Newark, NJ – Rasheed Fuquan Moore, 26, was killed Jan. 24 by Newark police officer Thomas Ruane in a 12:30 a.m. shooting incident. In the same incident, Ruane’s partner, officer Nicholas Popolizio, shot Richard Guy, 26, in the leg.

Chicago, IL – Philip Cline, Acting Superintendent of the Chicago Police, was asked about Mayor Daley’s policing plan in the African-American Harrison District. “It makes our job easier,” he said, “like shooting fish in a barrel.”

Fight Back! interviewed Oscar Silva, the Colombian lawyer for U.S. political prisoner and Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera. The U.S. government is holding Palmera in a prison cell without access to his lawyer, reporters or his family and friends. Palmera, born to a wealthy family, has dedicated his whole life to the working class and peasant farmers of his country. Palmera’s only crime is to struggle for the Colombian people and their right to rule their own country. The trial is a sham and is an attempt to criminalize one of the leading groups fighting for Colombia’s liberation – the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Washington D.C. – Jailed Colombian revolutionary Ricardo Palmera was in the U.S. District Court of Washington D.C. Jan. 24 and 25. Palmera is an important leader for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the FARC, who represented the organization in the peace negotiations with the Colombian government. During the hearing, FBI agent Alex Barbeito testified that Palmera willingly and with the approval of his Colombian lawyer talked to the FBI on three occasions. This was challenged by the defense, who presented Palmera’s Colombian lawyer, Oscar Silva. Oscar Silva said he, “Never spoke to a jail administrator, or authorized a judicial procedure without his own presence, and that Silva himself spoke to Ricardo Palmera before his extradition, and he vowed, ‘he would not allow the FBI to interrogate him.’”

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera. We urge all readers to send holiday greetings to Palmera and forward this appeal to others who support justice.

Tells Colombian Revolutionaries: “Come to D.C.”

Washington, D.C. – A U.S. judge placed ads in Colombia’s newspapers the last week of August “ordering” the FARC – the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, to appear in his Washington D.C. courtroom. This adds to a list of bizarre procedures involving the extradition, imprisonment and trial of Ricardo Palmera, an important FARC leader. U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan ridiculously asserts that the FARC members should leave their homeland and come to the U.S. to appear on charges of, “taking hostages in violation of U.S. laws.”

Benton Harbor, MI – On June 17, the African American community of this southern Michigan city rebelled against police terror. Police chased down, without justification, a 28-year old Black motorcyclist, Terrance Shurn. According to witnesses, they rammed his motorcycle from behind, causing it to crash into an abandoned house. Shun was killed. The pursuing officers gave each other high-fives. The cops then kicked his body.

Commander Sonia, a leader of the FARC (the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) was extradited to the United States on March 9. In many press reports the women rebel commander is also referred to as Omaira Rojas.

In a statement issued Feb. 27, Colombia’s largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), said that extradition of an important guerilla leader to the United States was a roadblock to organizing an exchange of prisoners of war in Colombia. Ricardo Palmera, also known as Simon Trinidad, is being held in a prison near Washington, D.C.

Chicago, IL – “It's a crime that the U.S. government has jailed a man who has dedicated his entire life to fighting for the liberation of the Colombian people,” said Tom Burke of the newly formed National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera. Palmera, a leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), is being held in a prison near Washington D.C. The FARC is a rebel army that has fought for 40-plus years to rid Colombia of exploitation, oppression and foreign domination. The FARC now controls more than 40% of the countryside.

Demand Freedom for Ricardo Palmera!

Ricardo Palmera, a key leader Colombia’s largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, (FARC), was handed over to U.S. custody Dec. 31. He is now sitting in a U.S. jail awaiting trial in federal court. Everyone who values justice should raise their voices and demand his immediate release.

St. Paul, MN – A lawsuit for damages totaling $75,000 will be filed in Federal Court, July 2, by attorneys representing Mick Kelly. Kelly is an organizer for the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. Kelly was arrested outside the Xcel Center June 5 while passing out leaflets at an Obama rally. He was promoting the Sept. 1 anti-war march at the Republican National Convention. Police placed him under arrest, then he was searched, put in a squad car and taken blocks away to the old police headquarters where he was cited for soliciting and peddling.

Interview With Conference Participants who are members of the Twin Cities based Welfare Rights Committee and Low Income People Organizing for Power (Duluth).

On June 19-21, the founding convention of the Black Radical Congress (B.R.C.) was held in Chicago. Nearly 2000 people came together to exchange experience, and to discuss strategy on how to build the Black Liberation Movement.

Minneapolis MN – Attorneys from the National Lawyers Guild and the American Civil Liberties Union returned to federal court on the evening of June 9, on behalf of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. The Coalition is seeking a preliminary injunction requiring the city of Saint Paul to issue adequate permits for the Sept. 1 anti-war march.

Cincinnati, OH – Police attempt to suppress African American uprising following the police murder of Timothy Thomas, April 7. Thomas was the fourth Black man killed by Cincinnati police since November. Cincinnati police have killed 15 African Americans since 1995.

Chicago, IL – There's no question that police targeted the Humboldt Park neighborhood this past summer. There's also no question that the Humboldt Park neighborhood fought back.

New York, NY – On February 25, people were outraged at the verdict of “not guilty” in the case of the four undercover police officers who shot and killed an unarmed African man. Four cops fired 41 bullets, hitting Amadou Diallo 19 times. They were acquitted.

From the Federal Penitentiary in Victorville, where he is currently serving two life sentences, Gerardo Hernandez is sending a joyous message of gratitude to the supporters of the campaign to free the Five: “It is the solidarity of the people which has made this victory possible.” Commenting on the Aug. 9 decision by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to revoke the sentences and to order a new trial, Hernandez, one of the Cuban Five, expresses his belief that the victory is certain.

On Mar. 9, the five Cubans – Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino, René González, and Fernando González – unjustly imprisoned in various federal prisons across the United States on charges of terrorism and espionage, challenged the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva to break the wall of silence that surrounds their case.