Um. Wow. Let's see. I just called the number at the
bottom of this press release and spoke with the woman who was
detained. The 1-800 number is being directed to her home, as she is
not in Chicago right now, so that she can speak with all who are
interseted. She told me her name was flagged in the computer and that
she was singled out for a search. She was prevented from bording her
flight and other airlines were notified to not allow her board their
flights either. All this without justification as far as I can tell.
I don't really know what to make of it, so I leave it up to you.
The Greens / Green Party USA
226 South Wabash, 6th floor
PO Box 1406,
Chicago, Illinois 60690
Toll-free Phone: 1-866-GREENS-2
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2001
MEDIA ALERT:
GREEN PARTY USA will hold press conference in CHICAGO
SATURDAY, NOV. 3
10 a.m.
at the J. Ira and Nicki Family Hostel
24 East Congress Parkway (at Wabash), 2nd floor
------------------------------------------------
GREEN PARTY USA COORDINATOR DETAINED AT AIRPORT
PREVENTED BY ARMED MILITARY FROM FLYING TO GREENS MEETING IN CHICAGO
Armed government agents grabbed Nancy Oden, Green Party USA
coordinating
committee member, Thursday at Bangor International Airport in Bangor
Maine,
as she attempted to board an American Airlines flight to Chicago.
"An official told me that my name had been flagged in the computer," a
shaken Oden said. "I was targeted because the Green Party USA opposes
the
bombing of innocent civilians in Afghanistan."
Oden, a long-time organic farmer and peace activist in northern Maine,
was
ordered away from the plane. Military personnel with automatic weapons
surrounded Oden and instructed all airlines to deny her passage on ANY
flight. "I was told that the airport was closed to me until further
notice
and that my ticket would not be refunded," Oden said.
Oden is scheduled to speak in Chicago Friday night on a panel
concerning
pesticides as weapons of war. She had helped to coordinate the Green
Party
USA's antiwar efforts these past few months, and was to report on
these to
The Greens national committee. "Not only did they stop me at the
airport
but some mysterious party had called the hotel and cancelled my
reservation," Oden said.
The Greens National Committee -- the governing body of the Green Party
USA
-- is meeting in Chicago Nov. 2-4 to hammer out the details of
national
campaigns against bio-chemical warfare, the spraying of toxic
pesticides,
genetic engineering, and the Party's involvement in the burgeoning
peace
movement.
"I am shocked that US military prevented one of our prominent Green
Party
members from attending the meeting in Chicago," said Elizabeth Fattah,
a
GPUSA representative from Pennsylvania who drove to Chicago. "I am
outraged
at the way the Bill of Rights is being trampled upon."
Chicago Green activist Lionel Trepanier concluded, "The attack on the
right
of association of an opposition political party is chilling. The
harassment
of peace activists is reprehensible."
For further information, please call 1-866-GREENS-2 (toll-free)