[Marxism] FBI agents question Cuba solidarity activist Lelie Salgado

["Walter Lippmann" <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This hasn't happened to me in a very long time.
But it could just as well happen today, or tomorrow,
to me, or to anyone else engaged in peaceful, legal
political activity Washington doesn't approve of.

Take the time to read this and keep it in mind.


Walter Lippmann, CubaNews
http://www.walterlippmann.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
==================================================

From: Karen Lee Wald [mailto:kwald@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2005 4:08 PM
To: Cuba-Inside-Out@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: FBI agents question me (Leslie)

Those of us who are engaged in lawful, constitutionally
-protected activities do not have any requirement to
speak to the FBI, and in general, it is better not to.

They are on "fishing expeditions", and because their
mindset is so different from ours, you never know when
some (to you) innocent fact or statement might get
someone else harassed.

=========================================

From: Leslie Salgado    cuba_is_hope@xxxxxxxxxxx
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2005 3:24 PM
Subject: FBI agents question me (Leslie)

I wanted to share with you that two FBI agents came to see me at my
office in Baltimore, where I work as an engineer. They came to
question me about activities and individuals related to my voluntary
work in solidarity with Cuba. For those of you who don't know me, for
over 20 years, I have always been very visible and vocal about my
opposition to US policies towards Cuba.

In our movement we call for the end to the US blockade (embargo) of
Cuba and for the normalization of relations with that country.
Towards this end, our main activities are: organizing educational
programs, writing letters to and meetings with US officials and
participating in peaceful demonstrations.

The FBI agents had initially come to my office to see me on Friday,
July 22, while I was away on vacation. Since they didn't find me
there, they came to my home in Columbia, MD that same afternoon. They
told my adult son, who had stayed home, that since they happened to
be in the area, they decided to stop by to see me.

My son told them that I was away on vacation but that I was returning
that evening. Since they did not identify themselves, he asked them
for their names so that he could tell me who came by. At that, they
provided their first names to him.

He told me about this when I got home. I could not imagine who they
could be since I didn't know any people with those first names or
anybody that fit my son's description of them. Furthermore, I don't
have such close co-workers that could just show-up at my home.

The following Monday, July 25, they appeared unannounced in my office
at around 3:00 p.m. From the description my son had given me, I
recognized them immediately. They identified themselves and showed me
their FBI badges.

While appearing very friendly, they said that they wanted to talk to
me. As you can imagine, I was not comfortable, specially knowing that
they had been to my home and now they were in my office! I can
honestly tell you that it was a disturbing and intimidating
experience!

Since my co-workers saw these people, I told them why they had come
to see me. When I got home, I also shared the bad news with my
family. And the following night, at our monthly meeting, I informed
the attending members of HoCoFoLA about this incident.

The reason why I wanted to share this with all of you is so that you
are alerted to this type of actions. Here we are again, spending
badly needed resources chasing after people like me who are working
to bring some sanity to the senseless policy of blockading a small
and economically poor island nation (Cuba) of 13 million people who
are our neighbors!

In their questioning they did not accuse me of anything in
particular.

In fact, they told me that they were there only to "protect" citizens
like me, who may be asked by representatives of foreign nations to do
things that may be against the US and that may be illegal . I am not
giving you any details of their questioning because I don't think
that is important.

What I feel is important is that you are aware that such incidents
are alive and well.

I hope no one else in our movement is subjected to this type of
"protection". We certainly don't need it. But, just in case, it may
be helpful for you to know what to do in such a case.

The National Lawyers Guild, in their web site, has some excellent
information that all of us in the movement need to be familiar with.
Please check www.nlg.org. At the bottom of their home page, click on
"Looking for Know your Rights information". This is available in
English, Spanish, Arabic, Farsi, Punjabi and Portuguese.

For justice and peace,


Leslie P. Salgado, Chair
Howard County Friends of Latin America
P.O. Box 94
Columbia, MD 21045
http://friendsoflatinamerica.org

Ph: 410-381-4899

PS Feel free to share this information with your family and friends.
It is imperative that we know what is happening and that we protect
our constitutional rights!

"If you go to one demonstration and then go home, that's something,
but the people in power can live with that. What they can't live with
is sustained pressure that keeps building, organizations that keep
doing things, people that keep learning lessons from the last time
and doing it better the next time."

NOAM CHOMSKY



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