This is my home city, Minneapolis: two years after the crazy attacks on the RNC protesters.
*Breaking News* At least four houses in Minneapolis raided, other houses in Michigan, NC, Chicago targeted.
On Friday morning, three houses in the Minneapolis area are believed to have been raided by SWAT Teams. While we have few details right now, the F.B.I. appears to be targeting people associated with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Besides the raids in Minneapolis, houses in Michigan, North Carolina and Chicago were also targeted.
Targeted individuals include people who were involved with protesting the 2008 Republican National convention in Minneapolis in 2008, and others who are a members of a group called the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
The FBI has indicated that they are targeting these individuals because of possible connections to terrorist groups.
Those interviewed say that they have provided absolutely no material support for terrorists.
They could probably use additional resources in defending themselves.
See also Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Among the homes raided were the apartments of Jessica Sundin, who was a principal leader of the mass march of 10,000 on the opening day of the Republican National Convention two years ago, and Mick Kelly, who was prominent in that protest and among those who announced plans to march on the Democratic National Convention in Minneapolis, if the city is selected to host it. Neither has been arrested.
From the Citypages blotter:
Steff Yorek, whose house was one of those searched, said she was still half-asleep at 7 a.m. when eight FBI agents came to her South Minneapolis home brandishing battering rams.
"I opened the door with my six-year-old daughter," she said. "She's still very upset."
Yorek said the searches constitute harassment of people involved in anti-war and international solidarity work. She and some of the other people whose homes were searched are associated with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
"I think this is about our opposition to U.S.-funded war and death squads in Columbia and our solidarity with Palestine," she said.
But Yorek said she hasn't done anything wrong. "We have done absolutely nothing that could be considered material support of terrorism," she said. "This is just harassment."
From Kare 11 news:
One of the apartments belonged to Mick Kelly, a well known anti war protestor who was shot by police with rubber bullets while he was protesting during the RNC in St. Paul in September of 2008. Kelly says the search warrant indicted that agents were looking for contacts with people who have traveled to Latin American countries. He says he has no idea why his apartment was searched.
Ten to 12 agents were involved in the search on Kelly's apartment. It took place while he was at work.
Search warrants in this investigation are sealed, so the FBI won't comment on what they're looking for and what, if anything, was seized.
Warfield does say there is no imminent threat to the community.