'REDSTONE TIRE SLASHER STRIKES ON EVE OF 9/11- Hate Crimes Mount as US Army Commanders Remain Baffled

(Huntsville, Al) -- The Redstone Area Minority Employees Association (RAMEA) requested help from Robert S. Mueller III, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), last month following evidence displaying a pattern of 'Hate Crimes on US Army property in Alabama. The group now says they have evidence that another tire slashing occurred just one day before the first annual memorial of 9/11, while America was on a heightened state of alert ordered by the President.

Colleen Rodriguez, employed by the US Armys Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM)told the Provost Marshal office last week that she believes her tire blowout on September 10th, 2002 while leaving work was an act of sabotage because she filed a grievance against AMCOM. Rodriguez who recently joined RAMEA for help told Matthew Fogg, its Executive Director that at first, she did not understand a string of unusual tire incidents that she experienced while driving to and from work. Then she noted distinct similarities after reading the RAMEA press release last month involving tire punctures and slashing to vehicles belonging to four other employees.

"I was shocked," said Rodriguez, "when I realized how similar my incidents were to the other employees. I told my supervisor and he concurred with me. He told me to contact the authorities and other employees who this happened too".

On September 5th 2002, RAMEA conducted a press conference at the Richard Showers Center in the City of Huntsville, reporting the circumstances surrounding four other incidents of vehicle sabotage. All the victims had previously grieved various employment practices by managers on the US Army installations. Priscilla Caraway-Vinson a Logistics Management Specialist, Dr. Clara D. West a Systems Engineer, Carolyn Lucas an AMCOM supervisor, and Steve Tiwari a former Space & Missile Defense Program Manager, have all reported, their vehicle tires were sabotaged at work. Three of the victims have filed Civil Rights complaints in Federal Court for the Northern District of Alabama. RAMEA was organized in 2000 to represent federal employees working in the area of Huntsville who filed discrimination complaints and other personnel grievances.

"I am amazed", said Fogg. "America is on the verge of going to war against a foreign country to prevent terrorism. However, right here on American soil, at a secure US Army facility that designs the weapons America will use against our enemies and, the Army cannot stop domestic terrorist from placing fear and intimidation into the lives of its employees." Federal workers have charged that various US Army, Department of Defense (DOD) and National Aeronautics & Space Administration, agencies in Huntsville practice discrimination and operate a hostile environment that fosters illegal employment activity.

"I believe the clock is ticking. Its just a short matter of time before someone gets hurt of killed in a automobile accident behind these hate crimes. The Army and the DOD cultures here are totally at fault for not finding the culprits and closing this matter much sooner", said Fogg.

RAMEA received the certified 'return receipt' indicating its letter to the FBI was delivered on September 14th. Fogg said RAMEA has not received a response from the FBI on their request.                    

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Related Webpage Links;

http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/first/0624-102.html

http://www.blackcommentator.com/issue_5.html

http://www.blackcommentator.com/fogg.html

http://www.finalcall.com/national/vandalism9%2D24%2D2002.htm

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/103139018448170.xml

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/102413253769110.xml

http://WWW.RAMEA7.COM