ten to thirty
days, in addition to one year probation, a one year stay-away from the
Supreme Court, and $50 in court fees.

In the sentencing phase, each defendant spoke directly to the court
before receiving their sentence—stating their Guantanamo prisoners'
name for the last time and inviting the judge and prosecutor to join the
movement for justice.

for updates, visit www.witnesstorture.org

This action group out an initial pilgrimage (walk of 50+ miles through Cuba) to Guanatanom Bay in December 05...an act of civil disobedience as walkers were detained on return form Cuba for breaking the embargo

SENTENCES:

Adams, Beth - Mohabet Khan
10 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Allwine, Maria - Shed Abdur Rahman
10 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Bloomer, Ed - Awal Gul
10 days, 9 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme
Court,
$50 court fee

Brandt, Chris - Said Amir Jan
10 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Breen, Jerry - Hosaifa Parhat
10 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Brown, Kirk - Mohammed Sadiq Adam
10 Days in Jail
stay away from Supreme Court, $50 court fee

Butigan, Ken - Gul Zaman
25 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Casale, Ashley - all Guantanamo prisoners younger than her (19 yrs old)
15 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Courtney, Bud - Khaled Qasim
10 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Crane, Susan - Sami al Hajj
15 Days in Jail
stay away from Supreme Court, $50 court fee

Daloisio, Matt - Yasser Al Zahrani
15 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Davidson, Ellen - Arkin Mahmud
10 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Feagley, Tom - Abdulah Alhamiri
10 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Frankel Streit, Bill - Abdul Nasir
10 Days in Jail
stay away from Supreme Court, $50 court fee

Gaunt, Christina - Abdul Razak
10 Days in Jail stay away from Supreme Court, $50 court fee

Gowen, Nancy - Yamatolah Abul Wance
30 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Graves, Ellen - Mohammed Sadiq Adam
30 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $100
court fee

Hogan, Sherrill - Ahmed Mohammed
30 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Jarrett, Fr. Emmett - Osam Abdul Rahan Ahmad
15 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Kauff, Tarak - Ali Faruq Ahmed
10 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Kilbride, Malachy - Sar Faraz Ahmed
10 days, 9 suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50

court fee

Kinane, Ed - Maasoum Abdah Mohammed
10 Days in Jail stay away from Supreme Court, $50 court fee

Laffin, Art - Mohammed Abdullah Tahamuttan
30 days, 29 suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court,
$50
court fee

LeTendre, Linda - Shabir Ahmed
30 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Magno, Paul - Jaman Huhammad Al Deen
30 days, 28 suspended, year probabtion, stay away from Supreme Court,
$50 court fee

Morton, Joe - Saleh Mohamed Al Zuba
10 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Nolan, Tim - Fnu Fazaldad
10 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Pickard, Fr, Bill - Faruq Ali Ahmed
10 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Schaeffer-Duffy, Claire - Abbas Hasid Rumi Al Naely
10 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Taylor, Brad
15 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

Terrell, Brian - Tariq Mahmoud Ahmed Al Sawah
10 Days in Jail, stay away from Supreme Court, $50 court fee

Tetaz, Eve - Noor Uthman Muhammed
5 Days in Jail, stay away from Supreme Court, $50 court fee

Trotta, Carmen - Said Ahasin
10 Days in Jail, stay away from Supreme Court, $50 court fee

Wieland, Paki - Hisham Ibn Ali Sliti
10 days suspended, year probation, stay away from Supreme Court, $50
court fee

--

by NCR Tue Jun 03, 2008 19:00

Eleven activists sent to jail for demonstrating at U.S. Supreme Court

By Dennis Sadowski
Catholic News Service

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0802944.htm