We're saddened to announce the death of a great friend, talented writer, and community activist. Jack Biello was a key voice in the Free Kevin movement whose words reached many through the freekevin.com and kevinmitnick.com websites. He was instrumental in helping Mitnick adjust to life after prison, assisting him in writing speeches and articles, as well as preparing testimony in front of a Senate subcommittee in 2000. He also served as a liaison with members of the press during the Mitnick affair.

Biello, 47, died Wednesday after being stricken with colon cancer. He was recently married and lived in New York City. He is survived by his wife, his parents, two brothers, and a sister. Biello worked as a Macintosh computer consultant and was an active writer.

In addition to the Mitnick campaign, Biello was more recently involved in the movement to save community radio station WBAI from being co-opted by hostile forces. He was a plaintiff in the Pacifica listeners' lawsuit, the threat of which eventually helped to rescue the network.

Biello was often a voice of reason and of comfort when things didn't seem to be working out. "Here's what I tell myself, and others who are beating themselves up when things don't seem to be going right," he once said. "There are plenty of people out there who are more than willing to criticize and condemn me and what I do; I've GOT to think kindly of myself and my actions, or else I'm just one of the crowd...."

Friends described Biello as a committed vegetarian and animal lover. Some gatherings in his honor will take place in New York in the days ahead. His ashes will be spread in New Mexico in August.