Atty. Malik Z. Shabazz meets w/ Mumia Abu-Jamal

Mumia Abu-Jamal, demonstrates ‘warrior spirit’ says Atty. Shabazz

In this exclusive interview, I spoke with Atty. Malik Zulu Shabazz via cell phone while he was travelling back from Waynesburg, PA after a three-hour meeting with Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Accompanied by NBPP National Minister of Justice Imam Akbar Bilal, Atty. Shabazz brought messages to supporters from the Death Row inmate who has been in prison for the last 27 years.

“Mumia is in remarkably good spirits considering his predicament. He’s hopeful for his legal outcome, but he’s also just in good spirits and very knowledgeable about the condition of our people,” said Atty. Shabazz adding that Abu-Jamal had positive words about Obama’s presidency and that he had followed his campaign closely.

Atty. Shabazz also said Abu-Jamal did not complain about his physical condition.

“He’s about 6’2”; and Mumia is big and strong, and more importantly, he has a warrior spirit,” he added.

In his legal work as head of the Black Lawyers For Justice and as the National Chairman of the New Black Panther Party, Shabazz interacts with political prisoners often. Under his direction, the NBPP has a very active outreach program bringing attention to the plight of our political prisoners.

“I think (people) need to know that America has political prisoners. They’re prisoners of war. And they are reminders that our struggle continues in spite of a Black president, and Mumia wants the people to know that he needs them to help him in the way that he needs them to help him, said Atty. Shabazz. “Mumia has friends all over the world. Many of them have valuable information and research and resources. And he would like the people that support him to help in the way that he designates, instead of trying to do it their own way,” said Atty. Shabazz.

Atty. Shabazz gave the example of a couple of years ago when the human rights organization Amnesty International issued a very detailed report on Mumia’s case and his plight as a political prisoner however, many Black nationalist and socialist organizations refused to use the report in organizing or to cite it because they disagreed with some of the policies and politics of Amnesty International. Organizations should not put their views or politics ahead of solid legal information that could help free Mr. Abu-Jamal, he said.

“A united front of political support. That’s what he wants. Some of the fractions and divisions amongst some of his supporters—those divisions do not help him,”said Atty. Shabazz.

And of course, there was one more message that Mumia wanted to send, “He told me to send greetings and “thank you” to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, for taking time out of his schedule and for visiting him and supporting him. And he says he’ll never forget that and he thanks The Final Call newspaper for publishing his articles.”

(Recordings of audio messages from Mumia Abu-Jamal are available at http://www.prisonradio.org/. You can also get more information regarding the case at http://www.freemumia.org/)