Activists arrested under Anti-Terror laws
by anon 3:21pm Sat Nov 16 '02

Yesterday 15/11/02, at dawn, police arrested 42 activists in southern Italy on the charge of "subversive association" and "political conspiracy to disturb government activity through subversive propaganda against the economic order". This is possible under article 270 bis part of Italy’s new anti terrorist law which has come into force since September 11. Of the 42 arrested 11 men and two women have been placed in solitary confinement in maximum security prisons without being allowed to consult their lawyers. They have also been accused of connections to last years G8 protest in Genova and the Napoli Global Forum. Among the arrested is Francesco Caruso, spokesman for the NO GLOBAL movement of Naples.

This is a direct assault on the freedom of political dissent. Imprisonment is the State’s only answer to the cry of resistance against unemployment, exclusion, poverty and social ostracism. It is an attack against the attempt to build a political network based on the real needs of people in the southern part of Italy. The movement becomes consciousness and begins to work on the problems of unemployment, immigration, the right to housing, water and healthcare it becomes the focus of accusations by the state.

I know personally 4 of the prisoners. To my knowledge none of these people has ever been involved in acts of violence or criminal attacks. They have been accused of "thought crimes". They are imprisoned for their deep political and social convictions. Their crime has been to denounce social injustice and the power of the Mafia in southern Italy.

The raid has been supported by the "ethical obligation" of the mainstream media who have published the names and personal details of the accused. This kind of operation points the finger at all people who dissent. They are tightening the noose around the neck of the unemployed, of the students, of the workers and of the immigrants.

It is no coincidence that this has taken place after the peacful Global Forum in Florence. If these arrests had occured before the Florence demonstrations it is likely that Italy would have seen a demonstration more violent than the G8 summit in Genova last year. In solidarity with the prisoners the father of the young demonstrator shot by police at the G8 and other prominent figures have denounced themselves to police as "co-conspiritors". These arrests are a clear example of the vagueness of the new anti-terrorist laws which makes them applicable to anyone who disagrees with the current social and political status quo. Similar anti-terrorist laws have been passed around the world in the wake of September 11. It is only a matter of time before similar arrests are made in other "democratic" countries. IF YOU ARE READING THIS YOU ARE PART OF A SUBVERSIVE "TERRORIST" NETWORK!!

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yuck bush