Break-in at the Mumia Abu-Jamal office
By Betsey Piette
Philadelphia
The group International Concerned Family and
Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal has reported that there was an
apparent political burglary at their offices here on Nov. 19.
The break-in resulted in the theft of computers, files,
databases, and vandalism of a copier and other non-portable
equipment.
No items of monetary value other than the computers appear
to have been taken. ICFFMAJ feels it's clear that the intention
was to obtain documents and databases used in the international
movement to free African American death-row political prisoner
Mumia Abu-Jamal.
In 2000, when ICFFMAJ was in the midst of filing for
non-profit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status, a similar break-in at
the same office resulted in the theft of lists of financial
donors. At the same time records needed for the tax-exempt
process were stolen from a truck belonging to a ICFFMAJ
supporter.
Coming on top of the revelation that the FBI has instructed
local law-enforcement agencies to gather data on the organizers
of last month's anti-war protest, the attack is a strong
reminder that COINTELPRO-type programs are very much alive and
well.
ICFFMAJ demonstrated at the Federal Building on Nov. 1 and
met afterward to formulate plans for a Dec. 13 rally and
conference in Philadelphia to build momentum to free Abu-Jamal.
Pam Africa, coordinator of ICFFMAJ, told Workers World that the
latest attack will not deter their efforts to build the
December event, designed to prepare supporters for the next
phase of Abu-Jamal's appeals.
Reprinted from the Dec. 4, 2003, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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Email: ww@workers.org
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