By Eric Johnson
CHICAGO, May 19 (Reuters) – Three anti-NATO protesters
arrested in a late-night raid days before start of the 60-nation
summit have been charged with terrorism for possession of
explosive devices, police and their attorney said on Saturday.
But supporters of the three men arrested Wednesday evening
at a residence in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago
disputed the charges and said the police had confused
beer-making equipment with explosives.
The Chicago Police Department said the men were charged on
Friday with conspiracy to commit terrorism, providing material
support for terrorism, and possession of an explosive incendiary
device. They were the only people charged among a group of nine
arrested at the same time.
“The charges are utterly ridiculous. CPD doesn’t know the
difference between home beer-making supplies and Molotov
cocktails,” said Natalie Wahlberg, a member of the Occupy
Chicago movement protesting over income inequality.
The National Lawyers Guild, the group of volunteer lawyers
representing the protesters, said police “broke down doors with
guns drawn and searched residences without a warrant or
consent,” according to a statement on the group’s Facebook page.
The police department declined to comment on the details of
the raid conducted by a special investigation unit.
Thousands of security personnel have been deployed to
monitor demonstrations in the week leading up to the two-day
NATO summit that starts Sunday. President Barack Obama and
representatives from some 60 countries are to discuss the war in
Afghanistan and other international security issues.
The three men charged are: Brian Church, 20; Jared Chase,
24; and Brent Vincent Betterly, 24. Church and Betterly are from
Florida, and Chase is from New Hampshire, the Chicago Tribune
reported, citing a police official.
Police officials would not confirm the men’s places of
origin to Reuters. A bond hearing for the three charged is
scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
“NLG attorneys are questioning why it took the city 48
hours, the limit on holding arrestees without a court hearing,
to impose such serious charges,” the lawyers’ group said.
“(Police) have provided no evidence of criminal intent or
wrongdoing on the part of the activists.”
One of the six people released on Friday, Darrin Annussek,
36, said he was handcuffed in a police interrogation room for 18
hours, not allowed to go to the bathroom, and was never
questioned. Police have declined to comment on his detention.
Those charged had been surrounded by squad cars outside a
pharmacy last week and questioned by police over their plans
during NATO, their lawyer said.
On Friday, roughly 2,500 people protested loudly but
peacefully, mostly over economic issues, at a downtown Chicago
plaza and throughout the surrounding streets.
Police said more than a dozen people have been arrested
related to NATO, mostly for trespassing. One man was arrested
during the protests after he climbed a bridge tower to rip down
a banner advertising the NATO summit, police said.
(Reporting by Eric Johnson; Editing by Jackie Frank)
