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Article by: North American Earth Liberation Prisoner Supp Saturday 31 Mar 2001

Email: naelpsn@yahoo.com

Summary:Information on activist Connor Cash and charges filed against him by the FBI

Article:

Connor Cash Advocate For Homeless and Hungry
Connor Cash is 19 year old human rights and environmental activist and a role model for his Long Island peers. Residing in Sound Beach Long Island, NY, Connor co-founded Long Island Food Not Bombs! a hunger relief program in Port Jefferson Station, in the Spring of 1999. Food Not Bombs! is a feeding program set up so that people who are homeless, hungry or needy can get a hot meal when area soup kitchens are closed (every weekend). Food Not Bombs! name is derived from an ideology that the portion of national spending which is appropriated towards military instruments of violence and mass destruction could otherwise be used to eliminate the crisis of world hunger. Connor and Food Not Bombs! helped to provide some of Port Jefferson Station's more economically deprived and needy residents with hot food, produce, clothing, and most of all dignity. Today, only 3 years later, chapters ofFood Not Bombs! exist in not only Port Jefferson, but also Mastic, Patchogue, Hempstead, and Bayshore Long Island, providing much needed food in those economically depressed towns.

Environmental and Social Justice Activist In addition to Connor's work with Food Not Bombs! he is also a member and outspoken organizer of the Modern Times Collective (MTC), an autonomous youth activist network, which works on a wide array of issues ranging from raising awareness on sweatshop issues to counsel sessions for at risk or suicidal teens. Through The MTC Connor became one of Long Island's premiere advocates on behalf of sweatshop laborers, against immoral economic globalization, and on behalf of the environment and wildlife. In addition to his organizational work in MTC and Food Not Bombs Connor also volunteered on various other environmental justice, social justice and animal rights campaigns. As other's respect and admiration of Connor as an activist grew, there was an unfortunate drawback, Connor became a target of a national probe into activist collectives by federal authorities.

Repression and Intimidation of Long Island Activist Collectives

By the Summer of 1999 Federal and State authorities began to investigate the Long Island Chapter of the Animal Defense League(ADL), the Island's premiere animal rights and wildlife preservation organization. Local and Federal authorities began to probe the ADL searching for leads pertaining to the militant direct action group the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), a group who partakes in liberations of animals from places of abuse and non-violent acts of economic sabotage against industries cruel to animals. ADL members often fell victim to arrests, beatings, trumped up charges, and even imprisonment for their unwillingness to cooperate with an activist witch hunt. The level of political repression and intimidation the animal rights activist would continue to rise throughout 1999 and into 2000, when after the summer of 2000 when the witch hunt was broadened to include environmental activists, anti-globalization activists, and even advocates for the homeless and hungry. By December or 2000 Connor became such target, as a result of his involvement in Food Not Bombs! and The Modern Times Collective.

The Shakedown

When media outlets began to report that actions being taken by radical factions of the environmental and animal liberation movements were intensifying, authorities responded by intensifying their investigations.

During December 2000 and January 2001, youth activists from the ADL, MTC, and Food Not Bombs! fell victim to a massive campaign of intimidation and repression. In January 2001 Connor and other youth activists were approached at their homes by federal agents asking them to divulge any information they could provide to help shed light on their stagnating investigations. Federal agents made both verbal and physical threats to activists trying to coerce them into providing information pertaining to their case. One financially burdened activist was offered a bribe of many thousands of dollars in hopes that the activist would infiltrate the ADL, another was told he would be charged with crimes if he did not cooperate,and Connor too was approached and threatened by agents stating, "it's going to be your ass if you do not cooperate. At that moment Connor contacted Attorney Fred Brewington, acclaimed for his civil rights cases and hired him. Connor and the other activists refused to give statements knowing thatthey could not be charged with crimes because of their innocence and constitutional right to remain silent. From the day Connor refused to cooperate and implicate other activists until February 15th, he and friends were followed by photographers and videographers.

Connor Arrested and indicted! On February 15th Connor was arrested by FBI agents and indicted on the charge of arson conspiracy. Three other teens were arrested in the days prior to Connor's arrest, the three teens each plead guilty to one count of arson conspiracy in an agreement that they would cooperate with federal investigators. The agreement made by the three teens cleared them of being prosecuted of many other severe felony crimes. It is not known as of yet as to the nature of Connor's indictment, but it is assumed that one of the three teens purged testimony implicating Connor during a closed grand jury proceeding as part of his plea bargain agreement. The three teens all face up to 40 years imprisonment, but if they implicate others they could end up serving less than 5 years. Unlike the other three teens Connor has entered a plea of innocent, and had bail set at the amount of $250,000. Connor's family put a lean on their home as a form of collateral to attain Connor's release from custody. Connor is currently free pending future trial dates and is in desperate need of your help in order to prove that he is truly innocent!

WHAT YOU CAN DO! Donate to Connor's Legal Defense; Connor is in desperate need of our help! He has already paid thousands to his lawyer and will probably need to pay thousands more! His family has already put up their home! Please donate as much money as possible to his legal defense fund. In addition in the unfortunate outcome of a prison sentence Connor will need funds for every day necessities and to be able to keep his strict vegetarian lifestyle. The Animal Defense League (ADL) will setting up a support group for Connor, if you would like to donate to his legal defense please make checks payable to the following...
The Animal Defense League
(Staple attached note stating, \"Connor Cash Legal Defense\")
PO Box. 1117,
Huntington, NY, 11743

(For large tax-deductible donations)
Animal Rights America
(Staple attached note stating, \"Connor Cash Legal Defense\")
PO Box 469
Caldwell, NJ, 07006
Write Connor Emails of Support
You can email Connor letters of moral support at freeconnorcash@yahoo.com, and in the unfortunate scenario that he is imprisoned we will send all email letters with stamp and envelope to his location. Help to Shed Light on Connor's Case
The Animal Defense League in conjunction with Connor's attorney and other activist collectives will be holding press conferences, protests and fundraisers, to keep up to date keep calling the ADL hotline at (631)340-4708 and visit ADL-online.com. To learn more about Grand Juries and the FBI Witch-hunt and long island activism please check out the following websites*

FBIwitchhunt.com
nocompromise.org
longislandrevolt.org
wrongisland.com
ADL-online.com
Please distribute these flyers!, make photocopies, pass along the one you read, or email: longislandADL@excite.com and we will send you a box to distribute!