NORTH CAROLINA
STOP TORTURE NOW

PO Box 50345
Raleigh, NC 27650
e-mail via:
contact AT ncstoptorturenow.net

(919) 834-4478
(evenings, or messages during business hours)

TAKE ACTION

Our Continuing Aim: Reaching Out,
Growing the Movement Against Torture

As with nearly every grassroots endeavor, we strive to diversify and broaden our movement.

Our most reliable allies among elected officials: State Reps. Paul Luebke, Earl Jones, Pricey Harrison and Linda Coleman; state Senator Ellie Kinnaird; and Congressmen David Price and Mel Watt urge us to build and broaden support among their and their colleagues' constiuencies.

During the next few months, we're planning to re-double our efforts in this area. The first of three planning meetings to discuss this initiative was held September 21, and two more are being scheduled during October and November.

If you want to be involved in this effort, please alert us.

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JOIN US at our next Meeting
2-4 p.m., Sunday, October 19
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh
3313 Wade Avenue

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Write Your Congressional Representative

TThanks to persistent encouragement from his constituents, Congressman David Price (D–N.C., 4th District) joined his colleague Congressman Mel Watt (D-N.C., 12th District) in demanding an investigation of Aero Contractors, Ltd. support for the ongoing torture program.

Indeed, Price upped the ante and called for a Congressional inquiry. Price has long been a leader in checking this administration's abuse of power, and today insisted that North Carolina's support of CIA snatch and torture squads be investigated.

The letter Price wrote the Intelligece oversight chairs, followed up on a June 6 letter that 56 members of the United States House of Representatives sent U.S. Attorney General Mukasey urging appointement of a special prosecutor to investigate this administration's authorization of torture.

The Washington Post reported that "the lawmakers cited what they said is 'mounting evidence' that senior officials personally sanctioned the use of waterboarding and other aggressive tactics against detainees in U.S.-run prisons overseas. An independent investigation is needed to determine whether such actions violated U.S or international law, the letter stated."

The Post goes on to highlight text of the letter reading:

"Despite the seriousness of the evidence, the Justice Department has brought prosecution against only one civilian for an interrogation-related crime ..."

"Given that record, we believe it is necessary to appoint a special counsel in order to ensure that a thorough and impartial investigation occurs.

On May 1, the FBI's Assistant Director for Congressional Affairs, Robert Powers, wrote Congressman Watt in response to his April 23 demand that FBI Director Robert Mueller update the House Judiciary Committee on the investigation into Aero Contractors' support of the extaordinary rendition program hearing, April 23.

According to the FBI, that agency has been waiting on guidance from the Department of Justice since October 2006, when North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Director Robin Pendergraft referred the matter to them.

Watt also noted during questioning of Mueller that North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper had repeated Director Pendergraft's referral in 2007 as follow-up to an inquiry from 22 state legislators, and that three Aero employees had been indicted in Germany.

What is the Department of Justice doing? Why aren't other members of the North Carolina Congressional delegation demanding to know when crimes being committed in this state will be investigated?

Please take a moment to write your Congressional representative and ask him or her to echo and amplify the demand that Congress initiate the investigation the DOJ refuses to launch.

In your letter, emphasize that even though the authors and perpetrators of the administration's torture policy may be immune from prosecution, Congress must put the truth before the American people and lead us forward towards offering victims apologies and reparation.

Contact information for the NC Congressional delegation
(courtesy of NC Peace Action)

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DONATE

Donations in support of NCSTN's work may be made payable to:

North Carolina Stop Torture Now
and mailed to:
PO Box 50345,
Raleigh, NC 27650

Questions about how to direct donations that may qualify as charitable, tax-deductible contributions should be directed to:
contact@ncstoptorturenow.org

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WANT TO DO EVEN MORE?

(1) Ask your elected representatives and candidates for public office:

"What action have you taken to sever North Carolina's link to kidnapping, extrajudicial detention and torture?"

"What will you do to ensure North Carolina is a torture free zone?"

Here are the questionnaires we sent every candidate for Governor, U.S. Senate or NC Attorney General. None of the candidates nominated during the May 6 primary has yet responded to our inquiries.

(2) Are you a plane spotter? Do you live within a few miles of the Johnston County Airport and own a radio scanner? If so, numerous allies have asked our help learning what planes Aero is now flying. Or, if you have an old, but functional VHF radio scanner, NCSTN could put it to good use. For details see our Planespotting pages

If you live in proximity to Johnston County Airport, Kinston JetPort, or Fayetteville Regional/Grannis Field, let us know so we can alert you when suspicious aircraft are incoming or outbound:

Introductory and background on North Carolina's Torture Taxis including pointers for volunteer plane spotters, is available: http://www.stlimc.org/newswire/display/947/index.php

(3) Can you devote some time to monitoring Arabic and Asian media outlets? Do you have language skills to help summarize and re-tell the human side of rendition as reported by victims and their families? If so, please let us know

(4) Join our listserve to learn of other upcoming opportunities. Visit the contact page to learn how.

(5) MORE? Check Act Against Torture's quick list of ten things you can do, with links to additional resources.

 

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updated 06 October 2008, JMcI