Solidarity action for Silvia, Billy and Costa on 24 February

FSBC Comm. | 

On 24 February there will be a solidarity action at the Swiss embassy for Silvia, Billy and Costa .

On the 15th of April 2010 Silvia Guerini, Luca Bernasconi (called Billy) and Costantino Ragusa (called Costa) have been arrested nearby Zurich, in Switzerland. Their car was stopped and searched by the police that found explosives, gas bottles, incendiary devices and communiques signed ELF Switzerland. From the communique is clear the intention to attack the construction site of the new IBM research center of nanotechnologies in Ruschlikon, Zurich.

Since then are kept in three different prisons, under very strict restrictions, especially the censorship on the post that makes the communication very slow and limited at 3 letters a week. The investigation should come to an end in February 2011, but it isn’t known yet the date of the trial. The charges are not official yet but probably they will be: possession and transport of explosive materials and poisoning gas, attempted arson and attempted explosive attack.
Since Silvia and Costa are Italians and the three of them were very active in Italy, the Italian government opened an other investigation with the charges of 270bis, that’s the Italian anti-terrorist law.

The three vegan anarchists, have been part, since many years, in the animal liberation and earth liberation movements. Active also in the fight against Morini, breading farm for vivisection; AIP campaign against the fur industry; Coalizione contro le nocivitá, campaign against bio and nanotechnologies and nuclear power. They are also part of the editorial collective of an anti-civilization journal called Terra Selvaggia.

Even if they have been isolated, they managed to organize two coordinated hunger strikes, the first one from the 10th of September 2010 for maximum 10 days, the second one from the 6th of December to the 12th of December 2010, both with Marco Camenisch, green anarchist in prison in Switzerland since 2003.

May our solidarity break into the thick walls of their jails, may the solidarity actions multiply, may the struggle continue stronger than before.

NOT A STEP BACKWARDS! FREEDOM FOR SILVIA, BILLY AND COSTA!

On February 24th there is a solidarity protest outside the Swiss Embassy (16-18 Montagu Place, London W1H 2BQ at 5:00pm. Banners and flags will be provided.

(en/fr) France – FIRE DEVASTATES CONTRACT RESEARCH ORGANIZATION

culmine.noblogs.org/post/2011/01/23/france-fire-devastates-contract-research-organization/

* directaction.info
translation of anonymous communique (photos: Le Progrès.fr):
January 21, 2011 – France
“One night, our team of 6, 2 lookouts, 4 actors, placed 2 incendiary devices (gas canisters) in the administration building at BIOMATECH (vivisectors).
5 stakeouts were necessary for this action in honor of Costa, Billy and Silvia.
BIOMATECH, based in France, kill thousands of dogs, rabbits, sheep, pigs, ponies…
We will not let them commit their crimes or allow the proposed expansion of this torture center.
ARM“
French:
“Une nuit, notre team de 6, 2 sentinelles, 4 exécutants, a placé 2 dispositifs incendiaries (bouteilles de gaz) dans le department exécutif de BIOMATECH (vivisecteurs).
5 repérages furent nécessaries pour cette action en honneur à Costa, Billy et Silvia.
BIOMATECH, basé en France, massacre des milliers de chiens, lapins, moutons, cochons, poneys…
Nous n’allons pas les laisser perpétrer leurs crimes et laisser faire le projet d’extension de ce centre de torture.
ARM”
The newspaper Le Progrès reported that the fire, which occurred early on December 12, destroyed two floors of the administration building. Biomatech’s administration building is separate from the laboratory facility.
Biomatech is partially owned by NAMSA (North American Science Associates). In the U.S., NAMSA reported using over 17,000 guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, dogs, sheep and pigs in research and testing in 2009.

Switzerland - media hype for the bomb at the embassy in Rome

culmine

31/10/2010 - translation from German by Marco Camenisch. Article taken from "20 Minutes", a free newspaper of the German-speaking Switzerland, 13 or October 14, 2010, news quickly picked up by national TV teletext.

ROME / BERN. The Swiss Embassy in Rome is in turmoil: in front of the door an incendiary bomb was found. There may be left-wing extremists behind the attack.The incendiary bomb was deposited on the night of October 5 on the wall that surrounds the Swiss Embassy in Rome. Although it did not explode, it has caused great concern. The embassy immediately called the Italian police. The latter have opened an investigation. According to the spokesman of the Department for Foreign affairs, the embassy had received no warning. There is talk of a "rudimentary incendiary gimmick". For further information, we are referred to the police of Rome. The spokesman reacted angrily to the questions of "20 Minuti" and says "There were bottles filled with a flammable liquid. Behind the attempted attack there would be left-wing extremists. On similar forums, they say they regret that the incendiary bomb did not explode. Near the embassy there would be a sign demanding the release of "Billy, Silvia Costa and Marco" - those left-wing extremists who were allegedly planning the April attack on an IBM laboratory in Rüschlikon. Two of them are Italian. Also included is Marco Camenisch, who since the late '70s, has participated in several attacks on high voltage pylons. All four are in Swiss prisons. Although the bomb did not blow up, these actions are, according to the expert on these environments Samuel Althof of the special clinic for the prevention of extremism and violence, to be taken seriously. "Often extremists on the left use minor actions to send a message to announce a possible escalation of violence." article from 20 Minuten http://www.20min.ch/news/schweiz/story/31367204

New transferral in Swiss prisons

http://bristolabc.wordpress.com/2010/10/21/new-transferral-in-swiss-prisons/

Billy and Costa and have been transferred. At the moment we do not know why. The new addresses are:
Luca Bernasconi (Billy)
c/o Regionalgefängnis Bern
Genfergasse 22
3001 Bern
Switzerland
Costantino Ragusa
c/o Regionalgefängnis Thun
Allmendstr. 34
3600 Thun
Switzerland

Switzerland – ICELANDIC EMBASSY ATTACKED IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE RVK9

culmine

During the night of the 13th october, in the city center of Bern, Switzerland, the icelandic embassy has been attacked.The lock was glued and “free rvk9″ was spraypainted on the maindoor of the building.
FUCK THE POLITICIANS AND THE COPS!AGAINST ALL STATE REPRESSION!SOLIDARITY WITH THE REYKJAVÍK 9, ACCUSED OF HAVING ATTACKED THE ICELANDIC PARLIAMENT.
AGAINST THE OPPRESSION OF HUMYNS, ANIMALS AND EARTH!
AGAINST THE HEAVY INDUSTRY, THAT ALSO IN ICELAND IS DESTROYING THE WILDERNESS.
FREEDOM FOR BILLY, SILVIA, COSTA AND MARCO!
FOR THE ANARCHY!

Important update: Marco Camenisch has been transferred

Dear comrades,
Marco Camenisch has been transferred from Zurich to a high  security prison in Orbe, without even giving him the time to get ready or tell anyone! This happens after 8 years in Zurich, out of the blue and without any warning!

We don’t know the reasons for this, but can make our own conclusions. We think this is due to his recent hunger strike together with Silvia, Billy and Costa; to the international mobilisations around long-term revolutionary prisoners; to his long-term committment and his contacts with the international movement. Once again the system is trying to isolate him, by transferring him to a high security prison far away.

Solidarity is our weapon: let’s use this weapon by sending cards and greetings to Marco.

Marco Camenisch
Penitencier de Bochuz
Case Postale 150
1350 Orbe
Switzerland

Original article: International Red Aid

SOLIDARITY DEMO IN Zurich for Billy, Costa, Silvia and Marco on hunger strike in prison

Zurigo – Carcere di Regensdorf, 19 settembre

Juan Carlos Rico Rodriguez: In Solidarity with Marco Camenisch

17 09 2010 From Hommodolars Contrainformación (September 16, 2010):
Marco Camenisch has spent almost twenty years in prison. Like thousands of prisoners locked up in dozens of States, Marco should be on the streets. If he’s not, it’s because the Swiss State (just like any other State) systematically violates the “laws” it has made regarding the “fulfillment of sentences.” In practical terms, this means that once the threshold of the prison grounds is crossed, “laws” are only that—long-winded manuscripts whose real function is to facilitate State Crime and institutionalized murder, under the cover of “morals” and a certain “legal” legitimacy. Unfortunately, this is an indisputable reality that can be verified by the many prisoners with decades of captivity behind us who are—lucky?—to (still) be “alive.”
The only “Universal Law” that governs prison life is the social and physical death of prisoners.
With this short reflection, I simply want to highlight that by not eating on September 18 and 19 I will be joining the international days of action for the liberation of Marco Camenisch, which I extend to all the imprisoned comrades who are paying with their lives for taking a stand and struggling against a global socioeconomic-“cultural” System that has only brought about inequality, pain, and death for millions of human beings, as well as the gradual destruction of the planet we inhabit.
FREE MARCO CAMENISCH NOW!

Fire to the System!
—Juan Carlos Rico Rodriguez, Valdemoro Prison Slaughterhouse (Block 4)

Hunger strikes in Swiss prisons by anarchist prisoners Marco, Billy, Costa and S

Eco-anarchist prisoners Marco Camenisch, Luca Bernasconi, Costantino Ragusa and Silvia Guerini started an hunger strike the past 10th September.

Communique':

We - Billy, Costa, Silvia and Marco - eco-anarchist and revolutionary individuals hostages of the Swiss state have decided to start a hunger strike from 10th September 2010. Because of our situation and the delay in communicating with each other (which for 3 of us means we can't communicate with each other at all because we're under preventative arrest), the arrangements and organisation of this initiative are very difficult and most probably you will only be able to have more detailed news, confirmations, and individual declarations only later on during the month.

As revolutionary anarchist individuals this is what we want to affirm strongly:

Solidarity and international participation - from the inside and beyond each individual's political inclination - with all revolutionary initiatives and struggles, outside and inside, against repression, prison, isolation, torture...For the liberation of all those who are hostages of the revolutionary war against the system; for the liberation of every individual; for the destruction of every prison, fence and society that needs destructing. This includes our total support and solidarity with the recent liberation campaigns for long-term revolutionary prisoners.

This strike is a continuation of our struggles together with all those who have never wanted to passively endure this war and the brutal social, economic, political and environmental crisis of the system. It's a continuation of all those strong affinities and relationships as "green/anticivilisation" anarchist individuals that connect us since many years. Against every state, priest and master; against every prison and repression; against the exploitation of humankind, animals and the environment.

The coalition - among us and with other individuals - in a radical war against all old and new toxicity and destruction and the system that produces them and makes them necessary. We mean this present system of technoscientific production, industrial, capitalistic, monopolistic and imperialist consumerism practiced by corporations and their States. Despite the fact that, with their typical arrogance and deceit, the masters and their arselickers try to paint these things as humanitarian, necessary and sustainable practices - we're talking about scientists, the media, politicians, cops, priest and all those organisations paid by and/or allies in the masters' "democratic dialogue" who support, for example, biotech and GMO's, "alternative energies", and even nuclear energy! Despite the fact that this imperialist, warmongering and terrorist system of masters, institutions and accomplices defines as "vandals", "terrorists", "eco-terrorists", and so on, us and anyone who dissents, resists and struggles for a society of free, autonomous individuals, without slavery, oppression, exploitation and destruction!

Our radical critique and struggle against the roots of the present system - the destructive expression of a millenary anthropocentric civilisation based on technological and industrial dominion (production-consumption), patriarchal domestication, social control and classism, massification and carceration of our cities, exploitation, organised violence and war of man against man, man against woman, man against other species, against nature, and the rest of the universe.

Last, but certainly not least: This initiative is also a contribution in solidarity and greeting to all of you revolutionary individuals of every inclination that - as individuals or in groups - support us with your true and free revolutionary love, with your initiatives, with your resistance and revolutionary offensive in open dayligh or open nightlight, by any means necessary, against every expression of the Monster State and Capital.

Together we're strong, solidarity is our best weapon!

Write to them:
Silvia Guerini, Regionalgefängnis Biel, Spitalstrasse 20, 2502 Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
Costantino Ragusa, Regionalgefängnis Bern, Genfergasse 22, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland
Luca Bernasconi (Billy), Regionalgefängnis Thun, Allmendstr. 34, 3600 Thun, Switzerland

Bristol ABC'er
Homepage: http://bristolabc.wordpress.com

Call-out for international solidarity with anarchist prisoner Marco Camenisch

Bristol ABC'

Marco Camenisch, known for his active role in the anti-nuclear movement of the 70s, has been a political prisoner for almost 20 years. As a militant green anarchist he has been taking part in struggles, campaigns and protests in and outside prison during all these years. He is currently detained in Regensdorf, near Zurich.

In two years Marco should be granted conditional release (which is the norm in the Swiss prison system). However his situation is a particular one: he's been refused all special privileges and preparatory measures for release. The medical treatment he needs continues to be insufficient (Marco has cancer). Day releases and parole are refused on the grounds that he does not renounce his political convictions and has to many friends all over the world who might help him escape - yet having good social contacts is one of the criteria for conditional release.

The juridical authorities give the strong impression that conditional release is only granted to broken and/or conformist prisoners. This tendency can be observed with nearly all political prisoners: prisoners defending their political identity are buried alive in prison although they have served their sentence already, with the only purpose of weakening them and the progressive movements they come from, and to keep up the fear of prison. Some examples among many: Leonard Peltier in the States, Action Directe prisoners in France, the Basque prisoners in the Spanish state.

Together with the International Red Aid, we therefore call for international solidarity with Marco and all long-standing prisoners in other countries. We do not want to lose the prospect of a society without prisons.

International day of action on September 18 2010.

Solidarity is a weapon!

Friends and supporters of Marco Camenisch, June 2010

To write to Marco (remember to put sender's address):

Marco Camenisch
Postfach 3143
CH-8105 Regensdorf
Switzerland

Bristol ABC'er
Homepage: http://bristolabc.wordpress.com/

Sunday, 17 January 2010 Explosive attack on pylon near Santiago prison

Society possesses various sticks. The one used to kidnap different beings is prison, where solitude and sadness reign.
The maginificent panopticon has seen a small flash of light at very close quarters. We hope that it broke the routine and stole a few complicit smiles from those who find themselves locked up for trying to expropriate something of their existence, for not submitting to the torture of work, and that the screws felt it on their skins, which is as sensitive as that of any other.
The place, a high voltage pylon, one of the reflexes of power, so our enemy. The chains of authority can be found in every breath. Liberation must be total, both for the earth and animals, humans and non humans.
We attacked very close to the prison of Santiago with an explosive device composed of an extinctor full of black powder and a detonator consisting of sulphuric acid in a condom and crushed match heads. Prison is not just a great edifice that is holding our comrades Axel, Pablo, Matias, Cristian, Flora (a particularly big hug). Authority takes many forms, it is also in each one of the institutions of the State starting from the family, then school, the psychiatric clinics and why not, even yourself. You can be your own prison warder. And as if that wasn’t enough, they are building prisons for children.
(...)
Our brotherly love to every individual that takes a position against any kind of authority, from the most simple gesture. We are launching an appeal for the free association of individuals as the way to organise oneself in contrast to the relations imposed by society, reflected from the genesis of our lives. To the warriors arrested in Mexico, who localised and attacked the enemy, power, and with it civilisation. Abraham and Fermin, a fraternal and antiauthoritarian embrace. We salute every action of solidarity with the last hunger strike. The spaces of power contiue to be struck without fear or respect. To Diego, may your flight be eternal, brother. You have offered us another choice and, even if we can’t see your smile, we hear your scornful laughter. To your memory, wild Mauricio Morales.
Against all authority: revolt and insurrection.
For the destruction of power and civilisation.
For the destruction of the prisons of humans, animal and the earth.
Marco Camenish Insurrectional Brigade

Who is Marco Camenisch?

By Friends & Supporters of Marco Cemenisch

Marco Camenisch was born in 1952 at Schiers and raised in a petit bourgeois environment in Canton Graubünden (Switzerland). Marco started to develop his radical thinking at an early age and in high school Marco began to reject the careerist conceit and elitist thinking that prevailed within the school. He left school to start an apprenticeship as a farmer at "plantahof" school. Here he opposed the notion that fertilizing must be done with chemicals. To escape the society he found himself within, Marco went to Alps becoming a free spirit. However soon after rejecting modern society, by going into the Alps, Marco realized that the conditions he apposed would not change as long as people are not actively resisting them.

In the late 1970s, Marco joined the movement against nuclear power plants and teamed up with the militants who were taking direct action against the power plants. Their tactics included cutting down the nuclear power pylons and sabotage to the actual power stations, as well as targetting individuals who advocated nuclear power.

In January 1980, along with others, Marco was arrested, and after a year on remand, the Court of Canton in Chur/Graubünden found him guilty of using explosives to destroy a pylon and a power station in Bad Ragaz. For this Marco was sentenced to ten years imprisonment. A co-defendant was given a 7.5 year prison sentence.

During his trial Marco had refused to cooperate with judicial authority because he didn't acknowledge their legitimacy. Also in court he made a statement in which he linked anti-nuclear direct action with the struggle to prevent ecological destruction and the struggle against the whole capitalist social order.

The courts hoped that by jailing Marco they'd manage to stop him. However, in December 1981, together with 5 other prisoners, Marco succeded in escaping from the prison of Regensdorf near Zurich. During the escape there was a shoot out in which a prison warder died and another was seriously injured. Marco was not part of the group that shot the warden.

Following his escape from prison Marco lived a clandestine existance, for ten years, carrying out several actions on the Italian/Swiss boarder to advance his revolutionary beliefs.

In 1989, Swiss Federal Police and the media claimed that Marco was responsible for the killing of a Swiss border police officer at Brusio.

Then in November 1992, in the Toscana area of Italy, the Carabinieri (Italian police) surrounded the place Marco was staying in and after a shoot out Marco was finally captured. But rather than extraditing Marco straight back to Switzerland, the Italian authorities put Marco on trial where he was found guilty of destroying several nuclear electricity pylons in Italy and for this, in April 1993, he was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. For the duration of his imprisonment in Italy Marco was kept in solitary confinement in high security prisons.

In April 2002, having served his sentence in Italy, Marco was extradited to Switzerland.

Following his extradition, firstly Marco was taken to the high security prison of Pfäffikon near Zurich. Then to the prison in Thorberg near Bern. In January 2003, after a hunger strike against the poor conditions of his imprisonment, and after several direct actions carried out internationally in solidarity of Marco, the authorities transferred him to the prison in Chur and improved the conditions. However the improved conditions were only short lived and the authorities soon re-transferred Marco back to prison in Pfäffikon, where they cancelled all the improvements that Marco had struggled for.

In September 2003 the Italian Carabinieri carried out 50 raids against suspected eco-activists who they accused of carrying out radical eco-actions including the destruction of skiing resorts, incinerators, mobile phone masks, TV towers, etc. The authorities also raided Marco's Swiss prison cell accusing him of being the mastermind behind all these actions. It was widely believed at the time that these high profile raids were carried out as an attempt to try and destroy the international solidarity which supported Marco. But rather than weakening Marco's support it merely strengthed the support. So in November 2003 Marco was moved to yet another prison.

In May 2004 Marco was put on trialo accused of both murdering the Swiss boarder guard who died in 1989 and the attempted murder of a prison warden during his escape in 1981. At the end of the trial, in June 2004, Marco was found Not Guilty of the attempted murder of the prison guard, but Guilty of the boarder guards murder. He was given an additional 17 years prison sentence (to run consecutively with the ten year sentence issued to him in 1980 for blowing up the pylons) and shortly after his sentencing he was moved to yet another prison this time in Regensdorf where he remains today.

It should be noted that after all the years in prison, Marco, who calls himself an anarchist, has never let the authorities change his mind about his political convinctions. Instead of this, whilst behind bars, he has stayed a political activist. By means of writing letters, he has organized a far-reaching network of political and personal relations. The bad conditions of imprisonment that he has been and still is subjected to in Switzerland clearly pursue an objective by the authorities. The authorities want to break Marco. They hate the fact he has remained steadfast to his political identity and they loath his continued refusal to cooperate with the judicial authority and for this they want to break him both politically and personally.

It is up to the international prisoner support movement to make sure Marco receives all the support he can get and to remind the authorities that the support for Marco is as strong as ever.

The original version of this article was written by friends and supporters of Marco Camenisch in April 2003. It was revised slightly in March 2004 for clarity of reading.

Statement by Italian Eco-Prisoner Marco Camenish

A statement dated February 2002. The statement reads:

"To the comrades
To authority of repression

On 18th AprilI'll have served a sentence of 12 years in Italy and I'll be extradited to Switzerland for to be submitted to various trials with accusations that provides life sentences too.

I do not recognise any legitimacy to Government and repressive machine, consequently I'll exclude any statements in front of this machine and their representatives, except perhaps spontaneously in public/before a court.

I warn the repressive body not to repeat the extortion of false statements from my family, especially from my elderly mother and from my brother, both not able to be interrogated due to health reasons, through pressures and coercion like it happened after the death of a member of the Swiss Financial Police in 1989, for which I'm charged.

Due to personal reasons like being too old, a prejudicated health and social responsibilities and needs, it would not be possible and reasonable for me and that long before, to take up arms and underground life again, in the antiauthoritarian struggle. But I continue to revenge the necessity of a radical antiauthoritarian struggle against rule and exploitation always more aggressive and destructive (now by technological capitalism and his total war against individual, societies, cultures and environments of the Earth community) and for ANOTHER NECESSARY WORLD, necessarily based on solidarity and antiauthoritarian and fair relationship among all individuals and communities of the things, the non-human and human lives, that from the terrestrial community."

Should anyone be interested, letters of support for Marco can be sent to:

Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland

A LETTER FROM MARCO CAMENISCH

End of February 2002

To the comrades,
To the authority of repression,
   On the 18th of April, I’ll have served a sentence of 12 years in Italy and I’ll be extradited to Switzerland to be submitted to various trials with accusations that carry life sentences too.
   I do not recognize any legitimacy for government and the repressive machine, consequently I’ll exclude any statements in front of this machine and its representatives, except perhaps spontaneously in public, before the court.
   I warn the repressive body not to repeat the extortion of false statements from my family, especially from my elderly mother and from my brother, both not able to be interrogated due to health reasons, through pressure and coercion, as happened after the death of a member of the Swiss Financial Police in 1989, for which I’m charged.
   Due to personal reasons, like being too old, prejudiced health and social responsibilities and needs, it would not be possible and responsible for me and that long before, to take up arms and underground life again, in the antiauthoritarian struggle. But I continue to vindicate the necessity of a radical antiauthoritarian struggle against rule and exploitation always more aggressive and destructive (now through technological capitalism and its total war against individuals, societies, cultures and environments of the Earth community) and for ANOTHER NECESSARY WORLD, necessarily based on solidarity and antiauthoritarian and fair relationships among all individuals and communities of things, the non-human and human lives, that form the terrestrial community.
Marco Camenisch
viale dei tigli 14
13900 Biella
Italy