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The
International Office of the
Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
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For
more information contact: email: info@freepeltiernow.org |
Write
to Leonard at:
Leonard can only receive letters, cards, postcards, photos, (not polaroid), and postal money orders
Money orders should be sent to:
Federal Bureau of Prisons |
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January 18, 2017 LEONARD PELTIER DENIED CLEMENCY BY OBAMA The Office of the Pardon Attorney has announced President Obama has denied clemency to imprisoned Native American activist Leonard Peltier. Peltier is a former member of the American Indian Movement who was convicted of killing two FBI agents during a shootout on South Dakotas Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in 1975. He has long maintained his innocence. Amnesty International condemned the decision. We are deeply saddened by the news that President Obama will not let Leonard go home, said Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International USA. Despite serious concerns about the fairness of legal proceedings that led to his trial and conviction, Peltier was imprisoned for more than 40 years. He has always maintained his innocence. The families of the FBI agents who were killed during the 1975 confrontation between the FBI and American Indian Movement (AIM) members have a right to justice, but justice will not be served by Peltiers continued imprisonment. "I think its fair to say that if he doesnt get commuted by President Obama, hell die in jail. Hes a very sick man," Garbus said. "So, Obamas not granting him clemency is like a sentence of death. Trump aint going to do it. And hes very sick, and hes not going to live past that time. I dont want to be negative, but thats the reality. Hes very sick, and hes been in prison over 40 years, hard years, six years of solitary." Garbus was notified of Obamas decision earlier today. In an email, the Office of the Pardon Attorney wrote: "The application for commutation of sentence of your client, Mr. Leonard Peltier, was carefully considered in this Department and the White House, and the decision was reached that favorable action is not warranted. Your clients application was therefore denied by the President on January 18, 2017... Under the Constitution, there is no appeal from this decision."
Peltier’s attorney Martin Garbus appeared on Democracy Now! today. Web Exclusive posted by Democracy Now!
Sunday, April 6, 2014 Statement of Leonard Peltier on the Passing of Peter Matthiessen 4/6/2014 8:34 a.m. The other day Peter Matthiessen came into my thoughts, I thought I better call him and see how he is doing. Since I knew he was sick, I did not want to concern or disturb him with my problems, as he had enough to be worried about. Today I received word from Indigo that my friend had passed on. Man, I thought he was going to live forever. Peter was one-of-a-kind. Truly --ONE that will go down in history. He fought for the poor and the weary, the sick, and anyone who had problems that were brought to his attention. He took time from his own life to try to help them in whatever way he could. He ALWAYS gave freely when someone needed anything, fought for those who were being mistreated. I mean, this man's life was like a movie script. Not to mention the great books he wrote. Some of them are mind blowing. This man had the kind of talent that we may never see again. One story he told me was about his Grandfather when he was mayor (or was it governor) of N.Y.? He always had Indians hanging around the mansion so the conservatives and wealthy were always giving him problems about that; they did whatever they could to discredit his administration. These people made some very racist statements about him being an Indian Lover and so on. Native People need to know, we owe a great debt to this man, Peter Matthiessen. He was a very brave man, a true warrior. He battled HARD for us as a people. He fought tirelessly for my freedom. He was one of the very few who did not care if his career was destroyed, which the F.B.I. tried to do when he tried to help me. Yes, he told me they threatened his career and even his very life. I know this to be true, and he was not the only one they did this to. When he wrote his book about my case and conviction IN THE SPIRIT OF CRAZY HORSE," the F.B.I. first tried to ruin his career by filing false, multi-million-dollar libel suits against him and his publishing company, also effectively BANNING the book during the lawsuits. When that did not work, they threatened his life and the lives of his family. In true warrior form, Peter told them to get off of his property. Peter told me Sure I was concerned," but his beliefs in the Constitution and his belief in America were stronger than any fear they could put on him. Others who were threatened and became afraid, burned thousands and thousands of copies of our book; yes! in modern times they burned In the Spirit of Crazy Horse. Governor Bill Janklow threatened all of the book stores in South Dakota to BAN the book. This is all just part of the thousands of pages of documentation that surrounds my case. All I want to say is that it was a great honor for me to have lived in the same world Peter lived in as a human being on Earth. Thank you Peter, for your brotherhood and love. I believe we (all peoples) owe this man SO MUCH! There is so much to say about him as a human, a man, a writer and yes, he WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST forefathers in this century, of the Environmental Movement. WE should lobby for the highest award the United States can give to him. This should have been done before he passed away, at the very least from Native Nations. He deserved an apology from the F.B.I who are employees of the American People. We should lobby Hollywood to do a movie about his courageous life and his contributions to mankind, the wild animals such as the glorious Snow Leopard, birds, the fish, and the very earth we live in. Hollywood needs some REAL heroes, not the fake ones you see everyday in movies. Peter Matthiessen was a REAL HERO. Peter, if you are looking down on us; you can see ME as I'm writing this. MY eyes are not clear and I miss you already. I asked you in our last phone conversation to please not leave me here. Wait for me. I know in my heart you tried. I Love you and I will miss you terribly. I will see you soon, my brother, as my time is coming. To Peters family, please accept my deepest gratitude for every single moment Peter gave to me, that you as a family sacrificed for me, fought for me and worked so diligently all these years for myself and my people. My most sincere condolences. I wish I was there to cry and mourn with you. The ancestors have a special spot in the Tipi for Peter. I send all my love to you all. Hold closely those true friends that fight and sacrifice for what is right. TRULY; In the Spirit Of Crazy Horse Doksha
Leonard Peltier
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Statement from Leonard Peltier January 31, 2009
A Hero's Welcome, By: Leonard Peltier
I want to thank each and everyone of you for your efforts in my urgent time of need, you cannot imagine how much my spirit has been lifted from the cards and letters, the phone calls and how everyone kept up the pressure. My gratitude is really more than I can express.
My return to Lewisburg was met like a hero?s welcome, and many people came to assure me of my safety there. It is so ironic that the prisoners in a federal maximum-security prison can guarantee my safety, but the Bureau of Prisons will not. I did not say, ?cannot?, but ?will not? do so. You have to remember the BOP is a little brother to the FBI and they came from an illegitimate mother called the JUST-US (Justice) Department.
Do I sound a little angry? Well, I am angry that many of my friends have died in assuring my survival while I?ve been in prison. All the men who were involved in my escape at Lompoc, all died mysteriously soon after: Dallas Thundershield at Lompoc, Bobby Garcia at Terre Haute, and Rocky Duenas, whose body was never recovered. And Standing Deer, he gave away his life when he revealed the assassination plot against me. He lived under the shadow of death for years, waiting to be killed for defying the government, until he was eventually paroled to Texas. He was murdered soon after the same person who contracted him to have me assassinated warned him about his involvement with my campaign. Surviving this attack brought back memories of those losses, and it is with tears of more gratitude in my eyes and in my heart that no one died this time. I don?t ever want to lose another brother in protecting me; a human life is precious and important.
I know in other countries, prisoners who have been held by their government have been placed in house arrest after they have attained international support as I have. If the BOP cannot guarantee my safety to the extent the prisoners here can, then I demand to be returned to my nation, Turtle Mountain, where I can be assured of my safety!
Turtle Mountain has issued a resolution to transfer me into their custody, and they have asked to meet with Obama on a nation-to-nation basis. This has to happen and it will when a lot of energy is placed behind it. In the past 18 days your efforts brought me out of the hole and to where there is a measure of safety.
The FBI has said that I will never leave prison alive, and we should not accept that as an idle threat. There have been a few times that my life was targeted by the FBI in the 33 years since my capture, and each of those who have helped me to survive are now dead. The transfer and attack at Canaan is just a warning to me of what is to come. The warden?s know of the psychological make-up of their inmate population in their prison, and they clearly knew that placing someone who is well known, as I am, with connections to many famous people and at my age, I would be subject to predatory attacks. This was deliberate by the BOP, and as far as the motivation for the attack, it could have been ordered by any prison official at the request of the FBI, or someone trying to curry favor from the feds. It could have also been a tactic to beat me into submission for purposes of extortion or something as stupid as trying to make a reputation.
We know they are afraid and Trimbach?s smear letter support that. They see pressure, in the form of your letters and calls, growing and they know that my committee has been tirelessly developing plans to set up a wave of activity. The FBI is now afraid that they will fail to keep me falsely imprisoned. We are becoming stronger and we must keep building our network to succeed.
I am proud of the brother?s & sisters, the Elder?s and my family who make up the committee; they have all personally sacrificed more than many people may ever know. It is humbling when I hear about the difficulties they have had due to being associated with me, but they do not quit. They are putting in many hours of their lives that they could be spending with their own families, but I hear they are on the phones talking to people, writing letters, and networking through the computers. They have been criticized by a few people and have attempted to create divisions within the committee through spreading accusations about them. So let me say this, I know the people I have invited to serve on my committee, and I?ve known most of them for years. A couple of them are my Sun Dance brothers and I have entrusted my life in their abilities and their commitment to bring about my freedom. The decision I have made to place them in their positions of responsibility is mine, not the critics. I ask all my supporters to ignore those who would have you waste your time listening to or reading petty gossip based upon jealousy or personal dislike. These are activities that the FBI uses to destroy a movement, and they are not the Indian way of doing things. So we need to be aware that those who are bad-mouthing my committee, and talking behind their backs to smear them, may be infiltrators sent by the feds to tear down the committee. Watch out for those people and make some distance from them.
I am also asking all of my supporters and allies to follow the directions of the committee when the plans and strategies are presented at the Feb. 6th event in Boulder, CO. It had begun as an educational event and now it will be a very important event because of everything that has happened recently. We had wanted to release it when Obama was sworn in, but my transfer placed it on hold. I am a believer that nothing happens by accident or coincidence. It all happens for a reason, and it feels as if things are coming together the way they should. It is significant that an intense campaign will be begin after 33 years in captivity and with a newly elected President who could be receptive to my clemency appeal in office.
We will be making our message stronger in what we do and in how we will do it. I cannot stress how important it will be to increase our numbers after this event because the committee members, spokespersons, and their families will be making more personal sacrifices to help increase awareness. They?ll need your support in organizing other events and networking in your area.
Again, I want to thank everyone who wrote, called and emailed. My hand in appreciation is extended to those who have held rallies and protests on my behalf to call attention to the attack on me. I also extend my gratitude to Cynthia McKinney, former congresswoman for her recent letter to President Obama urging him to free other political prisoners and myself.
In all these years, there have been so many people who have prayed for my safety and freedom from all faiths. There is power in those prayers and that is what I know will bring about my freedom. I can feel something different this time, and many others have expressed the same thought to me. So when you pray, don?t pray only for me, but the warriors of AIM who have died for our people, the victims of the ?Reign of Terror? on Pine Ridge, and other victims who has suffered as we have. Pray for their families as well. They must not be forgotten and they must have justice!
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, Dallas Thundershield, Bobby Garcia, Rocky Duenas, Standing Deer, and in The Spirit of Total Resistance,
Leonard Peltier
January 20, 2009
To LP Supporters,
I am so OUTRAGED! My brother Leonard was severely beaten upon his arrival at the Canaan Federal Penitentiary. When he went into population after his transfer, some inmates assaulted him. The severity of his injuries is that he suffered numerous blows to his head and body, receiving a large bump on his head, possibly a concussion, and numerous bruises. Also, one of his fingers is swollen and discolored and he has pain in his chest and ribcage. There was blood everywhere from his injuries.
We feel that prison authorities at the prompting of the FBI orchestrated this attack and thus, we are greatly concerned about his safety. It may be that the attackers, whom Leonard did not even know, were offered reduced sentences for carrying out this heinous assault. Since Leonard is up for parole soon, this could be a conspiracy to discredit a model prisoner.
He was placed in solitary confinement and only given one meal, this is generally done when you won?t name your attackers; incidentally being only given one meal seriously jeopardizes his health because of his diabetes. Prison officials refuse to release any info to the family, but they need to hear from his supporters to protect his safety, as does President Obama. His attorneys are trying to get calls into him now.
This attack on LP comes on the heels of the FBI?s recent letter, prompting this attack by FBI supporters as an attempt to discredit LP as a model prisoner. Anyone who has been in the prison system knows well that if you refuse to name your attackers or file charges against them, then you lose your status as a victim and/or given points against your possible parole and labeled as a perpetrator.
It is not uncommon, in fact is quite common for the government to use Indian against Indian and they still operate under the old adage ?it takes an Indian to catch an Indian?. In 1978, they made an attempt to assassinate him through another Indian man who was also at Marion prison with LP. But Standing Deer chose to reveal the plot to him instead of taking his life in exchange FOR A CHANCE AT FREEDOM. When Standing Deer was released in 2001, he joined the former Leonard Peltier Defense Committee as a board member. He also began to speak on Leonard?s behalf until his murder six years ago today. Prior to his murder, Standing Deer confided with close friends and associates that the same man who visited him in Marion to assassinate Peltier, had came to Houston, TX and told him that he had better stay away from Peltier and anything to do with him.
We are aware that currently, the FBI is actively seeking support for his continued imprisonment of Leonard Peltier and also also seeking support from Native People. So please be aware, and keep Leonard in your prayers. The FBI is apparently afraid of the impact we are having. If they will set him up to blemish his record just before a parole hearing, what will they do when it looks like his freedom will become a reality? We need to make sure that nothing happens to him again!
Please write the President, send it priority or registered mail. Email to Change.gov or email President Obama. Call your congressional representatives and write letters, not email, to them. Do what you can to get the word out to insure that LP is receiving adequate medical attention for his injuries.
I am asking you, supporters of Leonard and advocates of justice at this time to help. I don?t know what else to do. Please Help!
Thank you.
Betty Ann Peltier-Solano
DEMAND that Leonard Peltier #89637-132 be treated with dignity and respect.
Let the Bureau of Prisons know that the public will hold them accountable for the safety and wellbeing of Leonard Peltier #89637-132.
Warden Ronnie R. Holt, Warden
D. Scott Dodrill, Director
Harley G. Lappin, Director
Ask President Obama to investigate this incident:
First of all, I want
to thank all those who have been standing up for the American Indian
Movement and myself. The Arlo Looking On a personal note, Kamook's
testimony was like being stabbed in the heart while simultaneously
being told your sister just If you want to know who
is responsible for Anna Mae's death, just look around and see who
else has been irresponsibly We as a people and a
nation need to honor those who sacrificed for the people and not
forget them as they become elders. In The Spirit Of Crazy
Horse, PRESS
RELEASE FOR RELEASE June 8, 2001 BY: BY:
AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT GRAND GOVERNING COUNCIL Contact: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
June
8, 2001 The Honorable
Senator Patrick Leahy The Honorable
Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. The Honorable
Senator Daniel Inouye Dear Honorable
Senators: On behalf of
the Leonard Peltier family, we are appealing to President George
Bush, Attorney General John Ashcroft, the United June 26, 2001
will mark twenty-seven years since the F.B.I., utilizing agent/operatives
and recruited extremist informants, In light of
the recent denial by the Clinton Administration of Mr. Peltier's
petition for Executive Clemency, the American Indian At this time
we are requesting the Honorable Members of the Senate and House
Judiciary Committees of the United States 1. Coercion
and intimidation of Ms. Myrtle Poor Bear by F.B.I. agents that resulted
in her signing false affidavits that were used in 2. The intentional
presentation of a false affidavit to the courts of law in the United
States and Canada in order to procure Mr. 3. The F.B.I.
presented false and distorted testimonies obtained through improper
methods of three adolescents who were forced 4. The concealment
of a firing pin test performed by F.B.I. ballistics expert, Mr.
Evan Hodge. 5. The abrupt
and substantive changes in the F.B.I. description of the vehicle
pursued into the Jumping Bull residence prior to 6. F.B.I. actions
that created an improper atmosphere of fear and distrust of American
Indians, especially American Indian At this time
we are also requesting the Honorable Members of the Senate and House
Judiciary Committees of the United States Congress to investigate
the blatant attempts by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents
Association to intentionally create public confusion and fear in
order to deprive Mr. Peltier a fair consideration of his request
for parole and clemency. The advertisement and Web site paid for
by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents Association is a matter
of public record and can be furnished upon request by Mr. Peltier's
legal team. At this time
we are also requesting the Honorable Members of the Senate and House
Judiciary Committees of the United States Congress to pass an act
to declassify over 6,000 documents pertaining to the case of Mr.
Peltier, currently being withheld by the F.B.I. in part for reasons
of "national security" and "ongoing" police
investigations. With Mr. Peltier imprisoned for the past twenty-five
years what possible issues of investigation and security exist today
in the year 2001? Attached is a small sampling of the 17,722 documents
thus far released under the Freedom of Information Act, which we
have reviewed. These documents which were withheld from defense
attorneys during Mr. Peltier's trial clearly show that a covert,
illegal counter-intelligence program targeting the American Indian
Movement leaders and members was first hatched by the Nixon White
House. The conspiracy included President Nixon, Special Counsel,
John Dean III, F.B.I. directors J. Edgar Hoover and Mark Felt, the
Justice Department, and the Central Intelligence Agency. Their action
places them in violation of their own charter prohibiting spying
and targeting United States citizens. In this case members and leaders
of the American Indian Movement. More outrageous
is the following documented fact. On the date of April 6, 1976 Senator
James O. Eastland, Chairman of, and Presiding convened a session
of the Senate Judiciary Sub-Committee To Investigate The Administration
Of The Internal Security Act. Sub-Committee members present were
Senators John MCLlellan of Arkansas, Birch Bayh of Indiana, Strom
Thurmond of South Carolina, and William F. Scott of Virgina. Senator
Eastland called one witness. That witness was Douglas Durham who
was exposed by the American Indian Movement as an F.B.I. Agent/Operative
and held no position in the American Indian Movement. This individual
was proven to be a pathological liar under oath, and with direction
of the F.B.I. blatantly perjured himself before the Senate Judiciary
Committee of the United States Senate. The misinformation
campaign of the F.B.I. continues at the present time against efforts
to correct this injustice by freeing Mr. Peltier. Could it be that
opponents to freeing Mr. Peltier such as Majority Leader Senator
Tom Dashle of South Dakota, Congressman Henry Hyde of Illinois,
William J. Clinton, and others are again being deceived? We must
ask that question. (See http://www.aimovement.org/csi/index.html
Council on Security and Intelligence, to review a sampling of the
17,722 pages of declassified documents that were released upon our
request under the Freedom of Information Act which were withheld
from defense attorneys by the F.B.I. during Mr. Peltier's trial).
At this time
we are requesting the Honorable Members of the Senate and House
Judiciary Committees of the United States Congress to implement
Congressional oversight of the Parole Commission. In 1984 the Comprehensive
Crime Control Act was passed, the act set forth the total abolition
of the U.S. Parole Commission, and made mandatory minimum sentencing
on a federal level. Mr. Leonard
Peltier is not only eligible for parole, but is long over due. In
1994 the U.S. Parole Commission examined Mr. Peltier's conduct since
his imprisonment, factored severity rate of the crime he was convicted
of, and determined to be eligible for release after 188 months (16
years) of imprisonment under Parole Commission guidelines. Since
then Mr. Peltier has undergone one full parole hearing and three
interim parole hearings and has been arbitrarily denied. Mr. Peltier's
next full hearing is scheduled for 2008. According to law, the Parole
Commission is required to justify their reasons for denying a prisoner
parole beyond what the guidelines set forth. However, the commission
has failed to articulate any rational reasoning for doing so, and
have demonstrated bias and discrimination towards Mr. Peltier. For
the above-sited reasons it is imperative that Congress follows and
implements its own legislative enactment and abolish the U.S. Parole
Commission and release Mr. Peltier. At this time
we are requesting that the Honorable members of the United States
Congress set forth a new chapter in United States history with American
Indian people, and uphold an exemplary standard of morale, and professional
ethics for its government agencies and agents as it pertains to
constitutional law, protection, due process, rights to a fair trial,
and the twenty-five year legal battle of Mr. Peltier and his fight
for truth and freedom. Thank you for
your consideration in this matter. Respectfully,
Vernon Bellecourt
Floyd Red Crow
Westerman Stephanie Autumn
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Sample Letter
from the Leonard Peltier Committee to Senator Patrick Leahy ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Honorable
Patrick Leahy Dear Senator
Leahy, I want to begin
this letter by thanking you for all of your fine work in support
of civil rights and justice. Your courage and integrity are admired
by many. I also want to congratulate you on your new position in
the Judiciary Committee. I am very encouraged to see that you will
be overseeing such an important government duty. I am writing
today to express my firm support for top to bottom investigations
of the FBI as called for by both Senator Schumer and Senator Grassley.
There is an obvious pattern of FBI misconduct involving the withholding
of evidence and obstruction of justice which must be examined and
halted. Such conduct puts in jeopardy our nation’s concepts
of democracy, open government, and equal justice. I am especially
concerned with the FBI’s treatment of Leonard Peltier, the
Native American rights activist who Amnesty International calls
a “political prisoner” who should be “immediately
and unconditionally released.” Mr. Peltier has been imprisoned
for over twenty-five years, following his highly controversial conviction
of the 1975 murders of two FBI agents. During Mr. Peltier’s
trial, the FBI and U.S. Prosecutors emphatically swore that every
FBI document had been handed over to the defense. Yet, years later
a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit would force the release of
over 17,000 FBI documents which had in fact been withheld. Had the
jury been able to consider this evidence at trial, I have no doubt
that Mr. Peltier would be free today. Among the documents
was a formerly concealed ballistic test, which proved that the fatal
bullets could not have come from the gun tied to Mr. Peltier at
trial. The exposure of the test prompted the U.S. Prosecutor to
admit during subsequent oral arguments, “we can’t prove
who shot those agents”. Yet, a new trial was denied on technical
grounds, even though the court found that, “There is a possibility
that the jury would have acquitted Leonard Peltier had the records
and data improperly withheld from the defense been available to
him in order to better exploit and reinforce the inconsistencies
casting strong doubts upon the government's case.” The judge
who authored the denial now supports Mr. Peltier’s release.
To make matters
worse, the FBI continues to withhold over 6000 documents pertaining
to the Peltier case today, come twenty- six years after the incident.
We are convinced that these files contain even more critical information.
We also note
that Mr. Peltier’s conviction is deeply rooted in the Pine
Ridge “Reign of Terror.” During this period, the FBI
cooperated with vigilantes who killed over 60 members and supporters
of the American Indian Movement and terrorized, assaulted and battered
scores of others. Given all of
the above, I am asking you to initiate a Senate investigation of
the FBI, which will include a comprehensive examination of the Peltier
case, including the subpoena of 6,000 FBI documents still withheld
today. Thank you for
your time and consideration to this matter. Sincerely, (name) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Senator Orrin
Hatch In the interest
of justice, human rights, and fairness, we respectfully request
that you and your office support our request that the Committee
on the Judiciary of the United States Senate hold hearings on the
Oglala Lakota Nation's Reservation at Pine Ridge, South Dakota.
We request the appointment of a Special Investigator to investigate,
not only the recent deaths of Indian people in Rapid City and Mobridge,
South Dakota, and in White Clay, Nebraska, but the many unsolved
deaths that occurred on the Pine Ridge Reservation during the violent
and turbulent 1970's that took place during and after the armed
confrontation between Indian people and U.S. Government forces at
Wounded Knee in 1973. Attached to
this letter is a sampling of the first of 17,722 pages of FBI, CIA,
White House, and other U.S. Government documents declassified under
the Freedom of Information Act. Another 6,000-plus pages have been
withdrawn from various U.S. Government files and placed under a
National Security cover following hearings before the Subcommittee
to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act,
and other Internal Security Laws of the Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate Ninety Fourth Congress, Second Session, April
6, 1976. Only one witness
was called. That witness was Douglas Durham, an exposed FBI agent
operative, one of several uncovered by the American Indian Movement
Council on Security and Intelligence. Many others are yet to be
exposed, some, no doubt, are still operating undercover. This Committee
on the Judiciary of the United States now must investigate what
role the FBI and their extremist agent/informants, and other U.S.
Government agencies played during the reign of terror in 1973 and
thereafter in South Dakota. The families of the victims have waited
long enough, such as the families of Anita Wilcox, Jeanette Bissonette,
Pedro Bissonette, Byron DeSersa, Anna Mae Aquash, Jancita Eagle
Deer, Frank Clearwater, and Buddy LaMont who was a Vietnam Veteran
murdered by FBI snipers at Wounded Knee, 1973. There are dozens
of other uninvestigated and unsolved murders of Indian people that
took place during this time that need to be investigated as well.
Moreover, the
Committee on Judiciary must include in its investigation the shoot
out on June 26, 1975 at the Jumping Bull residence on the Pine Ridge
Reservation which claimed the lives of Joseph Stuntz, and FBI agents,
Ronald Williams, and Jack Coler in what appears to have been a botched
FBI operation due to the actions of their extremist agent informants.
Additionally, the Committee must review the Justice Department's
prosecution of Leonard Peltier who is still in federal prison after
23 years. Sincerely, Vernon Bellecourt
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
UNITED
STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE BY LIAISON Honorable John
Wesley Dean, III Reference is
made to your name check request concerning Hank Adams and some other
individuals. Attached are separate memoranda concerning the following
individuals: Hank Adams W.Mark Felt
REPRODUCED
AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES December
1, 1972 Honorable John
Wesley Dean, III Reference is
made to your name check request concerning Dennis Banks and some
other individuals. Attached are separate memoranda concerning the
following individuals: Dennis Banks
W. Mark Felt
Enclosures (4)
CONFIDENTIAL 705 PM 11-04-72
MRF AMERICAN INDIAN
DEMONSTRATION, WASHINGTON D.C. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
RESMURS ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FEDERAL
BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION The following
material is available for review in the freedom of Information-Privacy
Acts (FOIPA) Reading Room at FBI Headquarters. Appointments should
be made no later than 48 hours in advance by calling (202) 324-3477. 1. Adamic, Louis
- Pages Available 632 2. Addams, Jane
- Pages Available 188 3. Algren, Nelson
- Pages Available 687 Ali, Noble Drew
4. Amerasia
- Pages Available 12,583 6. American
Friends Service Committee - Pages Available (Main File) - 3,498
7. American
Indian Movement - Pages Available 17,722 8. American
POWs/MIAs in Southeast Asia - Pages Available 6,944 9. Ananda Marga
- Pages Available 1,510 10. Atlanta
Child Murders - Pages Available 2,825 11. Ball, Lucille
- Pages Available 46 12. Barker,
Arthur - Pages Available 252 13. Barker,
Fred - Pages Available 16 This subject
category contains materials pertaining to Indian affairs such as
land development and use; guidance and assistance in economic, and
social matters; educational and welfare services; resources management
in agriculture, forests, irrigation and trust property; law enforcement;
and relocation services. Primary correspondents are the President,
Vice President Spiro Agnew, Daniel Moynihan, Leonard Garment, Bradley
H. Patterson, Jr., Barbara Green Kilberg, John Ehlichman and Tod
Hullin. Related subjects may be found in the following categories:
FG 19-9 Bureau
of Indian Affairs The Executive
file contains materials from Indian tribal officials and organizations
such as the National Congress of American Indians and the American
Indian Movement, congressmen, governors, charitable organizations,
educational institutions and the general public relating to Indian
affairs. Included are materials from the Vice President's Council
on Indian Opportunity, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Office
of Economic Opportunity, and the Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare. Found in this category are materials concerning Indian
legislation, including the Taos Pueblo 'Blue Lake Bill (H.R. 471),
the restoration of Yakima Indian land (E.O. 11670), and the Indian
Education Act of 1971 (S. 659). There are also materials relating
to Indian demonstrations, including the occupations of Alcatraz
Island, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Pine Ridge Sioux Reservation
at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. The General
file contains materials from school children, the general public,
Indians, Indian Tribal officials and organizations, congressmen,
governors, educational institutions and charitable organizations
concerning Indian affairs. There are many telegrams and group letters
relating to the impoundment of Indian Health Service funds by the
Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and the occupations
of Alcatraz Island, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Wounded Knee,
South Dakota. The materials from Indian tribal officials, organizations
and individuals concerns Indian legislation, policy statements,
tribal politics, reservation administration and legal matters, including
previous treaties with the United States government and the tax
and draft status of Indians. Also found in this category are materials
relating to reports, meetings, studies and programs of government
agencies responsible for Indian affairs. Original
Copy Special Files Materials ITEM
REMOVED FROM THIS FILE FOLDER Restricted document
has been removed. See document entry number I on Document Withdrawal
Record (GSA Form 7279) or NARS Withdrawal Sheet (GSA Form 7122),
located in the fron of this folder, for a description of the
item and an explanation for its removal. Special
Files Materials* Scope
and Content Note Richard C. Tufaro
served as a staff assistant of the White House Domestic Council
from April 1972 to July 1973. During those fifteen months, he held
two principal and concurrent assignments to other organizations.
The initial detail was to the Interagency Classification Review
Committee (ICRC), in which he was concerned with the problems of
expediting the declassification of security classified documents;
and, in the second, the Cabinet Committee to Combat terrorism. Tufaro
performed his duties with the ICRC under the supervision of John
S. D. Eisenhower; and while engaged with CCCT activities, he represented
Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., Executive Director of the Domestic Council.
Tufaro's materials
are arranged into two series: Subject Files and Chronological Files.
The first series is larger than the second, and covers the period
between July 1972 and June 1973. These subject files reflect in
some detail Tufaro's active participation in the working sessions
of the CCCT. The correspondence, memoranda, notes, telegrams, cables,
and reports, of the CCCT in Tufaro's files also indicate the White
House's deep concern and determined efforts to combat international
terrorism. Significant topics and 'subjects in the series consist
of highly classified and sensitive information contributed by the
members of the CCCT. *The White House
Special Files Unit maintained files considered sensitive either
for reason of political content or security classification. This
scope and content note does not describe all the materials of Richard
. Tufaro. As other groups of his material are processed and described,
the resulting finding aids will be attached. Original
Copy Special Files Materials. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
ORIGINAL
FBI DOCUMENTS-THUMBNAIL IMAGES. See Council
on Security and Intelligence for more Information: 4- -694a (Rev.
12-4-86) EXPLANATION
OF EXEMPTIONS SUBSECTIONS
OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, SECTION 552 (b)(1) (A)specifically
authorized under criteria established by an Executive order to be
kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy
and (B) are in fact properly classified pursuant to such Executive
order; (b)(2) related
solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency; (b)(3) specifically
exempted from disclosure by statute (other than section 552b of
this title), provided that such statute (A)requires
that the matters be withheld from the public in such a manner
as to leave no discretion on the issue, or (b)(4) trade
secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a
person and privileged or confidential; (b)(5)inter-agency
or intra-agency memorandums or letters which would not be available
by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency; (b)(6)personnel
and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would
constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy; (b) (8) contained
in or related to examination, operating, or condition reports prepared
by, on behalf of, or for the use of an agency responsible for the
regulation or supervision of financial institutions; or (b) (9) geological
and geophysical information and data, including maps, concerning
wells, SUBSECTIONS
OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, SECTION 552a (d) (5) information
compiled in reasonable anticipation of a civil action proceeding; (j) (2) material
reporting investigative efforts pertaining to the enforcement of
criminal law including efforts to prevent, (k) (1) information
which is currently and properly classified pursuant to Executive
Order 12356 in the interest of the (k) (2) investigatory
material compiled for law enforcement purposes, other than criminal,
which did not result in loss of (k) (3) material
maintained in connection with providing protective services to the
President of the United States (k) (4) required
by statute to be maintained and used solely as statistical records; (k) (5) investigatory
material compiled solely for the purpose of determining suitability
eligibility, or qualifications (k) (6) testing
or examination material used to determine individual qualifications
for appointment or promotion in (k) (7) material
used to determine potential for promotion in the armed services,
the disclosure of which would reveal the SUBJECT
FILES, CONFIDENTIAL FILES 1969-74. White
House Container Files (Indian Affairs). FILE
DESCRIPTION SUBJECT:
American Indian Movement Memorandum
1-Mr. E.S Miller To: Mr. E.S.
Miller From: G.C.
Moore Subject: American
Indian Movement all information
contained herein is unclassified Date 12/29/83
By: sp5rig/pmc The purpose
of this memorandum is to secure for the sending of the attached
airtel to all offices the implementation 157-27740-1 By memorandum
dated November 21, 1972, Mr.Ralph E. Erickson, Deputy Attorney General,
made reference In order to
be in a position to keep the Attorney General and Mr. Erickson advised
on a current basis in Mr. Erickson's
memorandum has been acknowledged by separate communication. ACTION: 100-462483-73 To: SAC, Albany From: For the
Acting Director, FBI W. Mark Felt Acting Associate
Director AMERICAN INDIAN
MOVEMENT EXTREMIST INFORMANTS As a result
of the recent occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs building
in Washington, D.C. the Deputy Attorney 1.) Approximate
number of Indians residing within the division; 2- All Field
Offices ALL INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS UNCLASSIFIED, DATE, 12/29/83 Original
MEMORANDUM FROM W.M. FELT TO SAC, Albany Pg1. Airtel
to Albany Page 2 Re: American
Indian Movement 4) Identity
of any known extremist organizations or extremist individuals active
within In order to
obtain the desired information, each division having American Indians
located The Extremist
Intelligence Section of the Domestic Intelligence Division has assumed
supervision Original
MEMORANDUM FROM W.M. FELT TO SAC, Albany Pg2. Airtel
to Albany In this regard
it is pointed out that recent press releases have indicated that
only approximately one half Your attention
is also directed to teletype dated November 24, 1972, from "for
acting Director, FBI, W.Mark Felt, Results of this
survey as well as your plans for the informant program are to be
furnished to the Bureau no later The Deputy Attorney
General has requested that we keep him and the Attorney General
advised on a current basis of (Why do we have
to say this? Will SAC of the FBI not carry out an order from the
Acting?) Original
MEMORANDUM FROM W.M. FELT TO SAC, Albany Pg3. FILE
DESCRIPTION Date:
3/13/75 Transmit the
following (type in plain text or code) Via: Airtel
(Priority) To: Director,
FBI (100-462483) From: SAC, CHICAGO
(105-34860) SUBJECT: AMERICAN
INDIAN MOVEMENT (AIM) EM-AIM (00:MP) Referenced teletype
advised Channel 11, WTTW-TV, Chicago's Public Broadcasting Station
news Attached hereto
are two copies of verbatim transcription, consisting of eight pages,
for the Copies being
furnished to OM and MI in view of material set forth pertaining
to their Division. ALL INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS UNCLASSIFIED Date 1/27/84
By sp5 sld (10) Approved by:
Special Agent in Charge Original
MEMORANDUM FROM SAC, Chicago to FBI Director Pg 1. MP 157-1458 And approximately
one-half mile south of a building occupied by Wounded Knee Legal
Defense/Offense Efforts are
continuing to locate fugitive PELTIER and other fugitives who are
believed located in the area of Original
MEMORANDUM FROM SAC, Chicago to FBI Director Pg 2. #21 3/12/73 re:
WITW broadcast of Durham's confession Manuscript of
Program Memo: re: Concern
over other informants from Minneapolis. Suggests pulling
other informants out of AIM until trials are finished. Determination
by FBI director not to pull informants, based on determination that
Durham and two other informants did Public News
Center, a television news show on Chicago's WTTW-TV (Channel 11)
on their 7:00 p.m. news show, Other speakers
on news program as indicated below are SCOTT SIMON, WTTW-TV news
reporter and Sanford Set forth is
a verbatim transcription of WTTW-TV news show relating to AIM. FBI Transmit the
following (type in plain text or code) Via Airtel Airmail
(Priority) To: Director,
FBI (ATTENTION: INTELLIGENCE DIVISION) From: SAC, MINNEAPOLIS
(157-1458) SUBJECT: AMERICAN
INDIAN MOVEMENT (AIM) DEVELOPMENT
OF INFORMANTS This is to advise
FBIHQ that in our view the operation of informants in the American
Indian Movement at this time has Ever since the
disclosure of DOUGLAS DURHAM as an FBI source, we have been deluged
with motions, hearings, etc., and, At the present
time, in the area covered by the Minneapolis Division, many AIM
leaders are under indictment for Federal All of the above
criminal charges will be unnecessarily placed in jeopardy by operating
FBI informants or sources until Another aspect
of this issue is the fact that the violent activities of the AIM
movement appears to be spontaneous; and, I am instructing
in this office that all AIM informants be immediately closed, and
that we have no further contact with At the completion
of the trials mentioned above, we will reassess our position in
this matter and submit an appropriate ALL INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS UNCLASSIFIED Date 1/27/84
By sp5 0-Bureau (RM) 1-Minneapolis
(RM) :jwh HEARING
BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE
INTERNAL SECURITY ACT AND OTHER INTERNAL SECURITY LAWS OF THE COMMITTEE
ON THE JUDICIARY UNITED STATES SENATE April
6, 1976 John L. McClellan,
Arkansas Richard L. Schultz,
Chief Counsel RESOLUTION The subcommittee
met, pursuant to notice at 10:10 a.m. in the Russell Senate Office
Building, Senator Also present:
Richard L. Schultz, chief counsel; Robert J. Short, senior investigator;
David Martin The CHAIRMAN.
The subcommittee will come to order. We are here
today to receive testimony concerning the American Indian Movement.
There is no question in the As a result
of the extensive publicity the American Indian Movement received
from these episodes, the public The purpose
of today's hearing is to try to establish whether there is, in fact,
reason for believing that the SUMMARY
OF FINDINGS The evidence
presented to the Subcommittee, which was supported by extensive
documentation, established the following basic facts about the movement: 1. THE
TRUE DIMENSIONS OF AIM: 2. AIM
IS A REVOLUTIONARY ORGANIZATION: 3. FOREIGN
TIES: 4. DOMESTIC
EXTREMIST TIES: 5. AIM
AND THE MEDIA: 6. SUPPORT
FROM FEDERAL, CHURCH AND OTHER SOURCES: 7. FINANCIAL
ABUSES: 8. THE
UNDERCUTTING OF LEGALLY CONSTITUTED INDIAN AUTHORITY: THE
CASE OF JUDGE NICHOL: The witness
at this hearing, Mr. Douglas Durham, infiltrated the American Indian
Movement under the instructions Describing his
relationship with the American Indian Movement, Mr. Durham - a non-Indian
who looks remarkably "My membership
in the American Indian Movement began in March 1973, after visiting
Wounded Knee for 1 day as a Mr. Durham testified
that, as a paid operative of the FBI, he received approximately
$20,000 over a two-year period, Mr. Durham was
repeatedly and rigorously instructed by the FBI during the period
of his association with AIM to avoid The American
Indian Movement was launched in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1968
by Clyde Bellecourt, Dennis Banks, and According to
Mr. Durham, AIM "was involved in taking over the operation
of the CCC program, funded by the OEO, in A fact sheet
distributed by AIM in early 1974 claimed that AIM had played a role
in more than 150 demonstrations prior "AIM stands
to represent ALL Indians as a fact of Indian life in a free world." "AIM is
regarded as a radical leftist movement; however, AIM's goals are
to represent itself as a peaceful movement trying As Mr. Durham
pointed out, the short range objectives publicized by AIM sound
high-minded and reasonable. They When he was
asked whether in his association with AIM he had seen any of these
objective achieved, Mr Durham replied: "Not that
I can recall...I saw quite the contrary. I saw the Indian housing
program which was number one, stopped on the A confidential
programmatic document distributed within AIM spoke more ambitiously
about freeing "Indian people "(a) dissolution
of the BIA; The confidential
AIM program also placed its major emphasis on the education of the
very young and the establishment of "The major
objective of the movement is to regain the young. Once the BIA is
eliminated and individual tribal states are (1) Prepare
and release to local AIM chapters a 'how-to-manual' for founding
Indian schools; (f) AIM national
center to provide basic teaching aids such as reading, cultural
materials and lore." "Most obviously
the leadership condones this type of action. During Wounded Knee,
as an example of their violence, they "They had
been involved in the destruction of Custer, South Dakota, where
the courthouse was fire-bombed and the "At the
Bureau of Indian Affairs, it was an extremely violent situation
with clubs and threats." "At Kenora,
Ontario, Canada, there was shooting and threats of extreme violence." "I recall,
in Des Moines, Iowa, they attempted and planned the kidnapping of
Iowa Governor Robert Ray, which has to be "There
was a murder in Los Angeles, California, in the fall of 1974 where
a man was dragged from a cab in an AIM In his testimony
Mr.Durham elaborated on the violent actions and occupations in which
the American Indian Mr. Durham said
that "a plethora of funds was established for the 'Trail of
Broken Treaties' caravans to Washington, A whole series
of violent actions followed in the wake of the supine capitulation
to AIM in its seizure of the Bureau The first of
these actions was the AIM-organized rioting in Custer, South Dakota,
on February 6, 1973. Describing this "The Chamber
of Commerce building was burned to the ground; the court house was
firebombed and numbers of people "In the
latter part of August 1973, Banks was indicted by the Custer County
grand jury for his involvement in the riot Dennis Banks
was convicted in the summer of 1975 and failed to appear for sentencing
August 5, 1975, becoming a Hard on the
heels of the incident at Custer, South Dakota, there took place
what was probably AIM'S most publicized Mr. Durham was
ale to gain access to Wounded Knee as a photographer and correspondent
for a small newspaper, 'Pax During some
of the highlights of the Wounded Knee occupation, Durham testified: "The village
of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and
the Nation's second largest Durham said
that of the 258 AIM member and sympathizers participating in the
occupation, approximately 75% were Durham identified
the leaders of the Wounded Knee action as "Carter Augustus
Camp, a Pawnee Indian from Oklahoma; As Mr. Durham
pointed out, AIM admitted only a limited number of correspondents
to Wounded Knee, and he himself Far more disturbing
than the Soviet propaganda exploitation of the Wounded Knee incident
- which was certainly "Indian
Revolt Financed by Government Grant" "The Indians
who took over the small reservation town have depicted themselves
as an oppressed minority group seeking "In point
of fact, however, their actions appear to be the latest act in a
play staged by a handful of militants and "An investigation
by the Detroit News shows: AIM, far from
being repressed by the Government, has been granted directly and
indirectly more than $400,000 Some leaders
of AIM have histories of convictions for such crimes as burglary,
strong-arm robberies and assaults. Fewer than 20
of the Indian who took over Wounded Knee are Oglala Sioux, the tribe
on whose reservation the 'What's happened
is that AIM leaders have just dusted off and updated the old militant
tactic of intimidating "Last June
21, Government files show, AIM received a $113,000 grant from the
Office of Economic Opportunity. Of that Early last fall,
OEO investigators were sent to investigate numerous complaints from
local education officials in all AIM leaders,
the report noted, refused to provide any audit information on how
the $113,000 has been spent. AIM leaders
also received $66,000 in 'transportation money from the OEO as an
inducement to leave the Bureau of Indian 'That was about
six times the amount required to buy them all bus tickets back home,'
said an OEO official, who said An OEO grant
for an additional $67,000 - approved before the BIA takeover - was
ordered frozen in a Minneapolis bank 'We lent them
the money only because they offered the $67,000 grant as collateral,
and we assumed they had it in 'Of all the
money AIM has conned out of the Federal Government, I'd be surprised
if even a minute fraction ever Some of the
methods used by AIM to raise money from church organizations were
described in detail by Mr. Durham. One day in March
1973, Durham visited Harvey Major, head of the Des Moines AIM Movement
at his home. Major, he said, Several days
prior to Easter Sunday, a small group of AIM members and supporters
occupied the lawn of the First Written demands
for $50,000 in reparations were then submitted to the officials
of the church. The Reverend Frank Durham told
the Subcommittee that the Community Relations official in question,
Mr. Jesse Taylor of Chicago, then went Commenting on
the proposals submitted and what was done to implement these proposals,
Mr. Durham said: "The proposals
submitted to the various church leaders and authorities indicated
a desire to create development centers Mr. Durham made
the point that as a result of the conference at the YMCA in Des
Moines, the local Catholic charities Shortly after
this incident, Mr. Ron Petite, a national office of the American
Indian Movement, arrived in Des Moines. "So there
was some coercion." The goals of
the American Indian Movement as a result of this experience became
much more ambitious in terms of "June 6,
1973 To the members
of the Indian Encampment: Although we
did not issue you an engraved invitation, we welcome you to the
area surrounding the United Methodist Blessings to
you all. M. Ellsworth
Walker" This communication,
which was delivered to the encampment within 20 minutes of the occupation,
moved Ron Petite The church began
then to send out fried chicken and other meals to the demonstrators. Before the conference
was over, the United Methodist Church voted to advance $85,000 in
bond money for Dennis Banks. "Ron Petite
had become increasingly upset due to the lack of funding that was
submitted by the churches. He "One night
Ron Petite called Harvey Major and myself over to his apartment
at 253 Franklin and said the next "And he
said, 'Doug, you are going to lead it,' and he said, 'I'll be in
Newton, Iowa, at the River View Prison Durham explained
that by "armed press conference" he meant a conference
in which the American Indian Movement The Grimes State
Office Building is a two-story building having two wings, with approximately
15,000 to 20,000 Three hours
after the occupation began, it was all over, and the 10 armed occupiers
had all submitted peacefully "I called
a rollcall vote, and twice received indications that they would
not give up. I went back into "I was
a little concerned at that point. They finally agreed to submit
to arrest, and we all were arrested and Dennis Banks,
who was in South Dakota when the occupation commenced, immediately
boarded a plane for Des Moines. A few days after
his arrival, Dennis Banks had a meeting with Governor Ray, arranged
by Ron Petite. Durham, "was to
create the impression that Dennis Banks was the peace-bringing mediator
who would solve these types Banks apparently
guaranteed that there would be no violent actions or seizures. The
Govenor, for his part, In the early
summer of 1974, AIM jumped the American-Canadian border to stage
a spectacular seizure of The trial of
Dennis Banks and Russell Means for their involvement in the Wounded
Knee occupation began in The occupation
was attended by members of the Communist Party of Canada, Marxixt-Leninist,
including the As Mr. Durham
put the matter, the Anishinabe occupation was another one of those
instances where Banks Dennis Banks,
accompanied by Doug Durham, were summoned to Kenora by the Crown
Attorney of Canada, Mr. Ted An agreement
was reached that the arms would be turned over to responsible government
authorities and At a point where
negotiations were concluded, the principals in the occupation decided
to organize a Apparently some
of the members of the Canadian AIM were disturbed by the adverse
publicity resulting "Mr. Ed
Burnstick, the national director of Canadian AIM, issued a statement
deploring any AIM members
had repeatedly borne arms - and sometimes used them - in their demonstrations
and occupations. In a statement
issued in 1973, AIM official Ron Petite urged Indians across the
nation to take up arms, Petite Urges
Indians to Carry Arms An official
of the militant American Indian Movement (AIM) here has urged Indians
across the nation to Saying he was
instructed to speak on AIM's behalf, Ron Petite of Des Moines called
on American Indians Petite, AIM's
Midwest national field director, spoke to newsmen only hours after
the wounding of AIM Petite disclaimed
report that Carter Camp, AIM's president, allegedly shot Bellecourt
during a meeting Camp was arrested
Monday night in Valentine, Neb., and charged with assault with a
deadly weapon on an 'Blaming the
shooting on Carter Camp is a conspiracy by outside sources to kill
two birds with one Petite said
he received authorization by telephone from Banks to speak for AIM
and to urge Indians to Durham testified
that a "social understanding" grant of $6,250 had been
used to illegally purchase a Mr. Durham also
described in detail, with supporting documents, AIM's plans for
an underground railroad The confidential
AIM programmatic documents Durham submitted for the record carried
these suggestions: As AIM matures
the need for a realistic 'railroad' system will come more to the
fore. Until such time In order to
effect movements of material and peoples at minimum risk, it is
suggested that chapters Mr. Durham also
submitted for the record a handwritten instruction from Dennis Banks
dealing with the "George
Roberts, Doug Durham. It will be the combined responsibilities of
both of you to maintain the Durham told
the Subcommittee that George Roberts had actually done most of the
work in the establishment In December
1973, Dennis Banks prepared and gave to the press a statement attacking
the plans for the A. To physically
stop the planned aggression in Indian country. The witness
said that it is his understanding that Dennis Banks had subsequently
denied on several Durham described
AIM's extensive international contacts. He said that AIM had funding
through groups He said that
he knew as a fact that representatives of the Irish Republican Army
committee had met He also testified
that Dennis Banks, after his return from a meeting sponsored by
the World Council When he was
asked whether he had any reason to believe that Mr. Roberts actually
had contacts with "I sat
in his house while he called Dr. Faustino Perez, in Mexico City
and the other embassies, and He said the
purpose of Roberts' call to Dr. Faustino Perez was to explore the
possibility of arranging Durham testified
that Dennis Banks had advised him, orally and in writing, that there
would be a "The Weather
Underground published a full page in the back of their Osawatomie
fall 1975 issue, stating When he was
asked whether AIM readily accepted such support and encouragement,
Mr. Durham replied that AIM also received
support from a number of American labor organizations. Durham testified
that Ernest The AFL-CIO
in Minnesota, at its 17th Constitutional Convention, passed a resolution
on September It was Mr. Durham's
estimate that during the two years he was with AIM, AIM received
far in excess The Senate Subcommittee
on Internal Security is currently attempting to piece together a
comprehensive The article
from the "Detroit News" of March 25, 1973, which was quoted
in the section on the Wounded As for church
support for AIM, an article which appeared in the "Omaha World
Herald" on March 14, "THREE
CHURCHES FURNISH $284,000 FOR AIM Three national
church organizations have given a total of $284,000 to programs
involving the The total doesn't
include contributions state or local church groups may have made
to AIM. Nor does it
include the $20,000 four denominations gave to last year's 'trail
of broken treaties' None of the
money was given for activities promoting violence, church officials
said. Lutherans apparently
are the biggest church financial backers of AIM, which led the takeover
of Lutherans gave
about $238,000 to AIM in 1971 and 1972 through the National Indian
Lutheran Board, FOR YOUTH PROGRAM The money went
to Indian self-help programs in different state and included $1,500
to a youth The U.S. Catholic
Conference said in Washington it gave $40,000 last August to an
AIM-related The World Council
of Churches recently gave AIM $6,000, a spokesman said in a telephone National offices
of five other major denominations - United Methodist, Presbyterians,
The national
office said that local churches and state conferences spend for
projects of their In August 1973,
roughly at the time that Ron Petite issued his call to arms to the
Indian people, Mr. Durham mentioned
several other sources of income. For example, Dennis Banks and Russell
Means The sworn testimony
of Mr. Durham adds important new evidence to the items listed in
the "U.S. FIGHTING
NICHOL ROLE IN TRIALS (By Jim George) The U.S. Attorney's
office in Sioux Falls, S.D., has filed a strongly worded motion
of Nichol last
September dismissed charges here against American Indian Movement
(AIM) leaders Nichol, in a
scathing commentary on the U.S. Justice Department, chastised the
government for In affidavits
accompanying the motion, R.D. Hurd, chief prosecutor here at the
trial, and The motion asked
the judge to remove himself from the coming cases of Stanley Holder,
Carter The motion added
that from prior conduct, the judge's impartiality might be questioned. In their affidavits,
Hurd and Gienapp claim Nichol often expressed respect for the people They noted that
at a luncheon during the trial here, Nichol led a standing ovation
for Nichol's contempt
for the FBI was lightly masked during the trial, and the affidavits Nichol, according
to the affidavits, made no secret he thought the FBI had greatly
Out of court,
the affidavits say, Nichol referred to Trimbach as 'a liar' and
'that goddamned And at one point
in April 1974, according to Gienapp's affidavit, Nichol said that,
if the Gienapp, in
his statement, attests that the prosecution considered that a threat
by the judge. The affidavits
claim Nichol expressed the opinion out of court that Trimbach had
lied before At another point,
the jurist expressed the opinion that the Justice Department was
more Nichol's dismissal
of charges against Means and Banks has been appealed to the 8th
U.S. Mr. Bissonett
had been a fugitive and was shot allegedly while resisting arrest.
Present Mr. Durham then
gave the following eyewitness testimony concerning events involving
Judge "Immediately
after the hearing Dennis Banks came to me and asked me to go around
back to I waited in
back in the car, and Judge Nichol drove by in his car with Dennis
Banks and At this time,
after some conversation, Judge Nichol informed us that he had decided
to * * * Dennis Banks
asked me to get a blank membership card of the American Indian Movement
out Dennis Banks
made one out for Mrs. Nichol, and across the upper right-hand corner
wrote, In fairness,
I would like to add that Mrs. Nichol did not ask for the membership
card, See
Council on Security and Intelligence for more Information: 12/14/00 December
17, 2000 check
out the FBI documents about Leonard Peltier at AIM's Council
on Security and Intellegence |
