FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 26, 2007 .....
Press Release.....
Berlet Joins Call for Probe into Death of Student who Attended LaRouche-Group Conference
BOSTON – PRA Senior Analyst Chip Berlet, an internationally known expert on the political cult leader Lyndon LaRouche, has been assisting the mother of a young British man found dead after trying to leave a conference sponsored by a LaRouche-related group in March 2003 in Germany. In a new development, on Tuesday, March 27, new forensic findings concluding that Jeremiah Duggan, 22, had been beaten to death while trying to defend himself from attack will be presented in London to government officials in the UK with a request for a new inquest by Germany. German authorities have claimed Jeremiah committed suicide by jumping in front of cars on a highway, but a British Coroner refused to accept that conclusion.
In her campaign to reopen the investigation, Jeremiah’s mother Erica has secured research assistance from Berlet, including a statement presented to the British coroner and a statement for the March 27 press conference on the new findings. Berlet’s 2003 statement to the British coroner concludes, "Given the history of aggressive behaviour on the part of LaRouche Security forces, it is quite possible and even likely that Jeremiah Duggan was subjected to extreme emotional pressure or physical intimidation."
Jeremiah had traveled to Germany to attend an anti-war conference that turned out to be sponsored by the LaRouchites, who have a history of spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories. Soon after Jeremiah told the conference he was Jewish and was concerned by the rhetoric he was hearing, he was found dead.
Press Kit:
Berlet Statement Presented to British Coroner's Inquiry Berlet Statement for British Press Conference on March 27th, 2007 "LaRouche Exposed," a fact sheet by PRA LaRouche Research archive at PRA UK's The Observer reports: "New evidence shows 'suicide' student was beaten to death"
Political Research Associates is a progressive think tank that studies the U.S. Right and is the publisher of the quarterly The Public Eye.
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