The Chatham Peace Initiative -a community gathering for peace . . . We are residents of Columbia County, NY, who first came together in the fall of 2002 to vigil in protest of the looming war in Iraq. We are deeply committed to peace and social justice and to the plight of detained immigrants.

Chatham Peace Initiative, P.O. Box 34, Chatham, NY 12037 www.chathampeace.org Write the webmaster poetapoetus@taconic.net if you want to get on our email list of upcoming events and actions.

Last updated 12/11/2009

Dr Rafil Dhafir, serving a 22 year prison sentence for breaking the Iraqi sanctions to help the children of Iraq, has had his appeal denied except for the sentencing portion which was vacated and sent back to the Federal district court in Syracuse, NY for possible consideration of resentencing. Click for information on Dr. Rafil Dhafir, unjustly imprisoned for 22 years for the false charge of Medicare fraud because he sent aid to Iraq during the US/UN sanctions.

CLICK to sign a petition for Dr. Dhafir which asks Syracuse district court Judge Mordue to commute his sentence to time served.

Against the two opinions (http://www.chathampeace.org/05-5965-cr_opn.pdf ; http://www.chathampeace.org/05-5965_so.pdf ) of the appellate court in Manhattan his lawyers have filed petitions which can be viewed here:

http://www.chathampeace.org/USPetPanelReh093009.pdf ;

http://www.chathampeace.org/Petition_for_Rehearing-Final.pdf

Click on http://www.chathampeace.org/rafil dhafir's grand jury indictment.pdf for the grand jury indictment. Click for Rafil’s appeal brief submitted to 2^nd district federal court. Click on http://www.chathampeace.org/usdhafirbrief ca2.pdf for the government’s reply. Click on http://www.chathampeace.org/05-5965.reply-forecf.pdf for Rafil’s attorney’s reply brief.

Following the denial above Rafil’s lawyers filed a rehearing petition but this too was in fact denied on Nov. 30, 2009 and the government's similar petition was denied on December 2, 2009. So officially 12/9/2009 -- when Rafil’s lawyer received word of these orders in the mail -- is the day the case is officially returned ("remanded") to Judge Mordue for his further consideration.

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Link to video of the Justice Robert Jackson Conference for the Planning of the Prosecution of High Level American War Criminals

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www.projectsalam.org, set up to free the innocent Muslims unjustifiably serving long prison sentences, has composed its second petition and needs your signatures! It lists five scores of Muslim men and women who should be released including: Dr. Rafil Dhafir, Yassin Aref, Mohammed Hossain, Dr. Sami Al-Arian, Syed Hashmi and Aafia Siddiqui.

For the Latest on convicting Bush and Cheney go to http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/39585

The Chatham Peace Initiative holds a vigil every Saturday from 12-1 PM on the village green in Chatham NY under the clock tower, next to the old railroad station. We protest against any war or violence as a solution to the world's problems. This vigil also supports the prosecution of the Bush Administration for war crimes. We have extra signs.

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Vincent Bugliosi’s latest book is “The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder” Here is a review of it by Bob Elmendorf, treasurer of CPI.

If you, like most people who are desirous of seeing the President impeached, which in any event could lead to some kind of deal or pardon, have given up on that outcome, Mr. Bugliosi’s book is the perfect antidote for your frustration.

According to Democracy Now “In his career at the LA County District Attorney’s office, he successfully prosecuted 105 of 106 felony jury trials, including twenty-one murder convictions without a single loss.” Mr. Bugliosi brings that experience and a thorough knowledge of the law and couples it with evidence that the President lied that Iraq was an imminent threat to show how a murder charge could be brought by any county district attorney in the country that had a soldier who had been killed Iraq. Although the book has copious footnotes and annotations, it is enlivened by Mr. Bugliosi’s unbridled scorn for the President which manifests itself in fulminations of peppery adjectives. The arguments are easy to follow because he explains legal terms carefully, and shows you how he would conduct the trial depending on which choices the President made to defend himself.

All that is required now is for some District Attorney to take the initiative, and Mr. Bugliosi volunteers to help in any way he can.

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Click for information on the cases of Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain both sentenced to 15 years on evidence that Albany and Schenectady newspaper editorials said was non existent. Click for a special website on Yassin Aref.

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Call Congressional Switch Board free 1- 800-828-0498 and ask for your congresswoman/man or senator to oppose the funding of the escalation in Afghanistan.

DONATIONS

We are in need of donations to cover the expense of speakers, meeting room rental, mailings, phone calls and printing.

Donations can be made out to Chatham Peace Initiative and mailed to: Bob Elmendorf, , PO Box 76, Malden Bridge, NY 12115.

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