Jaan Karl Laaman

Jaan Karl Laaman grew up in Roxbury, MA and Buffalo, NY. His family emigrated to the US from Estonia when he was a child.

He is currently serving a 53 year prison sentence for his role in the bombings of United States government buildings while a member of the United Freedom Front, an American leftist group which robbed banks, bombed buildings, and attacked law enforcement officers in the 1980s.

Political Life

In the 1960s Laaman worked in Students for a Democratic Society, community organizations and advocated against the Vietnam War and racism. He facilitated youth development in the Black Panther Party and the Puerto Rican Young Lords street gang.

New Hampshire Case:

In 1972 he was arrested and charged with bombing a Richard Nixon reelection headquarters building and a police station in New Hampshire and was sentenced to 20 years. However, he was released in 1978 after winning an appeal and having his sentence reduced.

The Ohio 7 case:

Jaan quickly stepped back into the political life and in 1979 he and Kazi Toure helped to organize the Amandla Festival of Unity. This concert, which featured Bob Marley, helped to fight racism in Boston, where it was held, and raised money to send to freedom fighters in South Africa. This activity along with the anti-racist and community security work he was doing led to increased police and Klan harassment, so Jaan, once again, went underground and joined the armed clandestine movement.

Jaan joined up with a group known as the United Freedom Front, which consisted of former members of the Sam Melville-Jonathan Jackson and other revolutionaries. The group targeted government institutions and major corporations that had ties to the South African Apartheid system or right-wing paramilitaries in Central America. This included taking actions directly against the South African and United States governments, attacking various government buildings.

The UFF continued their activities for several years, funding their actions through bank expropriations. Then on February 7, 1982, Jaan Laaman and another UFF member, Kazi Toure, were involved in a shoot out with police. While Jaan managed to escape, Kazi was arrested. Despite the arrest, the group continued their operations. However, on November 4, 1984, five members of the group, including Jaan Laaman were arrested. Nearly six months later, the last two remaining members were arrested and referred to collectively as the Ohio 7.

While originally charged with seditious conspiracy, Laaman was found guilty of five bombings, one attempted bombing, and criminal conspiracy, and was sentenced to 53 years in prison.

Page adopted by: 

Picture: 

Jaan in library, arms crossed

Case: 

Birthday: 

Saturday, March 20, 1948

Status: 

Movement: 

Support Group Email: 

Comments

blissettfaq's picture

29 May 2017

29 May 2017

All that follows is based on a letter dated 17 March 2017. Jaan gives explicit permission to share news of his situation.

Not all mail being received coming or going:

  1. Received one letter from Jaan dated mid-May. He reports sending a letter in April. That letter never made it to me.
  2. In mid-May letter, Jaan reports getting one postcard from me; I had sent 4-5 postcards and multiple letters/mailings to him. One or several may have been rejected due to not having

Jaan's current situation

On 3/21/17, Jaan's birthday, he was put into segregation for "threatening security and mail misuse." On 5/4/17, the disciplinary hearing found him not guilty.

During that same hearing, on 5/4/17, Jaan writes, "'But then the disciplinary hearing woman said, "I have to find you guilty of this phone charge.' On 3/8, when I called my friend and gave him my support message for a Woman's March -- and an obituary for Lynne Stewart. I lost my phone privileges for 6 months and 10 days of good time."

Jaan goes on to explain that he should have been released from segregation at that point. However, SIS (security-intelligence forces within the BOP according to Jaan's letter), are apparently interested in having Jaan placed within a CMU (controlled media unit).

All of this is important because, in about 18 months, Jaan has his first parole eligibility hearing. If a person is in a CMU, according to Jaan, they will not be considered for parole. In other words, if they can put him in a CMU now, then they can keep him from coming up for parole.

Please share Jaan's situation and spread the news.

blissettfaq's picture

Update from 24 Dec 2017 (Jaan

Update from 24 Dec 2017 (Jaan's Facebook support page):

Jaan K. Laaman, long-time anti-imperialist political prisoner, has been transferred and is currently at the Oklahoma City Federal Transfer Center. Jaan's final destination & timeline is still unclear. Please pay attention to this situation as we wait for more information.

Please write Jaan so he feels the love. We want the prison to be aware that he is supported by folks and we have his back. 
Jaan K. Laaman #10372-016
FTC OKLAHOMA CITY
FEDERAL TRANSFER CENTER
P.O. BOX 898801
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73189

Before being transferred Jaan was held in segregation at USP Tucson for over over 270 days - for 9 months. He was initially placed into segregation (minimum 23 hours a day, locked down in a 6×9’ cell) because of two short messages which were shared with his close family and friends: his statement in support of the “Day Without a Woman Strike” (International Women’s Day, March 8, 2017) which was printed in the NYC Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) update, and his “Farewell Thoughts to My Friend, Lynne Stewart” which was broadcast on Prison Radio on March 9, 2017. Prison officials made the absurd claim that these statements 'threaten the security of the prison.' Jaan was placed in segregation on his birthday on March 21, 2017.

We will update everyone as soon as Jaan arrives at his destination prison.

This update was written by friends of Jaan Laaman. 
On twitter: @4StruggleMag.

blissettfaq's picture

Update from Friends of Jaan

Update from Friends of Jaan Laaman:

 

Jaan Laaman Transferred to USP McCreary,

Avoiding Transfer to CMU, After Long Period in Segregation

As of January 01, 2018, Jaan K. Laaman, long-time anti-imperialist political prisoner, has been transferred to USP McCreary in Kentucky -- after being held in segregation at USP Tucson for over 270 days -- over 8 months. Please write Jaan at his new address right away so he feels the love. We want the prison to be aware that he is supported by folks and we have his back. Please send greetings & love to:

Jaan Laaman #10372-016

USP McCreary

U.S. Penitentiary

P.O. Box 3000

Pine Knot, KY 42635

We’re happy to report that Jaan is back in general population! While at Tucson, Jaan was held in segregation (minimum 23 hours a day, locked down in a 6×9’ cell) since his birthday on March 21, 2017. Jaan was placed into segregation because of two short messages which were shared with his close family and friends: this statement in support of the “Day Without a Woman Strike” (International Women’s Day, March 8, 2017) which was printed in the NYC Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) update, and “Farewell Thoughts to My Friend, Lynne Stewart” which was broadcast on Prison Radio on March 9, 2017. Prison officials made the absurd claim that these statements 'threaten the security of the prison.'
 

Transfer to CMU Prevented!

Jaan was threatened with transfer to a Communications Management Unit (CMU) because of these statements. Jaan’s pro-bono attorney, Paul Gattone filed a lawsuit challenging the attempt to transfer Jaan to a CMU. Paul is a people’s lawyer who practices in the areas of civil rights and criminal defense, and an owner of Revolutionary Grounds infoshop in Tucson, AZ.

Jaan is a Freedom Fighter & Must Come Home!

Preventing Jaan from being transferred to a CMU was the first goal. Jaan is an Elder (69 years old) and needs to be brought home. Jaan should be home with his siblings, family and loved ones. Jaan is a freedom fighter who was convicted of actively fighting some of the worst crimes against humanity in recent history--US backed atrocities like apartheid in South Africa and genocidal wars in Central America. Jaan is a lifelong anti-racist and anti-imperialist. We need his vision and voice at home now more than ever. This work to bring Jaan home will be led by Jaan and folks on the outside that Jaan identifies to lead up this effort. Please let us know if you would like to help in this effort. Jaan and all political prisoners must be brought home and we can make it happen!

This update was written by friends of Jaan Laaman. Contact: jaanlaaman@gmail.com; Facebook: Free Jaan Laaman; Twitter: @4StruggleMag. Learn more about Jaan here and here.  

 Online link for this update: https://4strugglemag.org/2017/12/28/jaan-laaman-transferred-to-jusp-mccreary-in-pine-knot-kentucky/