Action for War Detainees

Baltimore INS pressed for answers

The Baltimore Emergency Response Network (BERN), believing that "a counterpart to the war on terrorism is the erosion of Constitutional rights," demonstrated outside the Baltimore Federal Building on October 1, as part of a series of activities seeking more information about immigrants held in detention following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Five members of the group entered the building to seek answers from the head of the Baltimore office of the INS. Security officials prevented them all from boarding elevators and physically removed them from the building. When Ellen Barfield, Kay Dellinger and Max Obuszewski balked, asserting a right to meet with government officials, they were arrested, taken down to the station, and released eight hours later without charges.

Trespass charges against Barfield, Obuszewski, and Srs. Carol Gilbert and Ardeth Platte (both now jailed in Colorado, see page 1), resulting from a BERN-sponsored line-crossing in October, 2001 at the National Security Agency, have been dropped. Although the four were arraigned last March, no other court date was set during the year since the arrests.

For more information , contact the Baltimore Emergency Response Network, 325 E. 25th Street, 2nd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21218, (410)377-7987, mobuszewski@afsc.org.