Taken from Occupied London

Comrades,

the trial of Bonnano and Stratigopoulos in the city of Larisa resulted in Alfredo Bonanno getting convicted to 4 years of imprisonment for participation to the robbery, while Stratigopoulos was convicted for the armed robbery to 8 years and to 3 months for each of the misdemeanors without bail and without the court recognising any extenuatory circumstances.

From the first instance it became clear that the judge and attorney wanted a fast trial without any ideological characteristics and with only guide being the criminal record of the accused. In short, they wanted to prove that Alfredo Bonanno was the leader, the moral perpetrator of the robbery and that Christos was the pupil, the one who executed the plan.

Yet thanks to the solid evidence, the witnesses who testified in support of the two and the great contribution of the lawyers (Papadakis, Kourtovik, Sineli), these claims collapsed.

It “hurt” them that Alfredo was free, that he has essentially served his sentence – and they looked for any legal or other trick in order to torture him further. And so, from the prison of Larisa he was transported to the city’s police headquarters under the pretext of the approval of his exit from the country by the headquarters in Athens,.

There they informed us that apart from the Interpol alert, they would also hold him until their political senior officers would “judge” whether he would be deported in accordance to article 106 of the presidential decree of 2007. Late in the night, after calling a Larisa-based lawyer, we were informed that Alfredo had been arrested anew in accordance to the above article, as he was considered a threat to public security and unwelcome to Greece!

Once again he had to prove the obvious! A 74-year old man with very poor health was considered dangerous. The same went for us, who were waiting outside, the very few comrades sitting at a bench: they sent Riot Police, DIAS and Zita motorcycle cops, undercovers and the anti-terrorist unit to guard us, since we posed a threat to public security!

Faced with this obvious political revanchist action, played within a strategically covered psychological warfare against Alfredo, we had to decide whether to appeal at the Larisa court, which would mean Alfredo would remain detained until the decision was made or until the Greek state would decide to officially deport him. The instant solution given by his layers was for him to be released on Tuesday afternoon and to leave on his own from Larisa to Italy through Athens in the coming days.

After everything comrades lived through from the day of their arrest up until yesterday, as well as for the rest of Christos’ days in prison, they wish and we wish to extend a huge “thank you” to all friends and comrades from Konitsa who came to our support, the friends from Giannena and across Greece as well as abroad who stood by our side, giving us courage and psychological, moral and financial support.

To the comrades we extend our hand, we unite our camaraderie in a dynamic of anarchist solidarity…

- The families of Christos and Alfredo

(ANSA) Athens, November 22—Italian anarchist, Alfredo Bonanno, 73-years-old, arrested on October 2009 and accused of aiding and abetting in an armed robbery was released at the end of a trial in Larissa. Bonanno was sentenced to 4 years, reduced to 2 years, and the court decided to release him because he is older than 70-years-old. Christos Stratigopoulos the Greek anarchist arrested with him and accused of having physically carried out the robbery against a bank in Trikala was sentenced to 8 years 9 months.

Taken from anarchistnews.org

No One Is Illegal-Toronto
90C Beverley Street
Toronto ON M5T 1Y1

here's the release from ryan's support committee:

Tuesday October 26, Mississauga New Credit – Today on Tuesday October 26, Ryan Rainville appeared in an Ontario Superior Court to argue for his release on bail. The Judge adjourned the application for Ryan to be released to a First Nations Bail Program citing ‘inadequate supervision’. In considering Ryan’s bail application, the judge also did not take into account Gladue factors, which forces the judicial system to consider the systemic marginalization and over-incarceration of Indigenous people as result of colonialism and poverty.

Ryan is a young Indigenous man from the Sakimay Nation and is charged with several unfounded charges stemming from June demonstrations against the G20 in Toronto. Ryan has been imprisoned since August 5 when he was arrested at his home in Waterloo, and has since been denied bail once before in September.

While targeting strong voices of dissent is part of the state’s desired culture of fear, the repression and attempted silencing of Indigenous resistance is part of the ongoing legacy of criminalization and colonization for 500 years across Turtle Island.

According to Indigenous supporters of Ryan “Ryan has been strong in his denouncements of injustice and has spoken out without fear. He is honest, humble and respectful toward his family and people around him. He has also honoured his role as a man in the community by standing beside Indigenous women when we needed support.

As native people, our bodies and our minds are constantly under attack from the state. Their power rests on our degradation, and their violent exploitation of the land and water feeds and profits the colonization of every poor and oppressed person. There is nothing new or unusual about Indigenous people - whether Haudenoshonee or Mapuche, Anishinaabe or Palestinian - being targeted, violated and locked up under racist, classist and sexist guises of "law and order" or "justice".

We denounce the ongoing state repression of all people resisting the austerity measures which are designed to force our relations, friends and allies into enslavement to a faltering system, to assimilate those of us coerced into submission, and exterminate those of us who refuse to bend to colonial terms. Freedom for all prisoners and detainees, including the Tamil women and children still held behind the walls of a detention centre, and who are now subjected to the same four walls which face Ryan.”

Ryan appears in court again on Thursday November 4th at 9:30 am at 361 University Avenue. Ryan’s supporters are requesting people to attend court on Thursday morning to show their support for Ryan and for all who are being targeted by the state.

For more information please contact:
thesheelephant@yahoo.com
or
mcorbiere@hotmail.com
or
hwalia8@gmail.com

from the folks at community solidarity network:

On Tuesday October 26, Ryan Rainville will be appearing in Ontario Superior Court at 361 University at 10am to fight his detention without bail. Ryan has been imprisoned since August 5 when he was arrested at his home in Waterloo. His bail was denied in September.

Ryan has been targeted as an Indigenous Sovereigntist from the Sakimay Nation, and charged with allegations stemming from June demonstrations against the g20 in Toronto. The repression and attempted silencing of Indigenous resistance and allies has been an ongoing theme in the criminalisation of dissent in the wake of the g20, just as the targeting of Indigenous lands and nations is part of the g20 agenda and an inherent part of exploitative capitalist economy.

Ryan’s supporters are requesting people to attend court on Tuesday morning to show their support for Ryan and for all who are being targeted by the state.

Sisters, brothers, friends and supporters:

I would like to share with you the good feelings I am experiencing right now. On the 16th of October, I met with my team of lawyers, my dream team. I can't reveal the details of this meeting, but I'll tell you this -- It was a great meeting and many positive ideas were discussed. Decisions were made about how best to prepare and file new court actions.

I'm very excited about our plans. We have at the very least 6 more constitutional violations to address. As some of you might know, in these 35 years, I have learned a lot about the law. The legal issues we have to raise now are very serious and the arguments are strong.

We'll file cases very soon, but we have a lot of work ahead of us. This time around, we all must be prepared with not only the legal work, but the political work. We need to be unified in everything we do.

I'm ready to go to battle and hope you'll join with us ­ me, the legal team and my defense committee. We can and will win this time.

you can always write leonard a letter:

Leonard Peltier #89637-132
US Penitentiary ­ Lewisburg
PO Box 1000
Lewisburg, PA 
17837

from KIRO news washington:

A woman convicted of helping with a 2001 Seattle "ecoterror" attack has returned home.

34-year-old Briana Waters was found guilty of helping in the attack that destroyed a University of Washington research center, but an appeals court overturned the conviction.

Waters was released from prison on Saturday.

She received a six-year sentence after being convicted of serving as the lookout in the attack, but the appeals court concluded the judge made mistakes that cast doubt on the fairness of her trial.

Waters had been connected to a cell of radical environmentalists based in Olympia and in Oregon. They carried out attacks throughout the west from 1996 to 2001, causing more than $80 million in damage.

The North American Animal Liberation group says the woman has been reunited with her daughter.

due to circumstances partly beyond our control, abc calgary has had to move its post office box. our new mailing address is:

po box 46039
1233 9 ave se
calgary, ab
t2g 5h7

As many have heard, John Graham is currently jailed in Rapid City, South Dakota. They are trying to put him away for life with the charge of killing his friend and comrade from in American Indian Movement, Anna Mae Aquash. While the only real evidence in this murder (along with at least 66 other murders of indigenous people in S. Dakota during 1973-76) points to the U.S. Government and the paramilitary forces they funded and equipped.

John and his co-defendant, Thelma Rios, are scheduled to face trial on November the 29th, 2010 and his legal bill is estimated around $50,000! Donations and fund raising events are urgently needed and greatly appreciated.

The U.S. government is trying to cover up their brutal repression of the American Indian Movement in the 70's with the frame up of John Graham and other native warriors. He has spent over two years behind bars in S. Dakota after he was under house arrest for around four years during extradition hearings in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. This is a direct result of his refusal to cooperate with the F.B.I.

It is in this hour of need that we make this urgent appeal to dig deep and show your support for a man who has contributed so much over the years in the struggle for a better world. Who has stayed true, refusing to sell out in the face of heavy state intimidation.

The recent acquittal of John's former co-defendant, Richard Marshall (see links below) demonstrates the weakness of the F.B.I.'s case and shows that now more than ever is the time to step up this fight.

Further educate yourself and others about this case and do what you can to help return John Graham to his family, friends an loved ones.

• John Graham/Richard Marshal Update
• 'Free John Graham' Zine
• Lee Maracle's Support letter for John
• John Graham Defense Committee

John Graham 
Pennington County Jail
307 St. Joseph Street
Rapid City, SD 
57701 
USA 

From peaceculture.org:

In collaboration with Waterloo regional police, Toronto cops arrested Indigenous Rights advocate, Ryan Rainville for allegedly causing mischief over $5000 and for assaulting a police officer during the convergence against the G20 summit of so-called world leaders.

The police told Ryan's roommate that he was being taken to Division 52 in Toronto and would be in room 206-F at the court at 2201 Finch St after 2pm. Rainville, usually a Toronto resident, was living with friends in Waterloo after being released from 6 days jailing on other political, G20 related charges.

When Rainville asked the plainclothes cops "with what did I assault someone with?" adding the comment "I've never hit a police officer." The reply made things clear: you did not assault with "a conventional weapon."

A close friend of Rainville described him as a "deeply thoughtful intellectual and committed advocate for the rights of First Nations People." One roommate noted that the last thing Ryan did before being taken away was call his mother, then his wife, describing him as "a very caring individual."

Ryan is being charge with assaulting a police officer with a weapon, mischief over 5,000, Intimidation of Justice System Participant by Violence and Failing to comply with undertaking. They later added two more counts of Mischief, and disguise with violent intent. Ryan is pleading not guilty to all charges, and because every surety that he presented to the courts were unsatisfactory, Ryan was denied bail and will remain incarcerated until his trial which may be up to a year. If you wish to write the address is:

Ryan Rainville
Range 10 D
Maplehurst Complex
PO Box 10
661 Martin St.
Milton, ON
L9T 2Y3

Dear friends,

It is with heavy hearts that we write to tell you that Tuesday, September 21st, the 9th circuit court denied Eric's appeal of his conviction and sentencing. Given all that has happened these past 4+ years, this news isn't shocking so much as it is maddening and upsetting. The state has, from the beginning, used dirty tricks and lies to hold Eric captive. As many have said, they wished to make an example of him...

And in that, at least, they have been successful. But not in the way that they might have wished. Because for us, Eric has been a constant example of strength, courage and integrity. Of staying the course, even when the deck is totally stacked against him. And of not losing one's Self in the midst of potentially crushing adversity.

This is a very difficult time for Eric and his loved ones. Please send Eric a note of support to let him know he is not forgotten. For more info on how to write Eric, you can visit his website at: www.supporteric.org

Yours,
SPS

lily offered no apologies to and said she was glad her actions have sparked discussions on homelessness and poverty in calgary.

lily will be serving her time on weekends despite her request to do her time continuously.

Inmates at the notorious Baghdad prison rioted for two days for better conditions and in complaint of severe mistreatment. The prison now under Iraqi control and renamed Baghdad Central prison, still suffers from severe mistreatment of inmates. Riot set mattress on fire and even seized control of an assault rifle from a guard in an effort to further their cause. Some of the demands were better more humane treatment in the prison, and a protest against the abusive behavior of the guards.

Two members of the Modesto Needle exchange program have been arrested following a sting operation and surveillance conducted by the Sheriff's department. The program was intended to provide safe disposal points for needles in order to curb the dangerous rise of HIV infection in the area.

Here are some links for donations or information on their defense.

Mono Park 2 Defense Committee and Defense Fund
Wingnutrefugee [at] http://yahoo.com or
Offthestreetsproject [at] http://yahoo.com

Bound Together Bookstore
1369 Haight Street (near Masonic)
San Francisco, CA 94117
415 431-8355

5 Anarchists In Belgrade charged with International terrorism, are being held in detention until their trial. This charge is in connection with a recent molotov attack on the Greek Embassy. Two Molotovs were thrown causing only superficial and minor damage. Anarchists from Belgrade are asking for solidarity and support.

Here is a link to send a letter of protest to the Serbian authorities. Also, ABC Encourages each and all to show their support/solidarity by whatever means they deem appropriate.

http://www.asi.zsp.net.pl/