Baltimore Emergency Response Network, 325 E. 25th Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 PHONE: [410] 377-7987

CONTACT: Max Obuszewski 410-323-7200 or 410-377-7987 or mobuszewski-AT-afsc.org or Jonah House 410-233-6238

NSA FINALLY GOES AFTER FOUR PEACE ACTIVISTS

WHO: The Baltimore Emergency Response Network and Baltimore's Jonah House have been organizing demonstrations at the National Security Agency since 1996. See James Bamford's book BODY OF SECRETS, which details the spy agency's response to these nonviolent protests.

As part of the INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST TO STOP THE MILITARIZATION OF SPACE, organized by the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space in Gainesville, Florida, BERN members Ellen Barfield and Max Obuszewski and Jonah House activists Sister Carol Gilbert, O.P. and Sister Ardeth Platte, O.P. went to the National Security Agency [9800 Savage Road, Fort Meade, Maryland]on October 12, despite the fact the area was on highest alert. At 7 AM, they walked through an open gate to try to deliver a letter to Lt. General Michael V. Hayden, head of the National Security Agency, demanding a meeting. BERN has tried to obtain a meeting with the director of the NSA each year since 1996.

WHAT: However, a security breach alert was sounded, and at least nine vehicles, soldiers with drawn weapons and dogs soon arrived. The NSA officials would not permit a meeting with Gen. Hayden, so Gilbert and Platte poured their own blood on the asphalt to represent all victims of the NSA's work. Obuszewski held a sign "Unmask the Body of Secrets...No Star Wars...Nonviolence Now...International Day of Protest - Oct. 12-13, 2001," while Barfield's banner read "No War On Afghanistan, Iraq, Whomever; No Spying, No Star Wars, Work for Peace, Please!"

Each demonstrator was arrested and charged with trespass [six months/$2500 fine], destruction of government property [one year] and conspiracy [five years]. The protesters were eventually released on personal recognizance,
but waited almost five months before receiving notice to appear in federal court.

WHEN: Friday, March 22, 2002 at 10 AM

WHERE: U.S. District Court, Room 1B, 101 West Lombard St. in Baltimore

WHY: One can only speculate why the Department of Defense decided to finally prosecute the activists. It is suspected, though, the continued antiwar protests by the NSA Four may have played a role.

All four defendants returned to the NSA on October 13 to join a protest. Gilbert and Platte were arrested at the White House, after the U.S. started bombing Afghanistan.

BERN organized an antiwar demonstration on October 15 at the Warfield Air National Guard Base in Middle River, and Barfield and Brian Barrett were arrested. On February 13, they were convicted of trespass and failure to obey a lawful order. They then served ten-day sentences in Baltimore County.

On January 29, 2002 BERN went to Baltimore's Fallon Federal Building to visit the office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service to protest the Department of Justice's treatment of the September 11 detainees. Six BERN members were evicted from the building, and Obuszewski was told he was banned from returning.

Obuszewski, raised in Erie, Pennsylvania, attended Erie Cathedral Preparatory School for Boys, the same high school as Tom Ridge, the head of the Office of Homeland Security. He and the others went to the NSA and hoped Gov. Ridge would hear of the protest and heed their call for real security:

NO THEATRE MISSILE DEFENSE! NO NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE! NO STAR WARS RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT! KEEP SPACE FOR PEACE! NO WAR! FUND HUMAN NEEDS!

The four defendants hope to use their trial to expose the NSA cloak of secrecy, its covert actions, confrontations, undisclosed annual budgets and interceptor sites throughout the world. They will argue the secret activities of the intelligence agency actually make this country less secure.