In an ongoing investigation into the mass thefts of at least three print runs of The Primary Source, the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) is examining an e-mail message that was forwarded to the conservative campus publication last month. The Jan. 31 issue of the Source - which cited e-mail excerpts allegedly written by former Pan-African Alliance (PAA) President Carl Jackson - accused the PAA of stealing "at least one print run" of the magazine last semester.
Abdul Farah, current PAA president, has denied accusations that his organization was involved in the thefts, and any knowledge of the e-mail.
TUPD Lieutenant Detective Charles Lonero said yesterday that police "have a name," but declined to release the identities of any students associated with the e-mail. "Information technology people are looking at the validity of the message," he said, adding that police "have some information that would indicate that one person might have been involved."
Last night, the Daily obtained an e-mail message that Source Editor-in-chief Sam Dangremond confirmed as a copy of the same message that was forwarded to his publication, and subsequently provided to the TUPD. The message, sent to an alumni listproc, encourages recipients to complain to University administrators about the content of the Source.
"Our community has only recently opened its eyes to the kind of racism circulated by The Primary Source," the message says. "Thus far we have written counter articles and engaged in magazine dumpings." The e-mail went on to encourage readers to contact PAA officials, including Farah and Jackson, over winter break.
Jackson, who is currently studying abroad, has not replied to e-mailed requests for comment earlier this week. Graduate Assistant in the Africana Center Lisa Karanja, who is listed as the sender of the e-mail, was also unavailable for contact last night.
Dangremond maintains that message is evidence of the PAA's guilt, and has said that he will not press charges if the PAA "apologizes" for its alleged actions.
