Green Party USA elected Coordinator targeted as "terrorist"-denied rights

GREEN PARTY USA ELECTED COORDINATOR DETAINED AT AIRPORT

PREVENTED BY ARMED MILITARY FROM FLYING TO GREENS GNC MEETING IN CHICAGO

"I was targeted because the Green Party USA opposes the bombing of innocent

civilians in Afghanistan."

--Nancy Oden



(The Green Party USA statement on the war against Afghanistan is at

http://www.greenparty.org/911.html

They are the original Green Party in the U.S. since 1986)

==========

PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL MEDIA AND LISTSERVES. THANX (Mitchel Cohen)

The Greens / Green Party USA

226 South Wabash, 6th floor

PO Box 1406,

Chicago, Illinois 60690

Toll-free Phone: 1-866-GREENS-2

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 2, 2001

MEDIA ALERT:

GREEN PARTY USA will hold press conference in CHICAGO

SATURDAY, NOV. 3

10 a.m.

at the J. Ira and Nicki Family Hostel

24 East Congress Parkway (at Wabash), 2nd floor

------------------------------------------------

GREEN PARTY USA COORDINATOR DETAINED AT AIRPORT

PREVENTED BY ARMED MILITARY FROM FLYING TO GREENS MEETING IN CHICAGO

Armed government agents grabbed Nancy Oden, Green Party USA coordinating

committee member, Thursday at Bangor International Airport in Bangor Maine,

as she attempted to board an American Airlines flight to Chicago.

"An official told me that my name had been flagged in the computer," a

shaken Oden said. "I was targeted because the Green Party USA opposes the

bombing of innocent civilians in Afghanistan."

Oden, a long-time organic farmer and peace activist in northern Maine, was

ordered away from the plane. Military personnel with automatic weapons

surrounded Oden and instructed all airlines to deny her passage on ANY

flight. "I was told that the airport was closed to me until further notice

and that my ticket would not be refunded," Oden said.

Oden is scheduled to speak in Chicago Friday night on a panel concerning

pesticides as weapons of war. She had helped to coordinate the Green Party

USA's antiwar efforts these past few months, and was to report on these to

The Greens national committee. "Not only did they stop me at the airport

but some mysterious party had called the hotel and cancelled my

reservation," Oden said.

The Greens National Committee -- the governing body of the Green Party USA

-- is meeting in Chicago Nov. 2-4 to hammer out the details of national

campaigns against bio-chemical warfare, the spraying of toxic pesticides,

genetic engineering, and the Party's involvement in the burgeoning peace

movement.

"I am shocked that US military prevented one of our prominent Green Party

members from attending the meeting in Chicago," said Elizabeth Fattah, a

GPUSA representative from Pennsylvania who drove to Chicago. "I am outraged

at the way the Bill of Rights is being trampled upon."

Chicago Green activist Lionel Trepanier concluded, "The attack on the right

of association of an opposition political party is chilling. The harassment

of peace activists is reprehensible."

For further information, please call 1-866-GREENS-2 (toll-free)

-30-