Mexican wing of CCF/IAF sets wal-mart on fire

[The Douche]

http://325.nostate.net/?p=3362

For those who didn't know, the CCF (conspiracy cells of fire), a Greek insurrecto armed group put out a call a little while ago to form an Informal Anarchist Federation. This is a recent action by the Mexican section.

http://culmine.noblogs.org/files/2011/10/fuego-21.jpg

[Искра]

Isn't this IAF like a police provocation?

[The Douche]

Isn't this IAF like a police provocation?

I've seen it suggested, but I've also seen people treat it like its real. If the IAF is a police put up, then its pretty extreme... and not seemingly paying off to well.

[Magón]

Isn't this IAF like a police provocation?

Honestly, I'd be shocked if it came to light they really were police. The IAF has done some wild things in the past, that if it was police, would seriously question the police's (for the general population that is), on what they're willing to do, and how far they're willing to do whatever it might be.

[kid communist]

Ha ha ha ha!Serves those corporate bastards right!That's not really gonna make your organization to look good,but whatever,at least they got their point across.

[Nox]

Legends

This is why Anarchists are so much cooler than Authoritarian Socialists

[Art Vandelay]

Fuck yeah I was not expecting to see anything like this today. I will have to do some reading on these guys cause I have never heard of them before but glad to see some fellow anarchists fucking shit up down there.

[RedSonRising]

Legends

This is why Anarchists are so much cooler than Authoritarian Socialists


Um, yea, let's set things on fire....woo advancement of proletarian interests but not really though...woo...

[Art Vandelay]

We’ve left behind the fear and indignation of the broken, and made the shift to decisive struggle against domination. We don’t want to change capital and the State, we don’t want to change their laws, we don’t want improvements, we don’t want to change technology, we don’t want to change domination. WE WANT TO DESTROY THEM!

The supposed differences between electoral parties don’t matter to us, nor do the lies and promises of Peña Nieto, AMLO, Marcelo, or Vasquez Mota. THEY MAKE NO DIFFERENCE TO US BECAUSE WE FIGHT AGAINST DOMINATION, WHETHER RIGHTIST, LEFTIST, POPULIST, OR REVOLUTIONARY.

Comrades, when the time comes to attack, if you don’t join in then don’t get in the way. This is a struggle until the final consequences, until total Liberation.

Neither exasperated, indignant, nor broken—we are Arsonists!

We are all the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire!

The Conspiracy of Cells of Fire isn’t an ORGANIZATION or a single group. Rather, it is the antagonists’ expression of rage and contempt toward domination and its institutions.

To spread the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire, you only need gasoline, matches, and the desire to fight for total liberation.

We have begun the war against the existent order.

Long live antagonistic struggle!

— Conspiracy of Cells of Fire – Mexico / Informal Anarchist Federation

Badass.

[Art Vandelay]

Um, yea, let's set things on fire....woo advancement of proletarian interests but not really though...woo...

I love when revolutionaries chastise people who have the balls to go out there and actually do something, not to mention in Mexico where you can find yourself sucking on the barrel of a 9mm anyday, with either the cartels or the police shoving it down your throat. Do you think that they seriously think that blowing up the walmart would spark a full on revolution? Of course not, its but a small step, a symbol and expression of their hatred. Revolutionary leftists blow up a massive corporation, hurting it the only way we can: financially, and of course people find a reason to complain.

[bricolage]

This is why Anarchists are so much cooler than Authoritarian Socialists
Maoists do stuff like this ten times over.

[The Douche]

Maoists do stuff like this ten times over.

Don't you dare come in here and rain on my parade!

[socialistjustin]

This will really get the public on your side. I bet the workers at that store will really be thrilled.

[Crux]

Meh.

[Искра]

I still believe that this is a police project. Maybe they get actually some anarchists, like this, in their "net" and then they know who are they and they get into movement. I'm saying this because I know few Italian anarchists and when there was shit with this IAF in Italy all of them go shit scared because they didn't do it and they know that other anarchists didn't do it.. .and some of them got busted....

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

if it was police, would seriously question the police's (for the general population that is), on what they're willing to do, and how far they're willing to do whatever it might be.

"...A [Philadelphia] police helicopter then dropped a four-pound bomb made of C-4 plastic explosive and Tovex, a dynamite substitute, onto the roof of the house. The resulting explosion caused incendiary materials listed in the police indictment, and stored by MOVE in the house, to catch fire, thus causing the house to catch fire. The resulting fire ignited a massive blaze which eventually destroyed 65 houses..." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOVE#1985_bombing

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b8/Miners_with_bomb.jpg

"[Sheriff] Chafin's men, though outnumbered, had the advantage of higher positions and better weaponry. Private planes were hired to drop homemade bombs on the miners. A combination of gas and explosive bombs left over from the fighting in World War I were dropped in several locations near the towns of Jeffery, Sharples and Blair. At least one did not explode and was recovered by the miners; it was used months later to great effect during treason and murder trials following the battle [pictured above]. On orders from the famous General Billy Mitchell[/URL], Army bombers from Maryland were also used for aerial surveillance, a rare example of air power being used by the federal government against US citizens." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blair_Mountain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Mitchell)

See also: [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_army#U.S._Army_intervention

These are just recent U.S. examples.

The capitalist state is prepared to do anything and everything. Be forewarned.

[The Douche]

What sort of threat does the mexican anarchist movement present to the state?

My thing is this, in Italy there is popular discontent against the government and the anarchists have been integrally involved in mass movements/general assemblies/occupations etc, the same in Greece.

Is it the same in Mexico? Not to my knowledge. So what reason would the Mexican police have to conduct a false flag operation? The only reason to conduct shit like that is to justify repression, what need do they have to repress the Mexican anarchist movement?

[Искра]

cmoney I agree with your logic, but still I'm kind of cautious.

[The Douche]

cmoney I agree with your logic, but still I'm kind of cautious.

I would not be surprised to find this is police initiated, I would also not be surprised if this is really the work of the anarchist movement. I would not be surprised if there is police involvement to some degree even if it is organic to the anarchist movement, and I would not be surprised if there is anarchist involvement even if it is a police operation.

That is the nature of leaderless, clandestine movements.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

BTW, Wal-Mart centers are simply mass outlets of goods. Post-revolution, they will probably serve well as warehouses where people can pick up things they want and need (without the use of money of course).

Are they privately owned? Yes. So is everything else. This is a capitalist world. Do they do their damnedest to drive down wages and keep unions out? Yes. So do all other companies, except those who do otherwise for strategic reasons or because they were forced by working class action.

It's easy to get behind the anti-Wal-Mart crusade. I used to be, under the influence of a lot of union and generally anti-corporate people I grew up around. But the reality is they are simply a part of a general system and society. For most people, they are a place where you can pick up things you may not otherwise be able to afford, without having to travel all over the place for different types of things, spending even more on gas, buses, etc. You'll find that a lot of the opposition to Wal-Mart is rooted in the small business petty-bourgeoisie that cannot compete... of course Wal-Mart started as a small business too.. it was just more successful.

The solution is to abolish capitalism; to abolish all business. This does not contribute to that. It may be an outlet of anger, it may be a black flag operation. One of the main problems of actions like these (besides the fact that endanger working people more than anyone else... workers and shoppers are inside... the Walton family isn't, and even if they were it wouldn't mean an end of Wal-Mart or a ding in the armor of capital) is that it's really tough to know exactly who is behind it.

Still, I certainly won't join in chorus with the bourgeoisie in condemning people who lash out in anger or desperation against a system that has ruined their lives.

[Magón]

The capitalist state is prepared to do anything and everything. Be forewarned.

I never doubted that, I know they're all but capable of doing the most sickening shit out there, but for the general Mexican citizen, it would come as a surprise (even in a country like Mexico), if you saw cops doing something like burning down a Wal-mart and blaming it on Anarchists. I have no doubt cops are capable, and have done such things, but for your general Mexican, it would be out of the ordinary to hear something like this, which I'm sure those who have heard of the Wal-mart burning, think it's pretty weird.


What sort of threat does the mexican anarchist movement present to the state?

Not much at all. Probably the same as a US Anarchist, I'd guess if I really think about it.


Is it the same in Mexico? Not to my knowledge. So what reason would the Mexican police have to conduct a false flag operation? The only reason to conduct shit like that is to justify repression, what need do they have to repress the Mexican anarchist movement?

You're absolutely right. The Anarchist movement in Mexico is not something that pops up on Mexican police radar, very often at all. And most of the time, it's probably not even really Anarchists, just people saying they're Anarchists. In this case, I don't think it's that at all, I think it was genuine Anarchists who burned Wal-mart.

[The Douche]

BTW, Wal-Mart centers are simply mass outlets of goods. Post-revolution, they will probably serve well as warehouses where people can pick up things they want and need (without the use of money of course).

Are they privately owned? Yes. So is everything else. This is a capitalist world. Do they do their damnedest to drive down wages and keep unions out? Yes. So do all other companies, except those who do otherwise for strategic reasons or because they were forced by working class action.

It's easy to get behind the anti-Wal-Mart crusade. I used to be, under the influence of a lot of union and generally anti-corporate people I grew up around. But the reality is they are simply a part of a general system and society. For most people, they are a place where you can pick up things you may not otherwise be able to afford, without having to travel all over the place for different types of things, spending even more on gas, buses, etc. You'll find that a lot of the opposition to Wal-Mart is rooted in the small business petty-bourgeoisie that cannot compete... of course Wal-Mart started as a small business too.. it was just more successful.

The solution is to abolish capitalism; to abolish all business. This does not contribute to that. It may be an outlet of anger, it may be a black flag operation. One of the main problems of actions like these (besides the fact that endanger working people more than anyone else... workers and shoppers are inside... the Walton family isn't, and even if they were it wouldn't mean an end of Wal-Mart or a ding in the armor of capital) is that it's really tough to know exactly who is behind it.

Still, I certainly won't join in chorus with the bourgeoisie in condemning people who lash out in anger or desperation against a system that has ruined their lives.

The statement makes no illusions to the action being of great anti-capitalist significance. Broken window theory etc...

[RedSonRising]

I love when revolutionaries chastise people who have the balls to go out there and actually do something, not to mention in Mexico where you can find yourself sucking on the barrel of a 9mm anyday, with either the cartels or the police shoving it down your throat. Do you think that they seriously think that blowing up the walmart would spark a full on revolution? Of course not, its but a small step, a symbol and expression of their hatred. Revolutionary leftists blow up a massive corporation, hurting it the only way we can: financially, and of course people find a reason to complain.

I understand where you're coming from, but it's a problematic solution for a largely non-politicized society, and that goes for any group or militant action.

[The Douche]

I understand where you're coming from, but it's a problematic solution for a largely non-politicized society, and that goes for any group or militant action.

This action didn't occur in a vaccum. You have to read the statement as well, this is not offered as a "solution" to any particular "problem".

It is the action of individuals who have declared war on society.

Its a relatively new concept but with roots in illegalism. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegalism)

[Os Cangaceiros]

Why does CCF/IAF hate low low prices?

You know, actions like this impress me (against my better judgement, in many cases), but they also make my palm connect firmly with my face.

First off, for all the critics of "activism" in certain insurrectionary and "ultraleft" circles, groups like this branch of IAF are certainly activists, just of a more dramatic strip than paper-selling Trots. These guys aren't angry Indian workers who set their boss on fire, or some kid who got pissed off while working at Domino's Pizza and later burnt it down. They may have well as burned down any number of other establishments, there was nothing particularly "organic" about this particular act of defiance. And that's why I think these groups give off a kind of unpleasant subcultural vibe, not unlike some of the most (rightly) scorned in the professional US activist ghetto.

That's my prevailing critique of these groups. I'm not one of those weiners who criticize every single violent act as "oh, how pointless, we're not in a revolutionary situation! it would all be ok if we were in a revolutionary situation! don't worry, my party will let y'all know when that's the case". But really, what happened in Oaxaca in 2006 accomplished more of a social rupture than burning 1,000 Wal-Marts. (I don't think it's a coincidence that Calderon "declared war" on the cartels later that year...no better way to draw attention away from a political crisis than to spawn an orgy of judicial and extra-judicial murder and revenge killings).


Isn't this IAF like a police provocation?

There is no evidence to support that allegation that I know of.

[Искра]

There is no evidence to support that allegation that I know of.
Translate this from Croatian: http://www.ispodplocnika.net/novosti/tko-anarhistima-smjesta-bombaske-napade

This is article by wanna-be-insurrectionists from Croatia.

[The Douche]

Why does CCF/IAF hate low low prices?

You know, actions like this impress me (against my better judgement, in many cases), but they also make my palm connect firmly with my face.

First off, for all the critics of "activism" in certain insurrectionary and "ultraleft" circles, groups like this branch of IAF are certainly activists, just of a more dramatic strip than paper-selling Trots. These guys aren't angry Indian workers who set their boss on fire, or some kid who got pissed off while working at Domino's Pizza and later burnt it down. They may have well as burned down any number of other establishments, there was nothing particularly "organic" about this particular act of defiance. And that's why I think these groups give off a kind of unpleasant subcultural vibe, not unlike some of the most (rightly) scorned in the professional US activist ghetto.

That's my prevailing critique of these groups. I'm not one of those weiners who criticize every single violent act as "oh, how pointless, we're not in a revolutionary situation! it would all be ok if we were in a revolutionary situation! don't worry, my party will let y'all know when that's the case". But really, what happened in Oaxaca in 2006 accomplished more of a social rupture than burning 1,000 Wal-Marts. (I don't think it's a coincidence that Calderon "declared war" on the cartels later that year...no better way to draw attention away from a political crisis than to spawn an orgy of judicial and extra-judicial murder and revenge killings).



There is no evidence to support that allegation that I know of.

I kind of touched on this in my somewhat aborted critique of RAAN. (The way that insurrecto/hipster communists reject "activists" but engage in "activism" and specialized actions)

And the reality is, these guys don't really reject activism, or the specialization of struggle. They reject the left, no doubt, but when these actions go down (or the smaller scale ones like the attacks of banks or left party offices) they are individual acts which I think are motivated by the mindset of the individual who considers himself to be engaged in civil war.

These people have crossed the threshold of trying to organize or fight for any sort of movement. If you consider the day-to-day existence of state and capital to be an act of war, then your actions are just the actions of a soldier engaged in that fight. And it is specialized and isolated. I think they're ok with it by this point, because they are just at war with the social order.


I think a lot of the problem is people want to approach these acts on a political level, but I think it makes much more sense to view them in a psychological light.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

hurting it the only way we can: financially

I missed this gem. Have you not heard of a little thing called insurance? If anything, Wal-Mart probably made out well on this. The only sure way to be compensated for a giant storehouse of goods is for the whole storehouse to go up in flames. Especially in a period of global overproduction. 'Tis one of the main reasons behind arson.

[The Douche]

I missed this gem. Have you not heard of a little thing called insurance? If anything, Wal-Mart probably made out well on this. The only sure way to be compensated for a giant storehouse of goods is for the whole storehouse to go up in flames. Especially in a period of global overproduction. 'Tis one of the main reasons behind arson.

I mean, in all fairness if actions like this became generalized (hahaha, I know, but stick with me for a second) then no insurance company would take on the risk of insuring a wal-mart.

[Pretty Flaco]

So besides endangering the people who work and shop there, and making it hard for people who regularly shop there to get their food, what "good" does this do?

[craigd89]

I love when revolutionaries chastise people who have the balls to go out there and actually do something, not to mention in Mexico where you can find yourself sucking on the barrel of a 9mm anyday, with either the cartels or the police shoving it down your throat. Do you think that they seriously think that blowing up the walmart would spark a full on revolution? Of course not, its but a small step, a symbol and expression of their hatred. Revolutionary leftists blow up a massive corporation, hurting it the only way we can: financially, and of course people find a reason to complain.A small step towards what?, what does burning down a wal-mart do? I think Wal-Mart would rather have a store burnt down then have workers organize, which would be a lot more productive

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

I mean, in all fairness if actions like this became generalized (hahaha, I know, but stick with me for a second) then no insurance company would take on the risk of insuring a wal-mart.

Not going to happen, ever.

Anyway, capital is quite capable of whipping out a lot more than a bunch of Wal-Marts with no problem. It's actually a big boost. See: World War II.

[The Douche]

Not going to happen, ever.

Anyway, capital is quite capable of whipping out a lot more than a bunch of Wal-Marts with no problem. It's actually a big boost. See: World War II.

Its obvious from my statement that I don't think its possible.


I also still think that this should be viewed through the lens of the psychology of those who commit the acts, and not just in a political light.

I don't think the people who do this have any illusion of it inspiring mass action or it halting wal-mart, or hurting capital. I think these people conceive of themselves as soldiers engaged in civil war, and so they're attack the enemy where and when they can, until one side is defeated.

[black magick hustla]

as much as i am surprised that there are insurrectos indigenous to my motherland, and that they are more than two weiners and a gasoline canister (they have sections across the republic), this is not worth the jail time. i mean i am not "against" it or whatever, but honestly if a friend was up to do this bullshit i would call him a dumbass. you go jail for nothing, unless you are a pyromaniac and the pleasure of seeing a building aflame is worth the jail time for you.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Translate this from Croatian: http://www.ispodplocnika.net/novosti/tko-anarhistima-smjesta-bombaske-napade

This is article by wanna-be-insurrectionists from Croatia.

Ok, I translated it, and the main points behind why they think IAF (in Italy, different from what we're talking about, will get back to this later) is a front are:

1) their operation was called "eat the rich", which the writers felt was a ridiculous name;

2) it's called an "informal federation", a contradiction of terms it would seem;

3) they choose targets the authors consider odd, including liberal politicians and immigrant detention centers;

4) there's another, non-armed struggle Italian group with the exact same acronym (the Italian Anarchist Federation). < this is probably their strongest point.

Anyway, the IAF in Italy is a "gang who couldn't shoot straight" group, but I think they're probably legitimate, although they are operating in Italy, which was home to a lot of subversion of radical groups by the state. Also probably worth mentioning is that they're not really the same group as the CCF/IAF/IRF groups, which were inspired mostly by the original CCF in Greece. I've found that a lot of times these groups get accused of being plants for no real reason other than the type of actions they engage in, when in fact this isn't the case. The ELF/ALF (probably the closest thing to an IAF group that the USA has) weren't plants by the government to discredit environmentalism, for example.

[Agathor]

Walmart will repair the store, and send all of its employees to the unemployment offices until it's finished.

This is a mosquito bite for Walmart. It is substantially more for the workers.

I know, Comrades, organizing is boring.

[R_P_A_S]

I love when revolutionaries chastise people who have the balls to go out there and actually do something, not to mention in Mexico where you can find yourself sucking on the barrel of a 9mm anyday, with either the cartels or the police shoving it down your throat. Do you think that they seriously think that blowing up the walmart would spark a full on revolution? Of course not, its but a small step, a symbol and expression of their hatred. Revolutionary leftists blow up a massive corporation, hurting it the only way we can: financially, and of course people find a reason to complain.

are they going to provide the workers there a place to work now that theirs got set on fire? (i know wal mart sucks, but what about the working people who depend on their jobs?)

[citizen of industry]

Man, all these years trying to unionize my workplace. Fuck it. I'm going to get a gas canister and go burn it down today. Then, after I'm arrested and the press is asking me questions, I'll just be like "I was fighting capitalism, stupid!" And then millions of people will see it and be like "Yeah, I get it now!" And then immediately there will be a glorious revolution, we wont need unions or parties or any kind of organization.

That photo of Walmart burning though, pure beauty!

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

I don't think the people who do this have any illusion of it inspiring mass action or it halting wal-mart, or hurting capital. I think these people conceive of themselves as soldiers engaged in civil war, and so they're attack the enemy where and when they can, until one side is defeated.

We can't know for sure who did this or why (as I said, a major problem to begin with).

I was writing in response to people on this forum, who posted in this thread that this was a blow to capital, Wal-Mart, etc.

[Sasha]

Gabriel Pombo da Silva : A Contribution for the Comrades in the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire / Informal Anarchist Federation (Germany)

from liberacion total (http://liberaciontotal.lahaine.org/) via thisisourjob (http://thisisourjob.noblogs.org/)…


Dear brothers and sisters:
To Michalis and Christos (who exuberantly burst into “my” cell, destroying the ISOLATION I’ve lived in for over seven years), their brothers and sisters, and all the other comrades who constitute the first generation of the Revolutionary Organization – Conspiracy of Cells of Fire (http://325.nostate.net/?tag=conspiracy-of-cells-of-fire) / Informal Anarchist Federation (http://325.nostate.net/?tag=informal-anarchist-federation).
My eyes and my heart have always been very close to you in Greece. I still remember Nikos Maziotis’ action and his attitude in front of the court. That moved and affected us very much, to the point that some of my comrades took their own action by sending a package-bomb to the Greek embassy in Madrid.
Those comrades of mine were arrested in September 2003, and the blow came at the worst possible time. Really, it couldn’t have been worse. Back then I was regularly “on leave” from prison. Regardless of all the racket regarding my judicial/prison situation, I had already “served” the maximum sentence allowed at the time: 20 YEARS. And out of those 20, 14 were in solitary confinement and FIES [Spanish isolation units]. I don’t have to tell you what it meant to me to have to lose so many good comrades who, tired of bearing all kinds of systematic torture for decades, decided to leave “by the back door, feet first.”
The arrest of my comrades in Barcelona left me shaken. I could have been with them! The “death” of Paco Ortiz, the coming to power of the neo-Francoist People’s Party — all these things went through my head before I decided to make a getaway.
My escape began by putting one foot in front of the other. The first thing was to get a bit of distance behind me. With that done, I crossed the Pyrenees, destination unknown.
Once abroad, I got in touch with some old comrades. I managed to buy myself perfect identification (with which I was even able to open a checking account at a bank, rent an apartment, etc.), and I took some time to think, meet new comrades, and discuss things. From that moment on I was known as Michele Cataldi, Italian citizen.
I had decided to break out one of the compas arrested in Barcelona, and for that task I needed reliable, experienced comrades.
Luck was on my side when some Iberian Peninsula compas called to tell me they were sending someone over. I thought for sure it would be an “anarchist” comrade, yet nevertheless I saw Josepi show up (he had also escaped while “on leave”), and he knew absolutely nothing about anarchy or theory. However, I was almost happier to have a “criminal” on my side than an “anarchist.” At the end of the day, the endeavor and purpose motivating me was to break a compa out of prison, and I needed someone by my side who hated the institution of prison with absolute intensity, like I did. Josepi, with his (in total) 23 years of prison behind him, was an ideal candidate. In addition (and just like me), his “trade” was robbing banks, which is of course always indispensable.
Back then, I didn’t know which Iberian Peninsula comrades I could count on (or how many, as I believed/assumed that a large portion of the Libertarian Youth had gone underground). I’m not talking about matters regarding “solidarity funds” or “ideological debates.” Rather, I mean comrades ready to take up arms in order to expropriate funds, hijack a helicopter, break out other compas, etc.
My proposal to liberate our compa was supported by José, and later on two other anarchists joined the endeavor.
We decided that the first thing we needed was money (we already had two handguns), and to that end we robbed a bank. If I remember correctly, we expropriated 40,000 or 50,000 euros, which was useful to us at the beginning for the acquisition of cars, electronic gear, etc.
Over the course of several months (and to the extent that it was possible for me), I was able to attend a number of meetings with internationalist comrades. Those meetings between comrades, where positions and approaches were clarified through critique and analysis, deserve all my respect, yet they left me feeling very uneasy.
Perhaps I had poorly “digested” the analyses of the “Italian insurrectionaries”. Perhaps I hadn’t stopped to think about the importance of knowing just how many comrades were truly for revolutionary anarchy. And perhaps our “adventure” of freedom and “glory” was doomed to “failure” from the start.
At that time, some communiqués from the newly-formed Informal Anarchist Federation fell into my hands. For someone like me, who came out of the Anarchist Black Cross (and was therefore already federalist and anarchist), the notion of “informal groups” opened up a world of possibility. In Northern Europe, insurrectionary ideas were practically unknown.
On June 28, 2004, three anarchists and my sister (who is apolitical) were traveling to Germany in a BMW. At noon, upon entering the city of Aachen, a Federal Border Guard (BGS) patrol car pulled up in front of us and signaled for us to follow it.
We followed the patrol car (my sister was driving) to a gas station.
At the gas station, one of the border police officers approached and asked us for our passports. José had a forged Spanish passport (a very good one) and was called Alfonso Domínguez Pombo. He could have been my sister’s cousin. Then Bart handed over his Belgian passport, as he and my sister were “clean.”
Obviously, José and I were armed and ready to save our skins at any cost. We knew what was waiting for us.
The border police officer went off with all our passports and didn’t come back for 10 or 20 minutes, after which time both officers approached, passports in hand, while another BGS car suddenly appeared and parked directly behind us, sandwiching us between the two patrol cars.
The police officers “suggested,” in a “friendly” way, that we get out of our car. Our papers were fine, but now they also wanted to search the car, since a car with so many foreigners in it is viewed as “suspicious” in Germany.
We got out of the car and the police officers immediately began searching it. José and I both had our weapons on us. His was in a small backpack and mine was in one of those fanny packs that tourists often carry.
After more than a half-hour of searching, an officer approached José and asked him to put his backpack in the trunk of one of the patrol cars. Since José didn’t understand what he was saying, the officer asked me.
There were no longer any more “conversational alternatives.” The time had come for me to simply tell José: “You grab this one and I’ll go for the other one.”
Despite all the tension, it was definitely a relief to finally put an end to that comedy. Gun in hand, taking the initiative, I really believed we would succeed. José’s police officer took off when José pointed his Ravachol-era revolver at him, and that image of José running after a German border police officer, telling him to “surrender” and put his “hands up,” is something that makes me crack up even today.
Unfortunately, José “misinterpreted” what I said. When I told him to “grab” the police officer, I meant exactly that: to grab hold of him. But in any case, “my” police officer and the other ones ran from me as well, so I was unable to grab them. And what worried me most during the whole situation was my sister.
How was I going to tell my mother about all this? My sister remained very still throughout, and if she had wanted to (to save her own skin), she could have told the police my name and blamed me for everything. The police unfortunately had us surrounded, and the only thing that occurred to us at the time was to “kidnap” two “citizens” in order to shield ourselves. You already know the rest. . . .
My sister (despite what’s been said) refused to “collaborate” or give a statement. She was even mistreated at the police station because of her refusal to let them take her fingerprints or her photograph. Her prints, as well as her DNA and her photo, were taken by force. I was very proud of my sister and the rest of my comrades.
I waited (in vain) for our Iberian Peninsula comrades to “avenge” us, as well as for them to defend direct action as a revolutionary methodology.
By one of life’s coincidences, a brief analysis by my old comrades appeared in issue 2 of Inferno magazine, more than seven years after our arrest here. But did that article explain why José and I were left alone, “abandoned” by the Iberian movement? I don’t want to “argue” or “settle scores.” I just want to write about our experiences in order to record and expand our rebellious, subversive memory.
What you have achieved is part of what I and others dreamed of. More than dreamed of, actually. You’ve dared to defy political resignation. As my comrades aptly wrote in their text, we were the “pioneers of Iberian insurrectionism”. It doesn’t make sense to ask (yet nevertheless that’s what has constantly been done since our arrest) if Iberian insurrectionism would have come about back then had some of us met and had other little things been encouraged.
But it is interesting to ask — since part of our past is becoming known bit by bit, and since our dream of an Informal Anarchist Federation / International Revolutionary Front is gradually spreading — if our Iberian Peninsula counterparts will now remain mired in the anonymous multitudes or instead join the revolutionary effort.
Just like you, I have always believed that rebellion is a permanent process that doesn’t stop for courts or jailers. The certainty of our convictions and our love of freedom embolden us. We may be “naive” for believing ourselves capable of taking our “destiny” into our own hands, but that will always be preferable to joining the chorus of naysayers and complainers.
The courts have been and are sites of power where anarchists don’t “defend” ourselves with judicial arguments, but instead base our “defense” on the ideas and values that have led us to the defendant’s dock.
Prisons are the ideal settings in which to spread anarchist ideas and values. They are the universities where we get degrees in all the arts and trades of illegality.
Comrade prisoners, fugitives, etc.: the spread of our ideas, memories, and histories is the compass that guides our footsteps.
I don’t know if this writing is in keeping with what you expect from contributions for your second trial. Perhaps I should have touched a bit more on theoretical aspects (about which we still have much to discuss), but I’m convinced that we will have opportunities to talk/write more about that and many other things.
What’s important is that we seek a direct relationship between us, the prisoners (in that sense, I’m having serious problems with correspondence), and that we find more like-minded people among us with whom to exchange ideas, information, etc.
We won’t be in prison for our entire lives. And as you correctly say in some of your writings: “the power of the jailers ends outside the walls.”
As far as José and I are concerned, we are awaiting our deportation to the Spanish state. There (in Spain), according to their laws, we should be released shortly.
For me, Germany is a chapter in my life that is best forgotten. Never in my life have I seen prisoners more disgraceful, more disposed to snitch and kiss ass, than those I have had the displeasure to meet here. I haven’t lacked desire or idealism. What I’ve lacked is contact with people who have a minimum of dignity—oppositional, rebellious people. That fact has isolated me more (and of course hurt me more) than the institution itself.
In seven years in this country, I haven’t managed (and/or wanted) to create any kind of regular link or communication with people from the “radical left.” I haven’t wanted to “tone down” my discourse in order to be “accepted” by the “radical community.”
Quite often, while reading the “leftist” (including anarchist) newsletters, fanzines, and magazines that “report” on us (the “Aachen four”), I get the impression that my only “merit” as an “anarchist” is my past of “prison struggle,” which ignores (consciously or unconsciously) the intensive revolutionary work and effort I’ve undertaken while “free.” Likewise, my political writings and texts have been met with either censorship or disinterest.
But I’m now writing about all that in my new book, which is taking much more work than I previously thought, especially the political section.
Before beginning to write about my/our recent past as well as its consequences (for each one of us), it was essential to me that my comrades be free to send me “signals.” Perhaps communication will be reopened by those “signals.” And perhaps all of us will then have the opportunity to write a new chapter in the history of Iberian anarchism — one more stream flowing into the wide-open anarchic sea, now that the ground is fertile and the world is falling to pieces.
We did what we could, and we will keep doing what we can. Let’s hope that each new generation of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire / Iberian Anarchist Federation is infinitely better, more dynamic, and more effective than we have been. Regardless of my total of over 27 years imprisoned in the Spanish and German states, as well as my being uncertain of the day of my release, I am absolutely positive that I have nothing to apologize for. I only regret not being wiser and more adept at the moment of my intersection with the course of history.
With these words that break my isolation, cross borders, and arrive in the hearts of all our people in Greece and throughout the world, I embrace our brothers and sisters in the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire / Informal Anarchist Federation.
Long live the Informal Anarchist Federation / International Revolutionary Front!
Long live the Revolutionary Organization – Conspiracy of Cells of Fire / Informal Anarchist Federation!
Long live anarchy!
— Gabriel, Aachen, early October 2011
-

Gabriel Pombo da Silva
c/o JVA Aachen
Krefelderstrasse 251
52070 Aachen
Germany


backgroundinfo on the Aachen 4 :
http://www.infoshop.org/prisons/public_html/article.php?story=04/10/06/9... (http://www.infoshop.org/prisons/public_html/article.php?story=04/10/06/9122380)
Nikos Mazotis is statement :
http://theanarchistlibrary.org/HTML/Nikos_Mazotis__Statement_to_the_Athe... (http://theanarchistlibrary.org/HTML/Nikos_Mazotis__Statement_to_the_Athens_Criminal_Co urt.html)
Paco Ortiz :
http://thisisourjob.noblogs.org/post/2011/09/07/paco-ortiz-a-definition-... (http://thisisourjob.noblogs.org/post/2011/09/07/paco-ortiz-a-definition-of-struggle/)
brochure on the FIES regime :
http://www.brightonabc.org.uk/texts/FIES PDF/fies text.pdf

[The Douche]

I feel like anybody who has been in this struggle any considerable length of time, who hasn't fully succumbed to the depths of "activism" and "the left" can identify with this on some level.

If you're still young, and filled with enthusiasm, and hopeful about how things are developing and you feel revolution is right around the corner you'd probably say "its not time for these kinds of acts yet", if you're a bit more mature and "seriously building for revolution" you'd probably say something about this "setting the movement back" maybe it being "police provocation" or make a secterian remark.

Personally, I am tired as fuck of the communist movement. Most days I wish I had never gotten interested in this shit, I wish I had never taken the time to figure any of this out, I usually consider it a burden on myself to think this way. I think it alienates me from lots of my peers, I think I often become a caricature of myself, and fit neatly into the stereotype of the "radical guy". I've been kicked out of organizations and parties, I've seen groups that I thought had promise and were going somewhere completely fail, I've had hopes and illusions about the movement dashed time and time again. I've worked on actions that helped bring over 100,000 people into the streets of DC (S24, 2005), and seen absolutely nothing come from it.

I'm tired as fuck, I'm tired of feeling like the only person that sees injustice, tired of feeling like I'm the only one who can see solutions in this mess, tired of feeling like I'm the only who is willing to struggle against it, tired of seeing state and capital win every single battle, tired of seeing state and capital continue to expand every single day.

And when somebody lights a fucking wal-mart on fire I fucking understand. I understand it 100%, and those flames warm my heart. I understand because I understand what it feels like to feel so absolutely fucking useless in this struggle that the only conclusion you can come to is "fuck it", and that even if your actions don't matter (because the mass work I did certainly didn't matter either), at least you did something you can be proud of...

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

"For revolutionaries it is psychologically quite difficult, if not impossible, to raise their voices against the futile application of 'revolutionary justice' by terroristic groups and individuals. Even Marx, who despised all forms nihilistic actions, could not help being elated by the terroristic feats of the Russian 'Peoples’ Will.' As a matter of fact, the counter-terror of revolutionary groups cannot be prevented by mere recognition of its futility. Their perpetrators are not moved by the conviction that their actions will lead directly to social change, but by their inability to accept the unchallenged, the perpetual terror of the bourgeoisie unchallenged. And once engaged in illegal terror, the legal terror forces them to continue their activities until the bitter end. This type of people is itself product of the class-ridden society and a response to its increasing brutalization. There is no sense in forming a consensus with the bourgeoisie and condemning their activities from proletarian point of view. It is enough to recognize their futility and to look for more effective ways to overcome the ever-present capitalist terror by the class actions of the proletariat." - Paul Mattick

[marl]

Things like this only provide the reactionaries with ammo to use against the left.

[The Douche]

Things like this only provide the reactionaries with ammo to use against the left.

Ammo for what?

To marginalize us? We are allready marginalized, and where we are not, they cannot marginalize us.

To repress us? They have the power to repress us whenever they want, for whatever they want. Do you think the FRSO is some might organization of the working class prepared to smash the bourgeoisie? Then why were their activists arrested recently?

The mere existence of this current social order is violence, I'm always going to stand behind the few who are willing to fight back.

[thriller]

What sort of threat does the mexican anarchist movement present to the state?

My thing is this, in Italy there is popular discontent against the government and the anarchists have been integrally involved in mass movements/general assemblies/occupations etc, the same in Greece.

Is it the same in Mexico? Not to my knowledge. So what reason would the Mexican police have to conduct a false flag operation? The only reason to conduct shit like that is to justify repression, what need do they have to repress the Mexican anarchist movement?

What threats do anarchists pose to the Mexican state? Well the EZLN come to mind. But other than that, this story made me happy :D

[The Douche]

What threats do anarchists pose to the Mexican state? Well the EZLN come to mind. But other than that, this story made me happy :D

The EZLN is not a threat to the mexican state, nor are they anarchists. They're a libertarian-minded national liberation struggle.

[thriller]

The EZLN is not a threat to the mexican state, nor are they anarchists. They're a libertarian-minded national liberation struggle.

I guess they are not anarchists, that's true, but many anarchists sympathize with them. But an armed guerrilla force that has killed several state police forces seems like a threat to me. Hell people have to show their passports just to get into the state of Chiapas even when the person is already in Mexico.

[The Douche]

I guess they are not anarchists, that's true, but many anarchists sympathize with them. But an armed guerrilla force that has killed several state police forces seems like a threat to me. Hell people have to show their passports just to get into the state of Chiapas even when the person is already in Mexico.

The EZLN has no influence outside the state of Chiapas though, and even there, their influence outside of the indigenous population is nill.

[thriller]

The EZLN has no influence outside the state of Chiapas though, and even there, their influence outside of the indigenous population is nill.

I didn't know they had no influence outside of their occupied territories, good to know :)

[IndependentCitizen]

Could have ransacked it first, distributed the food and other products to the poor whilst burning it down. This isn't that productive, sure, it's good to see some form of action being taken; however, was it the right action to take? Probably not.

[Le Rouge]

A wal-mart burning is simply stuning :)

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Could have ransacked it first, distributed the food and other products to the poor whilst burning it down. This isn't that productive, sure, it's good to see some form of action being taken; however, was it the right action to take? Probably not.

It only takes a few people to burn down a building but many to redistribute all that food.

[Os Cangaceiros]

firebugs are at it again (http://anarchistnews.org/node/16974)