VOICES IN THE WILDERNESS: Charges against 47 people arrested January 22 while demanding a change for peace in U.S. policy towards Iraq have been dismissed. Meanwhile, the deadline passed June 17 for a Seattle man to pay a $10,000 fine levied for bringing medicines into Iraq in 1997. Bert Sacks, who has repeatedly returned to Iraq with Voices in the Wilderness and other organizations to resist the inhumane trade sanctions imposed since 1990, took the opportunity to raise contributions for medicines for Iraqi children, equal to the amount of his fine. In late June, Seattle Rev. Randall Mullins, who was with Sacks in 1997, was also fined $10,000. Mullins likewise refuses to pay, and also invites contributions to match his fine with medical aid. Visit www.vitw.org or call 773-784-8065 for more information about contributing to "Declaration 2002"...

SILO PRUNING HOOKS: After preparing the statement for her anticipated probation revocation hearing (printed in the last issue of the Nuclear Resister), Helen Woodson writes that "hearings were scheduled twice and both times they didn't show up. The latest word is they're never going to see me." A subsequent Program Review Report, indicating her projected release date and release method (i.e., expiration of sentence, statutory good time, etc.) state both as "unknown." Meanwhile, Fr. Carl Kabat was released from federal prison on June 5, about ten days ahead of schedule, and apparently with no additional probation from the November, 1984 disarmament action at a nuclear missile silo in Missouri, undertaken with Woodson, Kabat's late brother Fr. Paul Kabat, and the late Larry Cloud Morgan, an Ojibway spiritual man....

STRATCOM: Ed Bloomer turned himself in May 6 to serve the 30-day sentence he earned for crossing the line at Offutt Air Force Base, the nuclear command post. He has since completed his sentence, while co-defendant Fr. Frank Cordaro, after several weeks in transit, recently arrived at the federal prison camp in Duluth. His six month sentence will be completed in early September. While in prison, Fr. Frank is writing reflections on the Catholic lectionary's weekly scripture readings. These are available via e-mail, if you send your e-mail address to frankcordaro@earthlink.net...

IOWA STATE FAIR: A state district judge in Iowa has overturned the trespass conviction of Brian Terrell and others who simply held large photos of victims of U.S. warfare in front of the National Guard exhibit. "...He was asked to leave for no other reason than that the Guard did not like the content of the message he and others were conveying," wrote Judge Douglas Staskal...

ALLIANT TECHSYSTEMS: Six Minnesota peace activists spent ten days in jail at the end of May, their choice over the alternative sentence of 10 days community service (as chosen by nine co-defendants). They were convicted of trespassing at the Minnesota munitions maker last November...

PENTAGON: Four men arrested last Good Friday have had their charges dismissed...

GRIGORY PASKO: The Military Collegium of the Russian Supreme Court denied the appeal of the jailed military journalist on June 25. The ruling leaves only a "supervisory appeal" to the discretion of the chairman of the court as the final hope for Pasko's freedom before the completion of a four-year sentence for espionage handed down in December, 2001...

MILWAUKEE WAR TAX RESISTERS: Six people arrested April 15 at the IRS office are waiting for the city to reschedule their trial. The first judge assigned is a sympathetic volunteer at Casa Maria Catholic Worker, home to four of the defendants...

PENN STATE: Brandywine Peace Community co-founder Beth Centz was convicted of defiant trespass and fined $10 after protesting President Bush's war policies from outside the zone established for such activity during his April 2 visit to the University's campus in Media, Pennsylvania...

JOINT FORCES HQ / R.A.F. NORTHWOOD: Two people charged after cutting through a fence last December 10 to protest inside the center for British participation in the "war on terrorism" came to court with plenty of supporters in April. The key prosecution witness, however, was unavailable on account of shipping out to bomb caves in Afghanistan. As no case could be made without the Marine videographer, the judge rejected postponement and ordered the case withdrawn, a decision now under appeal by the crown prosecutors...

MORDECHAI VANUNU: The Israeli nuclear whistleblower was in court in May regarding several matters, including a petition that he be able to visit with two British lawyers. A hearing before the Israeli Supreme Court addressed Vanunu's request to review the full transcripts of his trial, and his related desire to prohibit publication of a chapter about his case in a forthcoming book by two Israeli writers. Vanunu wants to confirm whether the authors had access to trial materials that he has not been permitted to see. At the May 13 hearing, Vanunu's attorney argued at length with the chair of the tribunal that it is absurd and illegal to deny a defendant the right to review transcripts of his own trial. The courts have yet to make a decision in either case. Vanunu is also awaiting a date for a new parole hearing...

LEONARD PELTIER: A July 9 interim parole hearing again refused to recommend the political prisoner's release. Newly declassified FBI documents have recently been turned over to Peltier's defense committee, where they are being reviewed for evidence of government misconduct that can only help his remaining hopes for freedom. Meanwhile, Peltier is asking for calls or letters in support of his plea for special gel-foam shoe inserts and a simple surgical procedure to remove the painful heel bone spur that has grown in the past year. The warden has refused to follow this recommendation of the prison health clinician. Letters should note this fact and refer to Peltier with his prison ID #89637-132. Call, write, fax, or email to Kathleen Hawk Sawyer, Director, Bureau Of Prisons, 320 First St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20534, (202)307-3198, fax (202)514-6878, khawk@bop.gov. More information is available from the Defense Committee at P.O. Box 583, Lawrence, KS 66044, (785)842-5774.