U.S. probes Gitmo protest

Raleigh activists traveled to Cuba

Federal authorities are investigating a Raleigh woman for traveling to Cuba last year as one of 24 protesters who tried to visit detainees at the Guantanamo Bay naval base.

Sheila Stumph, a Raleigh peace activist, and her husband, Scott Langley, flew to Cuba in December and marched 65 miles to the naval base in an attempt to visit the detainees. The protesters, a group called Witness Against Torture, were stopped at the gate of the militarized zone, beyond the base where they fasted and camped for four days before returning to the United States.

The protesters could be charged with violating the travel ban to Cuba, which puts them at risk for a 10-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine. Last month, Stumph and nine others received letters and five-page questionnaires from the U.S. Treasury Department about their visit to Cuba.

"We went to Guantanamo for two purposes," Stumph said. "One, to publicly declare our opposition to torture and illegal detainment. And two, we hoped to visit the prisoners there, a work of mercy in the Catholic tradition."

On Thursday, military officials announced the release of seven Guantanamo detainees, leaving about 490 terrorism suspects at the base. The United States has faced international criticism for housing the suspects at Guantanamo since January 2002.

Stumph and her husband are members of the Catholic Worker movement, which espouses nonviolence and help to the poor. In Raleigh, the couple primarily focuses on anti-death penalty work by providing lodging and meals to families of death row inmates.

Stumph said the protesters wanted the Guantanamo prisoners to know that there are Americans who oppose their detention and treatment.

The government's letter was sent to the home of Stumph's parents in New York state. Her husband did not receive a letter.

Frida Berrigan, one of the protesters, said the group was open and forthcoming about its plans to go to Cuba.

"We're not trying to hide anything," she said.