I'm probably standing in a powder keg with this subject, but I think it is time to light the match, especially considering this has been brought up in other threads, it's time to give this subject it's own thread.
First off, opinions on the Patriot Act and how it has been used of late.
I personally am against it. I have noticed that the federal government has been using it to arrest people for crimes that it was not intended for them to use against. They have used it to by pass the personal rights of many citizens of this nation. It was passed during a time of emotional unrest when many people didn't fully understand it and was passed so quickly that most people didn't (and still don't) know that it was even to be voted on by congress until it was already passed. Most disturbing of all, it is the possible key to the door of a police state. The Patriot Act is currently being used to override established civil rights like unjust imprisonment, right to a speedy trial, unrightful search and seizier(sp), right to a lawyer and lawyer-client/doctor-patient privilage. This is giving carte blanche to the federal government to harass and accost us.
Second topic of debate is one that first alerted me to the propensity of our current government to frequently overstep its authority and recieve no consequence for it.
Summary:
Ashraf Al-Jailani, a Yemen-born arab U.S. CITIZEN, by marriage to an Ohio born woman, has been held in prison since Oct. 23, 2002 without ever being charged, given the benefit of a lawyer until months after his arrest, been allowed to see his wife and children or been given the opportunity in court to explain his situation and be released.
The FBI believes Mr. Al-Jailani to have ties to terrorist organizations. Earlier in the year Ashraf was able to get word, under the noses of the FBI, to his family about where he was being kept and his situation in general. The family was able to secure a lawyer and alert the press and a judge about the improper imprisonment. The consequent trial was attended by Ashcroft's second in command, the assistant attorney general of the US.
During the trial the AAG stated that Ashraf had possible terroist ties and was therefore a flight risk and hazard to the general public, but the information that labled him so was classified, effectivly saying the judge should trust the federal government that this man was a threat (this trial ignored the issues of consequences of improper imprisonment and other possible civil rights violations and focused on trying to determine if Ashraf could be legally held). The judge stated that he was a federal judge and was privy to said information, but the AAG refused to allow the information to the judge. Without any other choice of action the judge then said that there was no apparent or presented risk of danger or flight and found to release Ashraf. At this the AAG told the judge he didn't recognize his authority in this matter and left without ordering the release of Ashraf.
Today, a year for the time he was first imprisoned, the situation was again brought to court. This time it was immegration court for a bond hearing and could possibly lead to deportation and revoking of Ashraf's citizenship. The judge is Honorable Walt Durling. This time Ashcroft specifically declassified the informations that casts a shadow on Ashraf so that it may be used in the proceedings. Ashraf was never allowed to speak during the proceedings, despite twice requesting, and this protion of the trial "ran out of time" before Ashraf's lawyer could cross-examine the only witness brought to the stand, an investigating FBI officer, Roger Charnesky. The AG's office alleges that Ashraf was planning to attack a chemical plant that he worked at and the office brought information that included; links to a Saudi-born Chicago man (Mr. Khaleel) who bought computers and satillite technology for al-Qaida; an address on an ID card of Ashref's that is shared by a terrorist suspect (Suspect B); four telephone calls made by Ashref that lead to a convicted Yemeni money launderer in New York. The AG's office also brought to the court Ashraf's history of abuse towards his wife and his FBI profile, which closely fits that of a "sleeper-cell" terrorist.
End summary.
This summary is from articles that have appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer (local major paper), including one that appeared today.
My take on this is that he may be guilty and he may be a bad person, but either way that doesn't make it okay to set up a past presidence to allow every citizen's rights to be trampled, because of suspicion. How arrogant is it to just deny the authority of a federal judge. In my opinion it reflects on the questionable ethics of the AG's office.
Well, there it is. LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
First off, opinions on the Patriot Act and how it has been used of late.
I personally am against it. I have noticed that the federal government has been using it to arrest people for crimes that it was not intended for them to use against. They have used it to by pass the personal rights of many citizens of this nation. It was passed during a time of emotional unrest when many people didn't fully understand it and was passed so quickly that most people didn't (and still don't) know that it was even to be voted on by congress until it was already passed. Most disturbing of all, it is the possible key to the door of a police state. The Patriot Act is currently being used to override established civil rights like unjust imprisonment, right to a speedy trial, unrightful search and seizier(sp), right to a lawyer and lawyer-client/doctor-patient privilage. This is giving carte blanche to the federal government to harass and accost us.
Second topic of debate is one that first alerted me to the propensity of our current government to frequently overstep its authority and recieve no consequence for it.
Summary:
Ashraf Al-Jailani, a Yemen-born arab U.S. CITIZEN, by marriage to an Ohio born woman, has been held in prison since Oct. 23, 2002 without ever being charged, given the benefit of a lawyer until months after his arrest, been allowed to see his wife and children or been given the opportunity in court to explain his situation and be released.
The FBI believes Mr. Al-Jailani to have ties to terrorist organizations. Earlier in the year Ashraf was able to get word, under the noses of the FBI, to his family about where he was being kept and his situation in general. The family was able to secure a lawyer and alert the press and a judge about the improper imprisonment. The consequent trial was attended by Ashcroft's second in command, the assistant attorney general of the US.
During the trial the AAG stated that Ashraf had possible terroist ties and was therefore a flight risk and hazard to the general public, but the information that labled him so was classified, effectivly saying the judge should trust the federal government that this man was a threat (this trial ignored the issues of consequences of improper imprisonment and other possible civil rights violations and focused on trying to determine if Ashraf could be legally held). The judge stated that he was a federal judge and was privy to said information, but the AAG refused to allow the information to the judge. Without any other choice of action the judge then said that there was no apparent or presented risk of danger or flight and found to release Ashraf. At this the AAG told the judge he didn't recognize his authority in this matter and left without ordering the release of Ashraf.
Today, a year for the time he was first imprisoned, the situation was again brought to court. This time it was immegration court for a bond hearing and could possibly lead to deportation and revoking of Ashraf's citizenship. The judge is Honorable Walt Durling. This time Ashcroft specifically declassified the informations that casts a shadow on Ashraf so that it may be used in the proceedings. Ashraf was never allowed to speak during the proceedings, despite twice requesting, and this protion of the trial "ran out of time" before Ashraf's lawyer could cross-examine the only witness brought to the stand, an investigating FBI officer, Roger Charnesky. The AG's office alleges that Ashraf was planning to attack a chemical plant that he worked at and the office brought information that included; links to a Saudi-born Chicago man (Mr. Khaleel) who bought computers and satillite technology for al-Qaida; an address on an ID card of Ashref's that is shared by a terrorist suspect (Suspect B); four telephone calls made by Ashref that lead to a convicted Yemeni money launderer in New York. The AG's office also brought to the court Ashraf's history of abuse towards his wife and his FBI profile, which closely fits that of a "sleeper-cell" terrorist.
End summary.
This summary is from articles that have appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer (local major paper), including one that appeared today.
My take on this is that he may be guilty and he may be a bad person, but either way that doesn't make it okay to set up a past presidence to allow every citizen's rights to be trampled, because of suspicion. How arrogant is it to just deny the authority of a federal judge. In my opinion it reflects on the questionable ethics of the AG's office.
Well, there it is. LET THE GAMES BEGIN!