Carol Gilbert , O.P. #10856-039
FPC Alderson , R-1
Box A
Alderson, W.V. 24910

October 22, 2004

Gregory B. Cole
Senior U.S. Probation Officer
250 W. Pratt St., Suite 400
Baltimore , MD 21201

Dear Mr. Cole :

This is a formal objection to and correction of the misstatements in your letter of Sept 29, 2004 , on which you apparently base your denial of my intent to return home to 1303 Moreland Ave. , Baltimore after my release from Alderson. I request that you reconsider your decision in light of the corrected information I provide below.

1. My home is at 1303 Moreland. I live there with Sister Ardeth Platte (Cf. #4 below for a fuller explanation of our relationship and assignment.). While to my knowledge you have never investigated 1303 Moreland, the cemetery caretaker house we restored, we do live as part of the community of Jonah House and are collectively caretakers of the St. Peters Cemetery in Baltimore . As family and community we also serve the neighborhood in which we live through food distribution; we practice organic gardening; we run workshops on a number of subjects; and exercise our right, duty or privilege in this democracy to non-violently and symbolically resist illegal threat or use of weapons and tactics of mass destruction. I am fully employed in these and other constructive endeavors. As you know from your long association with Philip Berrigan and Elizabeth McAlister , the Plowshares movement and Jonah House have contributed in a very distinguished manner to positive resolution of the great problems of our day. I look forward to being welcomed home not only by my family but also by my community which now I am happy to say includes Baltimore .

2. The action for which I am currently at Alderson consisted of non-violently and symbolically identifying and exposing a 335 kiloton nuclear weapon on high alert in Colorado . I am not alone in understanding this as legal civil resistance to unjustifiable US threat to commit war crimes. The timing of our action – as the Bush Administration was moving the country on its clear intention to invade Iraq – was critical to further expose the immorality and illegality of that invasion, the illegality and immorality of which has even been tacitly admitted by the C.I.A. when it confirmed that Iraq had no weapons of Mass Destruction. As a US citizen and as a Dominican Sister I am committed to the truth. We are currently appealing our conviction for sabotage for which I have been sentenced 33 months and 3 years of SP. Oral arguments were heard in early October before the 10 th Circuit Court of Appeals. For analysis of pending legal issues, we invite you to read our opening brief on appeal on the Jonah House website ( www.jonahhouse.org ) as well as our reply brief to the prosecutor's answer. In addition, on that web site you will find a number of relevant articles which emphasize points including the overzealousness and unfairness of the prosecution and trial. Many have pointed out that the BOP, by placing us in federal prison camps, has admitted that we constitute no threat to either national security or the security of the institution. It is not the way saboteurs would be treated.

3. Should our appeal to the 10 th Circuit be unsuccessful, we have, as you know, further avenues of recourse. The special condition that you cite and that was allegedly imposed on my release by the trial court, is clearly so vague and overbroad that it cannot be implemented. Further, the alleged restitution amount has no basis in any finding of fact.

4. I am a vowed Sister of St. Dominic of the Order of Preachers with the Grand Rapids (MI) Province. As such I am under solemn and perpetual vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. In 1995, Sister Ardeth Platte and I were missioned by our religious superiors to the work of peace and justice with the Jonah House Community. We accepted this mission in the spirit of our religious vows. That mission has been renewed annually by the Leadership Team of our province. Sister Ardeth Platte and I are Sisters with a capitol “S”. As members of the same province, missioned to the same work, we are family in the deepest sense of that word. To refer to Sister Ardeth as merely a “friend” is to miss the nature and spirit of our relationship.

I look forward to further discussions with you and to my return home.

Sincerely,

_______________________
Sister Carol Gilbert , OP

cc. Senator Barbara Mikulski
Senator Paul Sarbanes
Congressman Elijah Cummins
Mayor Martin O'Malley
Attorney of Record, Susan Tyburski , Esq.
Case Manager, FPC Alderson , John Cvetnick
Chief of U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office, William F. Henry
Vincent Quayle , President of the St. Peter 's Restoration Cemetery Foundation of the Archdiocese of Baltimore
Robert Kern , Esq. Attorney for the Archdiocese of Baltimore
Religious Superiors of Grand Rapids Dominicans
Leadership Conference of Women Religious