Irv Rubin, z”l former head of the Jewish Defense League was apparently murdered in a California detention center the same day as he was supposed to have had his day in court. Prison officials have claimed that he slashed his own throat and then threw himself over a prison railing, actions which do not seem physically possible. Furthermore, it is rather strange for a prisoner to attempt suicide in a public area, as opposed to in his cell.

Irv Rubin was a dynamic activist and believing Jew who fought for many years on the streets and in the courts for Jewish causes. All who knew him,including his family say that it is totally out of character for him to have committed suicide, especially since his trial was about to begin.It should be noted that just a few days before his death Rubin had made a motion to the court requesting to expose past F.B.I. improprieties vis a vis the J.D.L.

Given the number of Black Muslims in the detention facility in which Rubin was incarcerated it is not hard to imagine a lone Jewish activist being targetted, especially given his record of demonstrating against Louis Farrakhan and neo-Nazis.

A growing number of Jewish activists are organizing to demand that the U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft conduct an investigation into the case. Alan Schneider, the B’nai Brith representative in Israel has also expressed his belief that Rubin’s death was unlikely to have been a suicide and that there is probably a cover-up of a conspiracy afoot.

Please send e-mails to the Attorney General at AskDOJ@usdoj.gov and to the Office of the Inspector General at inspector.general@usdoj.gov. Let us send a message that Jewish blood is not cheap regardless of whether we agree with Rubin’s opinions or tactics.