A longtime community activist was arrested recently after a search warrant turned up a firearm in his possession. He alleges the FBI is targeting him for political reasons and the search warrant was just an excuse to enter his home and take personal items.

At 5 a.m. on May 17, Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at the Alhambra home of Carlos Montes, 63. He was arrested for being a convicted felon in possession of a gun, according to Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the LA County Sheriff’s Department.

Montes says he is innocent and told EGP he had registered the World War II era gun with the Alhambra police department.

Montes claims his front door war destroyed and a SWAT squad ransacked his home taking numerous personal items and other mementos of his activism.

An FBI agent accompanied the SWAT squad and questioned him regarding his political activities, Montes said.

Activist Carlos Montes, center, joined supporters who accused the FBI of targeting peace activists like they did during the 1960s and 1970s. (EGP photo by Gloria Angelina Castillo)

“This is political persecution taking place. The fact that the FBI was there with the County Sheriffs’ SWAT squad on a minor violation of the penal code, where they tore down the door and ransacked my house, took my computer, took my computer files, took my cell phone. They looked at my family albums from the movement, from the Chicano Moratorium, the Community Service Organization, May 1st Southern California Immigration Coalition. It’s political persecution,” Montes told EGP on May 20.

Montes declined to comment on his prior conviction, but during an interview with Telemundo’s Rubén Luengas he said the conviction was related to a 1979 student rally at East Los Angeles College after which he was charged for assaulting an officer.

Numerous organizations gathered in front of the Los Angeles Federal Building on May 20 to show solidarity and support for Montes. Other longtime activists vouched for Montes’ good character.

Rudy Pisani, a drafted Korean War veteran, said Montes is an honest man and the whole incident is a frame up.

“He is a very patriotic Chicano. What they are doing is an embarrassment. It is a crime, not just against him, but also against the entire community. It is a crime against the progressive community because we stand for justice for peace, we are against the war and against immigration raids,” he said.

Erick Gardner, a young activist and writer for Fight Back News!, said citizens like Montes are being targeted throughout the country.

“Carlos has now been swept up in an attack that includes 23 other people in Minneapolis, Chicago and they might extend further,” Gardner said. He asked Montes’ supporters to sign a “pledge of resistance” and to join an Emergency Response Network.

Ron Gochez, of the Southern California Immigration Coalition (SCIC), said the raid of Montes’ home and his interrogation was an effort to intimidate him and others.

“I just wonder if the FBI goes and kicks down the door of the executive directors of some of these non-profit organizations. They don’t go and kick down the bed of some of these folks who are in bed with the Democratic Party,” said Gochez. “… They know that Carlos Montes represents a threat to the system, and that’s why all of us are here to back him up.”

The FBI would not comment and referred all media questions to the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. “The arrest and search warrants were filed with the state, not federally, so I’ll defer to LASD for any comment,” Laura Eimiller, FBI Press Relations, told EGP in an email.

Montes has for years been vocal on a gamut of national and local issues, including the Chicano Movement, anti-war and anti-police brutality activities, pro immigration reform efforts, and solidarity with activists in Columbia who have denounced human rights violations and the killing of peace activists. Most recently, Montes helped lead protests denouncing the LAPD’s role in the death of Manuel Jamines in the MacArthur Park area, and in support of UTLA teacher proposals for school reform in East LA.

His supporters are demanding the charges against him be dropped. They plan to protest out side the Alhambra Court House on June 16 when he has his first court appearance, according to the recently formed Los Angeles Committee to Stop FBI Repression.

Source: EGP News

From The International Action Center:

SIGN the new online petitionat iacenter.org/stopfbi

Sample petition text (you will be able to modify it if you like):

To: U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald, President Barack Obama, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder,

cc: Vice President Biden, DOJ Inspector General Fine, the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, Congressional Leaders, the Congressional Black Caucus, U.N. Secy Gen Ban, and members of the media

• Drop All Charges against Carlos Montes, and immediately return all of his property!
• Stop the attack on the Chicano and immigrant rights movements!
• Call Off the Chicago Grand Jury and Stop the Expanding Witchhunt against anti-war and International Solidarity Activists!
• Hands Off Palestine Solidarity Activists!
• Throw Out the reactiviated subpoenas against Tracy Molm, Ann Pham and Sarah Martin in Minneapolis, and ALL of the 14 subpoenas from the September 24 FBI raids of homes of anti-war and international solidarity activists.
• Immediately return all confiscated materials: computers, cell phones, papers, documents, etc.
• End the grand jury proceedings against anti-war activists.

I am writing to oppose the continuation and expansion of the FBI campaign of harassment of immigrant rights, anti-war and Palestine and other International Solidarity Activists, including the raid on the home of Carlos Montes and his arrest and the confiscation of his property, the 9 added subpoenas in the Chicago area, and reactivation of 3 of the original 14 subpoenas from the September 24 FBI raids of anti-war and international solidarity activists' homes.

These activists are guilty of no crime but opposition to U.S. foreign policy. On Friday, September 24, 2010 the FBI raided seven houses and an office in Chicago and Minneapolis. The FBI served subpoenas to testify before a federal grand jury to 13 activists in Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan. The FBI also attempted to intimidate activists in California, Wisconsin and North Carolina. This is not the action of a lone prosecutor. The raids were coordinated nationally, spanned several cities, and many other activists have been visited and personally threatened by the FBI.

The FBI confiscated computers, email and mailing lists, cell phones , cameras, videos, books, and passports. This is a dangerous attack on the constitutional rights of free speech of every social justice, antiwar and human rights activist and organization in the U.S. today. The right to speak, meet and write opinions is guaranteed under the constitution.

This suppression of civil rights is aimed at those who dedicate their time and energy to supporting the struggles of the Palestinian and Colombian peoples against U.S. funded occupation and war. Grand Jury subpoenas investigating material support of terrorism are being used to silence highly respected and well known human rights activists. This is a dangerous national effort to shut down growing opposition to U.S. wars. It cannot be allowed.

The FBI and the Grand Jury are threatening courageous individuals who have written and spoken publicly to broaden understanding of social justice issues of war and occupation. The activists are involved with many groups, including: the Twin Cities Anti-War Committee, the Palestine Solidarity Group, the Colombia Action Network, Students for a Democratic Society, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization. These activists came together with many others to organize the 2008 anti-war marches on the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.

The FBI and the U.S. government must end this campaign of intimidation against anti-war and international solidarity activists. I am outraged at this disrespect of democratic rights. I ask that you intervene immediately to:

• Stop the Grand Jury Witchhunt!
• Stop the expanded repression against anti-war and international solidarity activists.
• Immediately return all confiscated materials: computers, cell phones, papers, documents, etc.
• End the grand jury proceedings against anti-war activists.

Sincerely,

(your signature here)

Source: International Action Center