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Cop Killer Is fidel's Friend Today
"President" fidel castro yesterday rose to the defense of an American woman who fled to his island paradise from persecution in the United States. He didn't name the woman, but his description matches Assata Shakur, aunt of the late Tupac Shakur. Speaking in a lengthy televised appearance, Castro referred to her as a victim of "the fierce repression against the black movement in the United States" and said she had been "a true political prisoner." What political act did Shakur participate in to get into trouble? In 1973 when she used the name Joanne Chesimard, she shot to death New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster. She and two other Black Liberation Army members began a shootout with two troopers, Foerster was wounded severely, and Shakur shot him as he lay on the ground. One of the BLA members was killed in the shootout - Shakur and the other member were captured, tried and convicted of murder. In 1978, the BLA helped Shakur escape - she later arrived in Cuba. Assata, of course, has a different take on her web page (doesn't everyone have a web page?): My name is Assata ("she who struggles") Shakur ("the thankful one"), and I am a 20th century escaped slave. Because of government persecution, I was left with no other choice than to flee from the political repression, racism and violence that dominate the US government's policy towards people of color. I am an ex political prisoner, and I have been living in exile in Cuba since 1984. I have been a political activist most of my life, and although the U.S. government has done everything in its power to criminalize me, I am not a criminal, nor have I ever been one. In the 1960s, I participated in various struggles: the black liberation movement, the student rights movement, and the movement to end the war in Vietnam. I joined the Black Panther Party. By 1969 the Black Panther Party had become the number one organization targeted by the FBI's COINTELPRO program. because the Black Panther Party demanded the total liberation of black people, J. Edgar Hoover called it "greatest threat to the internal security of the country" and vowed to destroy it and its leaders and activists. On May 2, 2005 the 32nd anniversary of the murder, the State of New Jersey raised the reward for her capture to $1-million. You'd better watch out Assata. If hugo's oil money dries up, fidel may sell you to the Americans.
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