Ann Wright: FBI Provides Arrest Records of Peace Activists to Immigration... - for Detention

[babylonsister]

Colonel/Diplomat Ann Wright: FBI Provides Arrest Records of Peace Activists to Immigration of Other Countries - for Detention
Submitted by Chip on Thu, 2007-08-23 20:34. Activism

FBI Provides Arrest Records of Peace Activists to Immigration of Other Countries — Be Ready to Be Detained
By US Army Reserves Colonel and former US Diplomat Ann Wright


On August 19 I flew to Ottawa, Canada to speak at alternative events during the third “Security and Prosperity Partnership” conference between George Bush, Stephen Harper and Felipe Calderon, heads of state of the US, Canada and Mexico. Instead of meeting with 17 US war resisters who now live in Canada and later participating in the press conference and panel on the adverse consequences of the “Partnership” between governments and corporations on security (no-fly lists, fingerprinting, sharing of security data, environmental, bulk water sales, energy, workers rights and regulatory issues among many other), I spent almost four hours detained by Canadian immigration in the Ottawa international airport-- thanks to the long reach of the FBI.

It all began when an immigration official who was checking my passport noticed a photo identification band on my right wrist and asked if I had recently been released from the hospital. I said no, it was a peaceful, non-violent protest in the United States. I said I had paid a fine along with 46 others arrested for occupying Congressman John Conyers’ office and I now used the wrist bracelet as a symbol of the responsibility of citizens to hold accountable its Congress.

The immigration officer shook his head and then escorted me to a secondary screening area where another officer typed my name into a computer that accessed the US National Criminal Information Center’s (NCIC) computerized data that contains the criminal records of US citizens. Despite international travel to England, Italy, Jordan, Syria, Cuba and twice to Canada in the past two years since my first arrest in September, 2005, this was the first time I have joined the ranks of thousands of persons each day who are subjected to secondary screening around the world.

After looking intently at the computer screen, the officer raised one eyebrow, turned to me and asked: “Have you been arrested more than once?” I replied, “Yes, but all for peaceful, non-violent protests against an illegal war, all misdemeanors.” The officer said “There are six arrests on your record.” She then said that Canada had no category called misdemeanors—anything on NCIC was considered by the Canadian Immigration as criminal actions, deportable offenses.

Quickly I was taken into a third room where another officer took over an hour going through my suitcases and backpack. As I was traveling from the national Veterans for Peace conference in St. Louis, through Ottawa to speak during the visit of George Bush and on to Bush’s vacation site in Kennebunkport, Maine, I had with me many t-shirts lettered with a variety of peace and stop the war slogans including “Troops Home Now,” “Impeach Bush and Cheney,” “Arrest Bush,” “Arrest Cheney First,” “No War on Iran” and “We Will Not be Silent” in many languages. The officer took each shirt out of the suitcase, shook it open and read the slogan. She was also very interested in the books I had in my backpack, books on the US war on Iraq, torture at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo and impeachment, among many others.

more...

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/26050

[SharonRB]

1. Thanks for posting this, Sister

I'm going to hear her speak at a big Iraq Summer town hall next Tuesday. It should be interesting, as both she and Conyers will be speaking. He's the keynote.

[babylonsister]

2. Sounds like fun, Sharon.

Could you ask Conyers about that impeachment thingie for me? ;)

I'm going out of town myself; I'm glad I don't have an arrest record. :scared:

[SharonRB]

6. I'm hoping to get a chance to talk to him

He knows me by name by now. I might ask him about inherent contempt. I already know his answer about impeachment, and I might have better luck with that one.

[unhappycamper]

3. Here's your first rec.

Important article. :thumbsup:

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Wow, I wonder if there's anyway to see if George W. Bush, with his DUI record is listed. Wonder if

Laura's man slaughter charge would keep her from traveling.

[PDJane]

5. I am outraged.

It's time to start writing letters to my own representatives in parlaiment and to see what our government is up to.

I personally think they're trying to create a big enough stir to have an excuse to crack down on dissent.

This is simply outrageous, and I resent the tactic.

[GliderGuider]

7. I was at the demo on Sunday that Ann missed

I was SO looking forward to hearing her speak. (I was impressed with the number of war resisters who stood on the steps of Parliament Hill. That took guts.)

I'll be writing to Stockwell "Doris" Day, Minister of Public Safety about this.
At the same time the gov't is barring a 29-year career diplomat and officer from entering the country they're putting goons into the crowd to provoke violence at the demonstrations she'd have attended.

This gov't must fall.

Edit: stupid typo

[fed-up]

8. Ann spoke in Chico earlier this year, great speaker, so much for our freedoms....nt