Feds order more activists to grand-jury hearing

Feds order more activists to grand-jury hearing

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The FBI is serving more Chicago-area Palestine solidarity activists with subpoenas to appear before a grand jury.

Maureen Murphy, 28, said she received a subpoena from two FBI agents at her North Side home Tuesday morning. She said the subpoena orders her to a January 25 hearing at the Dirksen Federal Building in downtown Chicago.

“This is an outrageous expedition,” said Murphy, who volunteers with the Palestine Solidarity Group-Chicago. “None of us have done anything besides oppose unjust U.S. policies, like bankrolling the Israeli occupation.”

At least four Chicago-area residents have received subpoenas for the January hearing, according to James Fennerty, an attorney who’s gathering information for the activists.

Ross Rice, a spokesman for the FBI’s Chicago office, said officials can’t comment on grand-jury proceedings.

Fourteen Midwest activists defied orders to appear before a grand jury in Chicago this October. Their subpoenas suggest an investigation relates to foreign groups the government calls terrorist.