*It looks as if we're headed for a points decision over fifteen rounds. So commented a member of the Agee-Hosenball Defence Committee last week, after a series of small victories over 'Puppet' Rees had made it clear that the Home Secretary is not going to get the quick knock-out he desires.
The arrest under the Official Secrets Act of the "ABC Three' -Crispin Aubrcy, John Berry and Duncan Campbell — now seems to have been an unauthorised Special Branch action. The wave of anger which greeted the arrests, especially in the National Union of Journalists, certainly did more than compensate for demoralisation which greeted Rees's confirmation deportations Were continue — and the TUC General Council's decision not to take any further action against them.
MEETINGS Crowded meetings of NUJ militants, members of other unions, and political activists have organised a pickets and public meetings, as well as mounting a campaign for strikes and other industrial action. In particular, pressure is being put on the NUJ executive to call for action trom members and organise a national rally.
rank-and-file Journalists Charter group has named 9 March as a day of action, urging journalists Agee-Hosenball/ Aubrey-Berry-Campbell banners.
to raise the issue with other workers.
One extremely effective way of achieving this is for journalists to demand that a union statement on the deportations and charges be inserted in the publications they produce.
As we go to press, only two of the "ABS hree have been re casco on bail, even though all three are charged under the same discredited section of the Official Secrets Act.
John Berry. the so-called "former soldier' (heleft the army seven years ago) still languishes in Brixtor prison.
EFFORT
We urge our readers to make a particular effort to keep John Berry's name linked to Aubrey and Campbell, and not to treat him as a special (i.e. "more serious) case -this has been the reaction of the national press and, indeed, of the NUJ's President, Rosaline Kelly.
For Journansts, me arerence between journalists and 'sources' is one they can ill-afford to stress if they want morestories in the future!
For other socialists there can be no differentiation in support for people arrested and harassed in the cause of'national security. •More than 400 people turned out to hear Philip Agee in Edinburgh last Thursday at a meeting organised by Party in ine sociaLs! WOrKerS conjunction with the Agee-HosenDefence Committees have called a DEMONSTRATION: Saturday 5 March, Charing Cross/Embankment, 12.30 pm. March to Century House [Home of MI6] via Home Office. Bring your DROPTHE CHARGES!
STOP THE DEPORTATIONS!
SMASH THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT!
PICKET CALLAGHAN!
Saturday 5 March, 12.30pm St. Pancras Town Hall [Greater London Labour Party Meeting] RED WEEKLY! Duncan Campbell (left) and Crispin Aubrey ball Defence Committee. A demonstration to the American Consulate is planned for 4 March.
The meeting was opened by a speaker from the Defence Committee, who reminded the audience that the Labour Government was still deporting scores of people under the 1971 Immigration Act without any publicity at all. Then came a Chilean refugee and Angela Agee has sent us the following message:
Vormerly a student in Brazill, both of whom stressed how CIA activity was tied in with the defence of imperialst investments Angela Agee pointed out that Britain was now the fourth biggest investor in Brazil.
Philip Agee told the meeting of how he had placed his experiences at the disposal of labour movement organisations so that Secretary OI me Soweto. Student Representative Council in June 1976, and now in exile in London, It is very essential that the British people pledge their solidarity 6 with the oppressed, suffering people of southern Africa. Britain has a great role to play towards the liberation of southern Africa. Therefore there is a great need for a solidarity campaign in Britain. There are many companies that belong to Britain in South Africa; there are many other links and trade that connect Britain to South Africa. If Britain does not support or promote apartheid, then why That is why I want to promote the solidarity campaign in Britain and to promote the organisations which are fighting apartheid. All organisations must campaign that the British Government is going to cut its links and trade with South Africa.
I do not share all the views of Red Weekly, but Red Weekly has had news of solidarity and of the situation in southern Africa - for example the interview with Tsietsi Mashinini. Its supporters have organised meetings for me and other Soweto students. Therefore I would like to promote Red Weekly and its policy of carrying true stories and interviews and working strongly in building a solidarity campaign in Britain to give people who are ignorant about the e they could defend against the kind of 'destabilisation' operation seen in Chile. It was essential to explode the myth of the CIA sinvincibility At the end of the meeting a speaker from the Edinburgh AntiRacism Committee was allowed five minutes to link this affair with the growth of racism and racist organisations in Britain [the National Front plan to stand candidates in the Edinburgh). It is also necessary. nowever. to or ve nome me conner tion with Britain's imperialist war in Ireland and the fact that th repressive methods being perfected there will sooner or later be turned against the British working class a well.
GAVIN PIXTON (Edinburgh SLP)