Three anti-NATO protesters arrested during an incursion late at night, days before the start of the Summit that brings together representatives from 60 countries were accused of terrorism for possession of explosives, according to information given by the police and by their lawyers, this Saturday.
However, proponents of the three men arrested on Wednesday night at a residence in the neighborhood of Bridgeport, in Chicago, disagreed with the charges and said that the police mistook material to make beer with explosives.
The Chicago Police Department said the men were accused on Friday of conspiracy to commit terrorism, providing material support for terrorism and for possession of an incendiary explosive. They were the only defendants in a group of nine people who were arrested at the same time.
“The accusations are ridiculous. The CPD (Chicago Police Department) wouldn’t know the difference between material to craft beer and a molotov cocktail, “said Natalie Wahlberg, a Chicago Group Occupy protesting against income inequality.
The National Lawyers Guild-a group of volunteer lawyers representing demonstrators, said that the police “broke into ports with weapons in hand and did searches in homes without a judicial warrant or consent of the residents,” according to a statement posted on the Group’s page on Facebook.
The Police Department refused to comment on the details of the incursion carried out by a special investigation unit.
Thousands of security guards were mobilized to control the demonstrations in the week before the NATO Summit that begins Sunday. President Barack Obama and representatives from some 60 countries will discuss the war in Afghanistan and other international security issues.
Police did not confirm the origins of men arrested for Reuters. The hearing on bail setting for the three defendants was scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
“The lawyers of NLG are questioning why the 48 hours, the city took a timeout to keep anyone detained without a hearing is scheduled, to make accusations so serious”, said the Group of lawyers. “(The police) did not provide any proof of intent or gross misconduct on the part of activists.”
One of six people freed on Friday, Darrin Annussek, 36 years, said he was handcuffed in an interrogation room for 6:0 pm, without permission to go to the bathroom and was not questioned. The police refused to comment on the arrest.
The accused were surrounded by police cars outside a pharmacy, last week and were interrogated by the police about his plans during the NATO Summit, said his lawyer.
On Friday, around 2.5 thousand people protested in a noisy, but peaceful, mainly on economic issues in a square in downtown Chicago and in the streets around it.
Police said more than a dozen people was arrested in NATO event related events. A man was arrested during the protests after he climbed the Tower of a bridge, to boot a pennant announcing the NATO Summit, said the police.











