A Guatemalan woman returned home one day to find soldiers mopping blood off her floor and her entire family missing, including her 8-month-old sister and 10-year-old daughter.

Soldiers from the School of the Americas were suspected to be the kidnappers.

The story was part of a movie shown last night at the State College Municipal Building, 243 S. Allen St., where two speakers discussed their risk of arrest in an attempt to close the School of Americas (SOA), a U.S.-funded military school.

The school, which is in Georgia, has been criticized for training its soldiers with techniques that are used to commit atrocities in violation of human rights.

The soldiers then use these techniques on people when they return to their native countries, including those in Central America. A bill, HR 1258, seeks to close the school permanently.

Shirley Way, a Quaker from Central Finger Lakes Friends Meeting in New York, and Father Bernard Survil, a priest from the Diocese of Greensburg recounted their latest protest in November 2003, which led to their arrest for civil disobedience along with 25 other protesters.

Way and Survil both crossed the property boundary of the school and face trial next week.

The two of them could possibly receive up to six months of jail time and a $5,000 fine.

The movie played for 15 minutes, showing graphic and disturbing images of those who were supposedly massacred by SOA graduates.

Many bodies were disfigured and unrecognizable, stunning the crowd of 55 to silence.

Survil said that he has worked in Central America since 1975 and therefore, he has established a connection to alleged atrocities committed there.

"I was in jail in San Salvador and was blindfolded and interrogated. I know those atrocities were committed by SOA soldiers, not the U.S.," Survil said.

Way said that when she was arrested by federal marshals, she would not be swayed from her purpose.

"You can do what you want to me. I needed to be here," Way said, recounting her statement to the marshals.

HR 1258 needs 150 total co-sponsors before it can be taken to the floor. Currently, the School of the Americas Watch has gathered 103.

Liz Elmore, a Kansas City native, said she didn't know much about SOA before the meeting but is now inspired to get involved.

"I definitely want to go down to Fort Benning, without a doubt ... I have lots of friends who are passionate about this. It sparked my interest, and I want to learn more," she said.

Last night's event was sponsored by the State College Peace Center.