ANAS SHALLAL
The Pentagon has just released pictures of dead Uday and Qusay Hussein. Shallal is founder of Iraqi-Americans for Peaceful Alternatives. He said today: “This is reminiscent to me of previous coups in Iraq. As a child, I remember seeing the killing of Abdul Karim Kassem on TV in 1963. Now, we have the U.S. writing another chapter of Iraq’s bloody history. The U.S. is usurping Iraq’s identity. Iraqis don’t want their history re-written by the U.S. military.”
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DAVID POTORTI, BOB McILVAINE
Today a report was issued on the Sept. 11 attacks by a joint committee of the House and Senate intelligence panels. Potorti lost his brother, James, at the World Trade Center; McIlvaine lost his son, also named Bob, there as well. They are attending news conferences on the report today in Washington, D.C., and will be available for interviews. Potorti said today: “We need a full and fair investigation about the attacks. We also need to make sure that the killing of our loved ones is not used as an excuse to kill others.”
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KELLY CAMPBELL
Campbell is co-director of September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows and is also available for reaction to the congressional report.
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CHERYL RUBENBERG
Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas has arrived in Washington, D.C., and is scheduled to meet with President Bush on Friday. Author of the forthcoming The Palestinians in Search of a Just Peace, Rubenberg said today: “The U.S. government wants to shore up Abbas, he is their hand-picked man. They expect that he will do what the U.S. and Israeli governments want. But that gives him problems at home. There’s been no easing of the situation for the Palestinians. He needs a guarantee from the U.S. for a release of prisoners or an easing of checkpoints, but that’s unlikely so it’s more of a ceremonial visit. His recent meeting with Sharon produced nothing; the Israeli government seems to be saying that if it’s under attack, it won’t negotiate and if it’s not, it has no need to.”

HUSAM JUBRAN
A Palestinian from Bethlehem, Jubran has recently arrived in the D.C. area. He is currently earning an MA in conflict transformation at the Eastern Mennonite University on a Fulbright scholarship. Jubran has been involved in many nonviolent resistance activities in Bethlehem, implementing programs aiming to improve mutual understanding and enhance interfaith relationships. He has also worked as a religious and political tour guide in Israel and Palestine. Jubran said today: “If this visit is to be positive, there needs to be real change on the ground to improve the lives of Palestinians. The checkpoints, roadblocks and other Israeli measures are strangling the Palestinian people…. The U.S. government’s failure to challenge Israel’s actions is assuring a horrible situation for both the Palestinian and Israeli people.”
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For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167