U.S. Attorney Escalates Attacks on Civil Liberties of Anti-War, Palestinian Human Rights ActivistsCall U.S. AttorneyPatrick Fitzgeraldfirst thingMonday morning!(contact info at bottom of this email) On Friday, May 6, the U.S. government froze the bank accounts of Hatem Abudayyeh and his wife, Naima.This unwarranted attack on a leading member of the Palestinian community inChicagois the latest escalation of the repression of anti-war and Palestinian community organizers by theFBI, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, and U.S.Attorney GeneralEric Holder. Hatem Abudayyeh is one of 23 activists fromMinnesota,Michigan, andIllinoissubpoenaed to afederal grand juryin Chicago, and his home was raided by the FBI in September of last year. Neither Hatem Abudayyeh nor Naima Abudayyeh have been charged with any crime.One of the bank accounts frozen was exclusively in Naima Abudayyehs name. Leaders of the national Committee to Stop FBI Repression, as well as Chicagos Coalition to Protect Peoples Rights are appalled at the governments attempt to restrict the familys access to its finances, especially so soon before Mothers Day. Not only does the governments action seriously disrupt the lives of the Abudayyehs and their five-year-old daughter, but it represents anattack on Chicagos Arab community and activist community and the fundamental rights of Americans tofreedom of speech.The persecution of the Abudayyeh family is anotherexample of the criminalization of Palestinians, their supporters, and their movement for justice and liberation. There has been widespread criticism of the FBI and local law enforcement for theirracial profilingand scapegoating of Arab and Muslim Americans. These repressive tactics include infiltration of community centers and mosques, entrapment of young men, and the prominent case of 11 students from the University of California campuses at Irvine and Riverside who have been subpoenaed to a grand jury and persecuted for disrupting a speech byMichael Oren, Israeli Ambassador to the US. The governments attempt to conflate the anti-war andhuman rights movementswith terrorism is a cynical attempt to capitalize on the current political climate in order to silence Palestinians and other people of conscience who exercise theirFirst Amendment rightsin a manner which does not conform to the administrations foreign policy agenda in theMiddle East. The issuance of subpoenas against the 23 activists has been met with widespread opposition and criticism across the country.Six members of the U.S. Congress, including five in the past month, have sent letters to either Holder or President Obama, expressing grave concern for the violations of thecivil libertiesand rights of the 23 activists whose freedom is on the line. Three additional U.S. representatives have also promised letters, as thousands of constituents and other people of conscience across the U.S. have demanded an end to this assault on legitimate political activism and dissent. Over 60Minnesota state legislatorsalso issued a resolution condemning the subpoenas.TheMidwestactivists have been expecting indictments for some time. The freezing of the Abudayyeh family's bank accounts suggests that the danger of indictments is imminent.Take actionMonday, May 9: Call U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald at312-353-5300. Then dial 0 (zero) for the operator and ask to leave a message with the Duty Clerk.Demand Fitzgerald-- Unfreeze the bank accounts of the Abudayyeh family and-- Stop repression against Palestinian, anti-war