Human shields face 12 years’ jail for visiting Iraq

Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington

Wednesday August 13, 2003

The Guardian <http://www.guardian.co.uk>

Anti-war activists who visited Iraq before the US invasion have
discovered that they could face up to 12 years in prison and $1m in fines.
Although travel firms now tout adventure tours to a country that is a
temporary home to 150,000 US troops, scores of American protesters have
been warned they risk fines or imprisonment for violating a prewar
travel ban.

During the past few weeks a retired schoolteacher in her 60s and a
number of other activists have received warnings from the US treasury
that they could face punishment for travelling to Iraq.
"When I came back from Iraq I had a letter from the treasury threatening
up to 12 years in prison and up to $1m [£620,000] in fines," said Faith
Fippinger, 62.

Ms Fippinger, who retired as a teacher for the blind, spent the war as a
human shield, living in the grounds of an ageing oil refinery in Baghdad.
She was among about 30 Americans who arrived in Iraq in the run-up to
war to serve as human shields. She was one of the few who stayed. More
than 150 other US protesters - including the actor Sean Penn - travelled
to Iraq in the run-up to war.

Ms Fippinger said a treasury official had told her last week that if she
agreed to pay, the fine would be reduced to $10,000.
She replied that she had no intention of paying. "It’s a matter of
principle, having made the decision to go there out of caring for human
life, and then once there having to deal with the dead children from
cluster bombs, and also seeing the young American military being
killed," she said.

Ms Fippinger said she was warned that the funds could be seized from her
pension, or through the sale of her house.
At least three other US activists who travelled to Baghdad before the
war have received similar notices from the treasury. But a spokesman
denied any suggestion that the enforcement effort was politically
motivated. He would not say how many Americans faced charges.
According to the regulations, US citizens, except for journalists and
humanitarian workers, were prohibited from visiting Iraq, or engaging in
commercial activities.

"Breaking the law in the act of protest does not change the fact you are
breaking the law," said Taylor Griffin, a treasury spokesman. "We’re not
talking about humanitarian organisations, we’re talking about people who
travelled in flagrant violation of the sanctions."
Scores of Americans could soon find themselves in the same predicament
as Ms Fippinger. A few weeks ago, Voices in the Wilderness, a peace
group that sent 80 delegations to Iraq, received a summons from the
justice department seeking to collect fines levied in the mid-90s.

"I am a bit taken aback," admitted Bitta Mostofi, who spent two months
in Iraq just before the war. "I am surprised that you would fine a group
of people taking medicine and toys, and then go and take them to court."
Other activists saw the enforcement campaign as a chance to reopen the
war debate. "I say bring it on," said Ellen Barfield, an activist from
Baltimore who went to Iraq last winter. "I don’t want the hassle, but
obviously it publicises the issue. So I say: ’Go ahead and do what you
say you are going to do and punish people who went to Iraq out of a fine
concern for human beings.’"