Actions to demand justice for Newburgh Four

In October 2010 four impoverished African-American men from the town of Newburgh, N.Y., were convicted of terrorism charges. They are James Cromite, David Williams IV, Onta Williams and Laguerre Paven. One is a diagnosed schizophrenic. They are known as the Newburgh Four.

The men are scheduled to be sentenced to federal prison on March 24. They face possible life sentences. Their case is another blatant example of FBI entrapment and preempted prosecution.

The Newburgh Four were lured and convinced to consider engaging in terrorist activity and criminal acts by a government agent who offered them cash and cars. The agent provocateur, who has a criminal background, is reported to have been paid almost $100,000 by the FBI to initiate, direct, supply, fund and facilitate every detail of the plot. The same FBI informant has acted in other entrapment cases in upstate New York.

Despite the fact that the court has acknowledged defendants’ lack of connections to any terrorist group — after their arrests the FBI search of their homes found no literature, videos or other materials reflecting terrorist ideologies, training or proclivities — the court has not entertained defense lawyers’ motions to dismiss the convictions based on government misconduct and mishandling of evidence.

Civil rights activists and other protesters will come together for a series of actions in the upcoming weeks to draw attention to the Newburgh Four case. February 26 has been declared “A Day of Action for the Newburgh Four.” Simultaneous events in support of the defendants will take place in New York City from 1-3 p.m. in Brooklyn at Borough Hall, in Manhattan at Union Square Park and in Harlem at the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building.

“Say No! to targeting of communities of color in the ‘war on terror.’ Stand up against FBI entrapment!”

For more information on the case, go to Campaign to End the Death Penalty (www.nodeathpenalty.org).