CITIZEN ACTIVISTS CONFER WITH US ATTORNEY URGING AN INDICTMENT AGAINST U.S. PRESIDENT, CIA DIRECTOR, AND OTHERS FOR WAR CRIMES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Max Obuszewski 410-366-1637 mobuszewski@verizon.net

Malachy Kilbride 571-501-3729 malachykilbride@yahoo.com

Joy First 608-239-4327 joyfirst5@gmail.com

WHO: Members of the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance (NCNR) and others have taken action to call attention to, and bring an end to the crimes of the United States government since the Iraq war began in 2003.

WHAT: On Tuesday, May 21 members of NCNR went to the U.S. Attorney’s office at the Federal Courthouse in Alexandria, VA to deliver a criminal complaint and call for an investigation into the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) by the CIA. NCNR maintains that the Obama Administration and the CIA drone program is in violation of U.S. and international law.

They met with Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene Rossi who officially received the complaint and will be delivering it directly to his superior US Attorney Neil MacBride. MacBride is responsible for the jurisdiction where the CIA is located in Virginia, and the activists were told by Rossi that MacBride will make a decision on whether to move forward with an investigation.

WHY: Members of NCNR are joining activists around the world calling for an end to U.S. attacks by killer drones, with thousands of documented deaths already in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, and other places around the globe, including over 200 children in Pakistan alone. The CIA is directly responsible for many of these extrajudicial killings.

The activists told Rossi that they have contacted members of Congress, The White House, and the Department of Justice in attempts to address their concerns about the violations of the law and the victims of US drone strikes. The activists also told Rossi that the unjustifiable killings are making Americans less safe and will lead to vendettas against them. This is why they went to the US Attorney’s Office they said.

"…I have always taken the responsibilities of "citizenship" seriously...I have always voted; I have always advocated and lobbied for important issues with our elected officials. Today, I, along with other activists, have taken the unprecedented step of filing a criminal complaint at the US Attorney's office in Alexandria, VA against President Obama and CIA Director John Brennan for 'crimes against humanity' in their illegal and immoral targeting through US armed drones of citizens in [other]countries… Our objective is the immediate stop (cessation) of all US armed drone activity." said Jack McHale a Virginia resident and member of the national Catholic peace organization, Pax Christi (Pentagon area chapter).

Code Pink activist David Barrows of Washington, DC said, “People outside of this country are of no less value than we are, and justice must be served.”

McHale and Barrows were joined by NCNR activists Joy First of Wisconsin, Malachy Kilbride of Virginia, Max Obuszewski of Maryland, and Manijeh Saba of New Jersey. NCNR members will be following up with today’s filed complaint and encourages activists in other places to take similar actions.

###