[van-announce] ALF PRESS OFFICER'S HOME RAIDED BY THE RCMP

[resist admin]

Frontline Information Service   -   Update 07/29/02
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


ALF PRESS OFFICER'S HOME RAIDED BY THE RCMP
________________________________________________

July 29, 2002

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION

NEWS RELEASE: ALF PRESS OFFICER'S HOME RAIDED BY THE RCMP

COURTENAY, BC -- The RCMP conducted a raid on the home David Barbarash,
spokeperson for the Animal Liberation Front Press Office today. David
returned home from vacation to find his front door kicked in and many of
his possessions seized.

According to a search warrant left at the residence, RCMP officers were
acting under the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act in
support of a US government investigation into ALF activities that took
place in the state of Maine some time during 1999. It was not clear from
the warrant what actions are being investigated.

Among seized possessions were all computers and computer equipment in the
home, videos, paper files, photographs, books, personal effects, and other
items not yet accounted for.

David has not been charged in connection with the search warrant or the
investigation. A hearing will be held in the Supreme Court of BC on August
14th to determine whether there are legal grounds to send the seized
materials to the United States for evidenciary purposes in the Maine
investigation. If his materials are sent to the US, it is likely to be
months if not years before they are returned to his possession. 

David Barbarash has been a tireless spokesperson for the North American
Animal Liberation Front since he took the role of press officer in the
summer of 1999. He has always maintained that he has no knowledge of
participants involved in ALF activities, but receives anonymous
communications which he relays to interested press and supporters. This
raid appears to be little more than a harassment tactic by the RCMP and
FBI.

The Animal Liberation Front is an underground movement of compassionate
people who rescue animals from breeders, laboratories, fur farms, and
other places of abuse and provide them with safe homes or release the
animals into the wild when appropriate. All members of the ALF remain
anonymous so as to continue their work without interference from law
enforcement. The ALF is non-violent and has never injured or killed any
person or animal in the course of their actions.

Because all his computer hardware and files have been seized, David is
unable to check email at this time. He can be contacted at:

North American - A.L.F. Press Office 
P.O.Box 3673, 
Courtenay, BC 
V9N 7P1 Canada
Phone: 250-703-6312

Please send letters of support and donations to the above
address. Computer hardware donations are also very much needed at this
time so that the important work of the press office can continue. Please
contact the naalfpo at tao.ca donations of this nature to arrange
pick-up/shipment.