Rights 101 Oregon

	main page \| actions \| news \| links about us \| events \| contact us

	Last updated: November 18, 2005 News: Without external funding or commercial interest, we have compiled and prepared this material for non-profit education and research purposes. Index: Multnomah County Adopts Anti-USA PATRIOT Act Resolution Rights 101 Oregon begins campaign to free Ahmed Prominent local Muslim addresses the Portland City Council British novelist's travel delayed by Homeland Security Moroccan lawmakers detained at Portland airport Portland police improperly cite war protester Head of Portland Water Bureau stands up to improper seizure of luggage by U.S. customs Local photographer kept from taking pictures while on public property Document Posted of Multnomah County Commissioners Passing Anti-USA PATRIOT Act Resolution With a vote of 4-1, the Multnomah County board of Commissioners adopted a resolution opposing parts of the USA PATRIOT Act, and expressing commitment to protect our civil rights. Thanks to all five of the Commissioners and their staffers for working with us in a cordial and positive manner. Thanks to all of the wonderful speakers. Thanks to everybody who supported this effort by writing letters, by showing up to observe the testimony, by endorsing our proposed resolution, by signing the petition, and more! Thanks to Portland Indymedia, The Oregonian, and KBOO (and other news organizations of whose presence I was not aware) for covering such an important issue. And thanks to the Community Language and Culture Bank for their support, which includes assembling and distributing this wonderful document, which is entitled Speaking Out: Report from the Public Hearing. We look forward to working with all of you in the future. Until then, please continue to discuss the issues that are important to you! Multnomah County Commissioners to Vote on anti-USA PATRIOT Act Resolution The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on a resolution which opposes sections of the USA PATRIOT Act, which opposes the violations of our civil rights and liberties, and which urges our Federal representatives to work to restore and safeguard our freedoms. When: Thursday, December 9, 2004 at 9:30am Where: The 1st floor Boardroom of the Multnomah Building, 501 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland, OR 97214 What can you do to help make this a success? Show up on Thursday, December 9 to show your support!!! Let all of your friends, family, and fellow activists know about this upcoming event. Encourage them to attend. Have a look at our proposed resolution and then ask your organizations to endorse it. And of course let us know! :) Have your organizations write a letter of thanks/support to our Commissioners. Tell them why you think a resolution is important, and about any harm you've experienced as a result of America's post-9/11 environment. Again, please send us a copy. We plan to publish a small book after December 9th and we would love for it to provide readers with a very wide degree of perspectives. Your group's letter is an important part of this. Share your views with others in a kind and in-depth manner. Thanks! return to index Rights 101 Oregon begins campaign to free Ahmed At the request of the US government, on June 11, 2003, US citizen Ahmed Omar Abu Ali was arrested by Saudi security officers while he was taking his final exams at Medina University. Over one year has passed, and neither the US government nor the Saudi government has charged him with wrongdoing. In fact, both governments have signaled that he is innocent. Mr. Ahmed Abu Ali’s parents were told by US State Department personnel, in the presence of their attorneys and a delegation from the Council on American Islamic Relations, that a high-ranking Saudi official in charge of the case has informed the US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that "Abu Ali could be rendered to American authorities at any time if the US Government made a formal request." But our government has not made a formal request. Ahmed Abu Ali's immediate family, who live in Falls Church, Virginia, and his uncle, who lives a short distance outside of Portland, would very much like to be re-united with him. To help bring Ahmed home, Rights 101 Oregon is gathering public support for Oregon's representatives to take strong action. The more people our members of Congress have supporting them, the more likely it is that they will be able to have the US Government request the rapid and safe return of Mr. Ahmed Abu Ali. To help make this a reality, there are several things you can do. You can download our petition and mail it to us once you've collected signatures. If you live in the districts of David Wu or Earl Blumenauer (we anticipate that other members of the US Congress will soon be joining the effort), you can phone them, write to them (we've put together a form letter in case you're too busy to write your own), or email them with support for their efforts (contact info). You can speak with your friends and family about Ahmed Abu Ali's plight. Also, Amnesty International is involved. Through their website, you can send a letter to Colin Powell and to the Saudi Government via their embassy in DC. Note that these pages are a bit old and are not quite, informationally, up to date. If you would like to learn more about this case before you decide to help, please have a look at the chronology and MS Word documents that are listed below. Thank you for your interest. return to index Ahmed Omar Abu Ali: Brief Chronology of Selected Events 1981 through 2003 -- Mr. Ahmed Omar Abu Ali was born in Houston, TX. He grew up in Virgia, and graduated from high school valedictorian of his class. In August 2002, Mr. Ahmed Omar Abu Ali went to Medinah University on a full scholarship to study Islamic Sciences. May 12, 2003 -- Bombings occurred in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. June 11, 2003 -- At the behest of the US Government, Mr. Abu Ali was arrested by Saudi security officers while he was taking his final exams at Medina University. June 11, 2003 -- On the same date, in Falls Church, Virginia, more than 15 armed FBI agents raided the home of Mr. Abu Ali’s parents. They broke doors; frightened the children; and took video games belonging to the five-year-old son, family magazines, and other unrelated items. According to the search warrant, they were looking for items related to the seven defendants in the U.S. vs. Royer paintball case, and for any violations of the Neutrality Act. During the raid, FBI agents told Mr. Abu Ali’s family that he had been arrested by the Saudis in an investigation of the May 12 Riyadh bombings. June to September 2003 -- Mr. Abu Ali experienced torture during the first month of his detention, and solitary confinement during the first three months. It was not until a month after his arrest that a US consul visited Mr. Abu Ali. "But other US officials from the embassy's Legal Attaché office -- the name for FBI stations overseas -- had far more access from the moment of his arrest, according to Saudi Embassy spokesman Adel Al-Jubeir, when asked about the family's concern for lack of access. ‘The legal adviser at the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia had full and complete and direct access to this gentleman,’ Al-Jubeir said. ‘For us it was a representative of the US. So the US Embassy had full access as far as we were concerned.’" (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 07/26/03) July 25, 2003 -- During the bail hearings of Sabri Benkhala, a defendant in the U.S. v. Royer case, Mr. Abu Ali’s name was mentioned for the first time. Sabri was first detained in Saudi Arabia at the same time as Mr. Abu Ali’s arrest, but was then indicted and extradited to the United States. The US attorney and an FBI agent made allegations that Abu Ali had confessed during Saudi interrogations which the FBI was able to "watch and listen but not be present physically." (U.S. v. Benkhala. Transcript of Bond Review Hearing 07/25/03) [These allegations did not resurface during the actual trial in March 2004. In fact Benkhala was found innocent on March 10, 2004, and all charges against him were dismissed. Had Mr. Abu Ali's alleged confession been legitimate, with any concrete evidence that substantiated, the prosecution would not hesitate to use it at all.] September 2003 -- A group of four FBI agents from Washington visited Mr. Abu Ali. Among them was FBI agent Luke Kuligoski, the agent who had led the raid on the family home in Virginia, and one of the lead investigators in the U.S. v. Royer case. This was not the first time the FBI had access to Mr. Abu Ali, but it was the first in which they openly informed the family of the visit. Agent Kuligoski called the family to say he was going to Saudi Arabia for separate business, but that he was only going to pay Mr. Ali a "courtesy visit" since he was an American citizen, offering to take him a "care kit." September 26, 2003 -- During a telephone call to his parents, Mr. Abu Ali said that during the three-day extensive interrogation, he had been questioned by the FBI about the eleven Virginia men indicted in U.S. v. Royer. He said that the FBI threatened him, telling him that if he did not cooperate in providing them with the answers they desired he would be sent to Guantanamo Bay, and President Bush would designate him an "enemy combatant." His interrogators also reportedly also told Mr. Abu Ali that he would be tried in Saudi Arabia without the right to an attorney. September 2003 -- Amnesty International wrote a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell. October 20, 2003 -- Mr. Abu Ali’s family sent a letter to Judge Brinkema (U.S. v. Royer). "A forced confession obtained through torture and duress should not be admitted into an American court of law. Do not allow the prosecution to strengthen their case against the Virginia men by making allegations against Ahmed in absentia, which they have done before. Ahmed himself has neither been charged nor found guilty of a crime. Any allegations made against him in his absence and without the opportunity to defend himself in front of his accusers are not legitimate." November 22, 2003 -- Washington Post: "Several U.S. law enforcement sources said the FBI has concluded that Abu Ali probably did not play a role in (the May 12 Riyadh bombings)." (Washington Post, 11/22/03) Date? -- The US Consul in Riyadh sent a cable to the US State Department (with a copy to the US Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden) stating that Mr. Abu Ali has expressed a desire to go to Sweden upon his release instead of returning home to the United States. May 22, 2004 -- In a telephone conversation recorded by his family, he answered "with a resounding ‘no’" when they asked whether he had ever said anything about going to Sweden. May 12, 2004 -- Mr. Abu Ali’s family received an e-mail message from a high-ranking FBI official in Washington stating that "this office has no further interest in Mr. Abu Ali’s detention." [That office has informed the family’s lawyer that there are no charges against Mr. Abu Ali, nor is there any intention to bring any charges against him in the future.] May 14, 2004 -- Mr. Ali’s parents were told by US State Department personnel, in the presence of their attorneys and a delegation from the Council on American Islamic Relations, that a high-ranking Saudi official in charge of the case has informed the US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that "Abu Ali could be rendered to American authorities at any time if the US Government made a formal request." Date? -- Mr. Abu Ali’s family learned from a trusted source that the FBI will free him only if he revokes his citizenship and goes to another country. July 28, 2004 -- The World Organization for Human Rights USA and the family of Ahmed Abu Ali announce that they will file a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the U.S. government’s detention of a U.S. citizen in Saudi Arabia. July 29, 2004 -- The US State Department, hours after the Ahmed Abu Ali’s family filed a petition in federal court, informs the family that, "according to the FBI in Riyadh, the Saudi government is planning to bring charges against your son shortly. The charges are regarding providing support to terrorism." (Washington Post, 07/30/04) Related documents Letter from Mr. Abu Ali's family to Congressman Tom Davis of Virginia (MS Word doc) Concerns regarding US involvement and FBI interrogations: Ahmed Abu Ali case summary (MS Word doc) Concerns regarding the State Department and US Embassy in Riyadh (MS Word doc) Concerns regarding Privacy Act: complete information withholding (MS Word doc) Excerpt from November 22, 2003 phone transcript (MS Word doc) Official report from the US Embassy to the State Department (MS Word doc) Letter from Mr. Abu Ali's family to Judge Leonie Brinkema (MS Word doc) Correspondence with US Embassy (MS Word doc) Lawsuit against the US government is announced (MS Word doc) return to index Prominent local Muslim addresses the Portland City Council On Wednesday, April 28th, 2004, Shahriar Ahmed, prayer leader at the Bilal Mosque in Beaverton, went before the City Council of Portland to thank the Council’s members for passing a pro-civil rights resolution (MS Word version) (html version) last year, and to point out that problems still exist and that we must be ever vigilant in our defense of freedom. Begin testimony: Good morning, members; I have prepared a written speech to give here today, but I thought I'd keep it aside and speak my heart. First, I would like to extend my deepest appreciation for the stand that you took in preserving civil rights and civil liberties with your resolution, passing a resolution some months ago concerning the PATRIOT Act. I would like to extend that thanks as a father, as a husband. I call myself a very happy hen-pecked husband. And the reason for that is my wife is boss. And that brings tremendous peace in the household and I recommend it to every tough male member of society. And I also extend my thanks, deepest appreciation as an American as well. I look back into how I am in front of you today--a person who looks obviously different, who speaks with a strong accent, and is yet speaking in the council, in front of the council. One point I will leave you with is that what we Muslims are facing today, especially in the United States, I hope none of you ever have to face--ever. You may say that you understand what we feel, but you don't. Every day, especially our women, ones who are practicing, and have the religious faith to wear a scarf on their heads, you have absolutely no idea what they face, and I don't even expect you, and I don't even hope, that you ever have to. And here is the most interesting part; we are resigned to it. This is the way it's going to go on for the foreseeable future. Whether you accept it or not, we have accepted it. I traveled to Bangladesh, my original home, to visit my mother who is recovering from a stroke, and on each flight, I am the only person who is checked again and again. Very interesting coincidence. This year when my wife left to visit her parents, with my five-year-old, the exuberance of the five-year-old, for taking off in an aircraft, disappeared within a few minutes, just by the body language around him. The presence of the PATRIOT Act has an overt manifestation as well as a covert manifestation. By not standing up against it forcefully, what we send out is a clear message to everyone on the street that it is all right to deal with us the way we are being dealt with. But you have taken a strong position. We appreciate that. And, by the way, I am the so-called Muslim person who was disinvited from Mayor Rob Drake’s prayer breakfast^[2], but he set an example for everyone to follow. Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity [to address the council], and hopefully we will do the right thing in doing the right thing. ¹ The impact of the USA PATRIOT Act, and relevant government regulations and executive orders, has created a great deal of fear in Muslim Americans. As a result, attendance at Mosques has markedly decreased, giving to charities has decreased, and free speech has been impeded. In short, a large number of people have unjustly suffered as a result of the post-9/11 changes in law, policy, and attitude. ² Washington County holds an annual Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast. Beaverton Mayor Rob Drake invited Shahriar Ahmed, a Muslim, to offer the breakfast’s closing prayer. Upon finding out, the steering committee voted 7-1 to bar Ahmed from praying. Rob Drake set a good example by choosing not to attend. The majority of Washington County mayors, and others, followed his lead, and the prayer breakfast was cancelled. return to index How did Ian McEwan, distinguished British novelist traveling to Portland, become a victim of US policy in the era of the U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act? US Homeland Security officials in Vancouver, BC stopped distinguished British novelist and screenwriter Ian McEwan from boarding his plane on March 30, 2004, a day before he was to speak in Seattle and two days two days before he was scheduled to appear as the final speaker in the 2003-2004 Portland Arts and Lectures series. The US inspector who barred him from entering the US said that Mr. McEwan lacked the proper visa, because the speaking fees he was to receive for his appearances were too large to qualify as honoraria. There is, in fact, no such rule, and Homeland Security officials later issued a written apology; but Mr. McEwan and Portland lawyer Brent Renison, who represented him while he was held for more than 24 hours, worried that he might be delayed entering the country again because his passport is stamped "Entrance Denied" to the United States. "That doesn't make coming to the United States again massively attractive," McEwan said. "But I have many friends in the U.S., and it is a country that I adore, so I don't want to sulk about this. I want to do something about it." http://www.heraldonline.com/24hour/entertainment/books/news/story/1305734p-8445491c.html oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1081339661131751.xml?oregonian?albs oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/living/1082549382295540.xml?oregonian?ylvcjnx After a 24-hour flurry of activity that included legislators, border officials realized there's no rule limiting the size of honoraria one may receive. McEwan was admitted the next afternoon and arrived in Seattle an hour before his appearance. But McEwan and an immigration attorney who represented him during the holdup worried that he might be delayed entering the country again because his passport is stamped to note he was refused admittance to the United States. "That doesn't make coming to the United States again massively attractive," McEwan said. "But I have many friends in the U.S., and it is a country that I adore, so I don't want to sulk about this. I want to do something about it." [Ian McEwan is the author of Atonement (2001), winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award. John Updike called it "A beautiful and majestic fictional panorama." McEwan is the author of more than ten books, including Amsterdam (1998), winner of the Booker Prize; The Child in Time (1987), winner of the Whitbread Award; as well as the story collection, First Love, Last Rites (1975), winner of the Somerset Maugham Award. "His books have a natural 45-degree tilt, leaning forward, through a fog of mounting unease, toward claret-dark revelation." -The New York Times.] return to index What abuses have been experienced by foreign dignitaries visiting Multnomah County in the era of the U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act? Seven members of the Moroccan parliament, visiting Portland as part of a goodwill tour of the United States, were removed from a Delta Air Lines flight Saturday morning, January 31, 2004, and detained at the Portland International Airport in what officials described as an embarrassing series of coincidences, wrong assumptions and miscommunications. The Moroccans were released but missed a connecting flight and spent all day at the airport before boarding another flight late Saturday night. In the meantime, officials searched their luggage, the FBI questioned their intent and their American hosts -- including Multnomah County Commissioner Serena Cruz -- found themselves apologizing for what appeared to be a case of post-9/11 jitters. . . Speaking through an interpreter, the visitors said they fully understand security precautions but said their treatment was unacceptable. They carried diplomatic passports and Delta officials were aware of their status, they said. . . The group was preparing to board a 7 a.m. flight when one of their members, Abdellah Abbassi, left to get a cup of coffee, leaving his carry-on bag behind. The other six got on board before he returned, and in the meantime, someone reported the unattended baggage. Abbassi was detained when he returned and tried to board, and the other members of parliament protested to the flight crew. Due to the language barrier, neither could understand the other. The pilot, using his authority, ordered the Moroccans off the flight, and the Transportation Security Administration became involved. The visitors' luggage was removed from the plane, and officials became alarmed when they saw documents in Arabic with 911 written on them. It turned out that one of the group's host in Dallas, a previous stop, had given them instructions to call the 9-1-1 emergency number if they got into trouble, but it was mistaken for a reference to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Andrew Coose, the TSA's deputy security director in Portland, said the documents were removed from the luggage and photographed but apparently not returned to the correct bags, a development that further infuriated the Moroccans. The FBI began to question the group, a process that was delayed until an agent who spoke Arabic could arrive at the scene. The agents determined the visitors were not a threat and released them. Coose was apologetic about the incident, calling it "absolutely unfortunate." The agency was not equipped to handle the incident quickly, he said. www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1075640113239800.xml?oregonian?lcg (Eric Mortenson. Moroccan lawmakers detained at Portland airport. Sunday Oregonian Metro Section 02/01/04 Page C1, columns 2-5, and page C3, columns 1-2) return to index Portland police improperly cite war protester On March 27, 2003, Portland police officers approached ex-Marine Brent Was after he had walked up to a group of fellow war protesters. One of them asked for his ID. He refused, and was improperly cited for interfering with a police officer, taken to a holding cell, and held until after midnight (even after providing identification). After he hired a lawyer, Portland settled the case for $3,500. (Mari Brookshire. Name that peacenik: City reviewing policy of jailing mum marchers. Willamette Week 12/24/03.) http://www.wweek.com/flatfiles/News4663.lasso You will be directed to an error page and will need to enter "4663" into the appropriate text field, after which the story should show up. return to index Head of Portland Water Bureau stands up to improper seizure of luggage by U.S. customs Mort Anoushiravani heads the Portland Water Bureau, is listed as a "distinguished alumnus" of Portland State University, and has been a US citizen for more than 20 years. On February 13, 2004, he filed suit in federal court against the U.S. Customs office in Portland. The suit alleges that when he returned from visiting family in Iran on Oct. 30, 2003, U.S. Customs seized half of his personal baggage and, after three months of wrangling, offered to return the property that was exempt from the trade embargo with Iran if he agreed not to sue the agency. After he hired a lawyer, Customs agreed to make an exception in his case, but said that the policy would remain in place for others. "Imagine how many people have been forced to give up their constitutional rights to get their things back. This is not right," Anoushiravani said. "And I need to stand up for my rights. It's part of my contract with my country, to hold government accountable." (Steve Duin. The customary vigilance, service, and integrity. The Sunday Oregonian 01/15/04 Page B1, col. 1.) http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1076763956318780.xml?oregonian?ylccsd return to index Local photographer kept from taking pictures while on public property During his lunch hour on a sunny day in mid-December 2003, some of his previous black-and-white photographs having been featured in a local exhibit, Jeffrey Thomas was taking pictures of the white handrail in front of the old federal courthouse building on SW Broadway. A guard came out, told him that he was not allowed to take pictures of federal buildings, and called for backup. When asked for ID, Jeffrey produced his driver’s license. Two more guards arrived. One stood next to him, the other behind him. He was scared. "I didn't move. Since I had been carefully surrounded I never felt I had the option to leave... I certainly didn't want to be taken to a small room somewhere and questioned. All I was doing was taking pictures in a public space... After 15 minutes they gave me back my driver's license and told me I couldn't take pictures." In fact, it is not illegal to photograph federal buildings. (Margie Boulé. Photographer with eye on federal building puts focus on law. The Sunday Oregonian 01/18/04 Page L1 col. 1-4, Page L3 col. 1 - 3.) http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/living/1074258241122040.xml?oregonian?ylvcmb return to index
	main page \| actions \| news \| links about us \| events \| contact us
	Copyright © 2004, Rights 101 Oregon. All rights reserved. All registered trademarks and logos are property of their respective owners. e-mail webmaster \| privacy statement

	main page \| actions \| news \| links about us \| events \| contact us

	Last updated: November 18, 2005 News: Without external funding or commercial interest, we have compiled and prepared this material for non-profit education and research purposes. Index: Multnomah County Adopts Anti-USA PATRIOT Act Resolution Rights 101 Oregon begins campaign to free Ahmed Prominent local Muslim addresses the Portland City Council British novelist's travel delayed by Homeland Security Moroccan lawmakers detained at Portland airport Portland police improperly cite war protester Head of Portland Water Bureau stands up to improper seizure of luggage by U.S. customs Local photographer kept from taking pictures while on public property Document Posted of Multnomah County Commissioners Passing Anti-USA PATRIOT Act Resolution With a vote of 4-1, the Multnomah County board of Commissioners adopted a resolution opposing parts of the USA PATRIOT Act, and expressing commitment to protect our civil rights. Thanks to all five of the Commissioners and their staffers for working with us in a cordial and positive manner. Thanks to all of the wonderful speakers. Thanks to everybody who supported this effort by writing letters, by showing up to observe the testimony, by endorsing our proposed resolution, by signing the petition, and more! Thanks to Portland Indymedia, The Oregonian, and KBOO (and other news organizations of whose presence I was not aware) for covering such an important issue. And thanks to the Community Language and Culture Bank for their support, which includes assembling and distributing this wonderful document, which is entitled Speaking Out: Report from the Public Hearing. We look forward to working with all of you in the future. Until then, please continue to discuss the issues that are important to you! Multnomah County Commissioners to Vote on anti-USA PATRIOT Act Resolution The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on a resolution which opposes sections of the USA PATRIOT Act, which opposes the violations of our civil rights and liberties, and which urges our Federal representatives to work to restore and safeguard our freedoms. When: Thursday, December 9, 2004 at 9:30am Where: The 1st floor Boardroom of the Multnomah Building, 501 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland, OR 97214 What can you do to help make this a success? Show up on Thursday, December 9 to show your support!!! Let all of your friends, family, and fellow activists know about this upcoming event. Encourage them to attend. Have a look at our proposed resolution and then ask your organizations to endorse it. And of course let us know! :) Have your organizations write a letter of thanks/support to our Commissioners. Tell them why you think a resolution is important, and about any harm you've experienced as a result of America's post-9/11 environment. Again, please send us a copy. We plan to publish a small book after December 9th and we would love for it to provide readers with a very wide degree of perspectives. Your group's letter is an important part of this. Share your views with others in a kind and in-depth manner. Thanks! return to index Rights 101 Oregon begins campaign to free Ahmed At the request of the US government, on June 11, 2003, US citizen Ahmed Omar Abu Ali was arrested by Saudi security officers while he was taking his final exams at Medina University. Over one year has passed, and neither the US government nor the Saudi government has charged him with wrongdoing. In fact, both governments have signaled that he is innocent. Mr. Ahmed Abu Ali’s parents were told by US State Department personnel, in the presence of their attorneys and a delegation from the Council on American Islamic Relations, that a high-ranking Saudi official in charge of the case has informed the US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that "Abu Ali could be rendered to American authorities at any time if the US Government made a formal request." But our government has not made a formal request. Ahmed Abu Ali's immediate family, who live in Falls Church, Virginia, and his uncle, who lives a short distance outside of Portland, would very much like to be re-united with him. To help bring Ahmed home, Rights 101 Oregon is gathering public support for Oregon's representatives to take strong action. The more people our members of Congress have supporting them, the more likely it is that they will be able to have the US Government request the rapid and safe return of Mr. Ahmed Abu Ali. To help make this a reality, there are several things you can do. You can download our petition and mail it to us once you've collected signatures. If you live in the districts of David Wu or Earl Blumenauer (we anticipate that other members of the US Congress will soon be joining the effort), you can phone them, write to them (we've put together a form letter in case you're too busy to write your own), or email them with support for their efforts (contact info). You can speak with your friends and family about Ahmed Abu Ali's plight. Also, Amnesty International is involved. Through their website, you can send a letter to Colin Powell and to the Saudi Government via their embassy in DC. Note that these pages are a bit old and are not quite, informationally, up to date. If you would like to learn more about this case before you decide to help, please have a look at the chronology and MS Word documents that are listed below. Thank you for your interest. return to index Ahmed Omar Abu Ali: Brief Chronology of Selected Events 1981 through 2003 -- Mr. Ahmed Omar Abu Ali was born in Houston, TX. He grew up in Virgia, and graduated from high school valedictorian of his class. In August 2002, Mr. Ahmed Omar Abu Ali went to Medinah University on a full scholarship to study Islamic Sciences. May 12, 2003 -- Bombings occurred in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. June 11, 2003 -- At the behest of the US Government, Mr. Abu Ali was arrested by Saudi security officers while he was taking his final exams at Medina University. June 11, 2003 -- On the same date, in Falls Church, Virginia, more than 15 armed FBI agents raided the home of Mr. Abu Ali’s parents. They broke doors; frightened the children; and took video games belonging to the five-year-old son, family magazines, and other unrelated items. According to the search warrant, they were looking for items related to the seven defendants in the U.S. vs. Royer paintball case, and for any violations of the Neutrality Act. During the raid, FBI agents told Mr. Abu Ali’s family that he had been arrested by the Saudis in an investigation of the May 12 Riyadh bombings. June to September 2003 -- Mr. Abu Ali experienced torture during the first month of his detention, and solitary confinement during the first three months. It was not until a month after his arrest that a US consul visited Mr. Abu Ali. "But other US officials from the embassy's Legal Attaché office -- the name for FBI stations overseas -- had far more access from the moment of his arrest, according to Saudi Embassy spokesman Adel Al-Jubeir, when asked about the family's concern for lack of access. ‘The legal adviser at the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia had full and complete and direct access to this gentleman,’ Al-Jubeir said. ‘For us it was a representative of the US. So the US Embassy had full access as far as we were concerned.’" (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 07/26/03) July 25, 2003 -- During the bail hearings of Sabri Benkhala, a defendant in the U.S. v. Royer case, Mr. Abu Ali’s name was mentioned for the first time. Sabri was first detained in Saudi Arabia at the same time as Mr. Abu Ali’s arrest, but was then indicted and extradited to the United States. The US attorney and an FBI agent made allegations that Abu Ali had confessed during Saudi interrogations which the FBI was able to "watch and listen but not be present physically." (U.S. v. Benkhala. Transcript of Bond Review Hearing 07/25/03) [These allegations did not resurface during the actual trial in March 2004. In fact Benkhala was found innocent on March 10, 2004, and all charges against him were dismissed. Had Mr. Abu Ali's alleged confession been legitimate, with any concrete evidence that substantiated, the prosecution would not hesitate to use it at all.] September 2003 -- A group of four FBI agents from Washington visited Mr. Abu Ali. Among them was FBI agent Luke Kuligoski, the agent who had led the raid on the family home in Virginia, and one of the lead investigators in the U.S. v. Royer case. This was not the first time the FBI had access to Mr. Abu Ali, but it was the first in which they openly informed the family of the visit. Agent Kuligoski called the family to say he was going to Saudi Arabia for separate business, but that he was only going to pay Mr. Ali a "courtesy visit" since he was an American citizen, offering to take him a "care kit." September 26, 2003 -- During a telephone call to his parents, Mr. Abu Ali said that during the three-day extensive interrogation, he had been questioned by the FBI about the eleven Virginia men indicted in U.S. v. Royer. He said that the FBI threatened him, telling him that if he did not cooperate in providing them with the answers they desired he would be sent to Guantanamo Bay, and President Bush would designate him an "enemy combatant." His interrogators also reportedly also told Mr. Abu Ali that he would be tried in Saudi Arabia without the right to an attorney. September 2003 -- Amnesty International wrote a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell. October 20, 2003 -- Mr. Abu Ali’s family sent a letter to Judge Brinkema (U.S. v. Royer). "A forced confession obtained through torture and duress should not be admitted into an American court of law. Do not allow the prosecution to strengthen their case against the Virginia men by making allegations against Ahmed in absentia, which they have done before. Ahmed himself has neither been charged nor found guilty of a crime. Any allegations made against him in his absence and without the opportunity to defend himself in front of his accusers are not legitimate." November 22, 2003 -- Washington Post: "Several U.S. law enforcement sources said the FBI has concluded that Abu Ali probably did not play a role in (the May 12 Riyadh bombings)." (Washington Post, 11/22/03) Date? -- The US Consul in Riyadh sent a cable to the US State Department (with a copy to the US Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden) stating that Mr. Abu Ali has expressed a desire to go to Sweden upon his release instead of returning home to the United States. May 22, 2004 -- In a telephone conversation recorded by his family, he answered "with a resounding ‘no’" when they asked whether he had ever said anything about going to Sweden. May 12, 2004 -- Mr. Abu Ali’s family received an e-mail message from a high-ranking FBI official in Washington stating that "this office has no further interest in Mr. Abu Ali’s detention." [That office has informed the family’s lawyer that there are no charges against Mr. Abu Ali, nor is there any intention to bring any charges against him in the future.] May 14, 2004 -- Mr. Ali’s parents were told by US State Department personnel, in the presence of their attorneys and a delegation from the Council on American Islamic Relations, that a high-ranking Saudi official in charge of the case has informed the US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that "Abu Ali could be rendered to American authorities at any time if the US Government made a formal request." Date? -- Mr. Abu Ali’s family learned from a trusted source that the FBI will free him only if he revokes his citizenship and goes to another country. July 28, 2004 -- The World Organization for Human Rights USA and the family of Ahmed Abu Ali announce that they will file a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the U.S. government’s detention of a U.S. citizen in Saudi Arabia. July 29, 2004 -- The US State Department, hours after the Ahmed Abu Ali’s family filed a petition in federal court, informs the family that, "according to the FBI in Riyadh, the Saudi government is planning to bring charges against your son shortly. The charges are regarding providing support to terrorism." (Washington Post, 07/30/04) Related documents Letter from Mr. Abu Ali's family to Congressman Tom Davis of Virginia (MS Word doc) Concerns regarding US involvement and FBI interrogations: Ahmed Abu Ali case summary (MS Word doc) Concerns regarding the State Department and US Embassy in Riyadh (MS Word doc) Concerns regarding Privacy Act: complete information withholding (MS Word doc) Excerpt from November 22, 2003 phone transcript (MS Word doc) Official report from the US Embassy to the State Department (MS Word doc) Letter from Mr. Abu Ali's family to Judge Leonie Brinkema (MS Word doc) Correspondence with US Embassy (MS Word doc) Lawsuit against the US government is announced (MS Word doc) return to index Prominent local Muslim addresses the Portland City Council On Wednesday, April 28th, 2004, Shahriar Ahmed, prayer leader at the Bilal Mosque in Beaverton, went before the City Council of Portland to thank the Council’s members for passing a pro-civil rights resolution (MS Word version) (html version) last year, and to point out that problems still exist and that we must be ever vigilant in our defense of freedom. Begin testimony: Good morning, members; I have prepared a written speech to give here today, but I thought I'd keep it aside and speak my heart. First, I would like to extend my deepest appreciation for the stand that you took in preserving civil rights and civil liberties with your resolution, passing a resolution some months ago concerning the PATRIOT Act. I would like to extend that thanks as a father, as a husband. I call myself a very happy hen-pecked husband. And the reason for that is my wife is boss. And that brings tremendous peace in the household and I recommend it to every tough male member of society. And I also extend my thanks, deepest appreciation as an American as well. I look back into how I am in front of you today--a person who looks obviously different, who speaks with a strong accent, and is yet speaking in the council, in front of the council. One point I will leave you with is that what we Muslims are facing today, especially in the United States, I hope none of you ever have to face--ever. You may say that you understand what we feel, but you don't. Every day, especially our women, ones who are practicing, and have the religious faith to wear a scarf on their heads, you have absolutely no idea what they face, and I don't even expect you, and I don't even hope, that you ever have to. And here is the most interesting part; we are resigned to it. This is the way it's going to go on for the foreseeable future. Whether you accept it or not, we have accepted it. I traveled to Bangladesh, my original home, to visit my mother who is recovering from a stroke, and on each flight, I am the only person who is checked again and again. Very interesting coincidence. This year when my wife left to visit her parents, with my five-year-old, the exuberance of the five-year-old, for taking off in an aircraft, disappeared within a few minutes, just by the body language around him. The presence of the PATRIOT Act has an overt manifestation as well as a covert manifestation. By not standing up against it forcefully, what we send out is a clear message to everyone on the street that it is all right to deal with us the way we are being dealt with. But you have taken a strong position. We appreciate that. And, by the way, I am the so-called Muslim person who was disinvited from Mayor Rob Drake’s prayer breakfast^[2], but he set an example for everyone to follow. Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity [to address the council], and hopefully we will do the right thing in doing the right thing. ¹ The impact of the USA PATRIOT Act, and relevant government regulations and executive orders, has created a great deal of fear in Muslim Americans. As a result, attendance at Mosques has markedly decreased, giving to charities has decreased, and free speech has been impeded. In short, a large number of people have unjustly suffered as a result of the post-9/11 changes in law, policy, and attitude. ² Washington County holds an annual Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast. Beaverton Mayor Rob Drake invited Shahriar Ahmed, a Muslim, to offer the breakfast’s closing prayer. Upon finding out, the steering committee voted 7-1 to bar Ahmed from praying. Rob Drake set a good example by choosing not to attend. The majority of Washington County mayors, and others, followed his lead, and the prayer breakfast was cancelled. return to index How did Ian McEwan, distinguished British novelist traveling to Portland, become a victim of US policy in the era of the U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act? US Homeland Security officials in Vancouver, BC stopped distinguished British novelist and screenwriter Ian McEwan from boarding his plane on March 30, 2004, a day before he was to speak in Seattle and two days two days before he was scheduled to appear as the final speaker in the 2003-2004 Portland Arts and Lectures series. The US inspector who barred him from entering the US said that Mr. McEwan lacked the proper visa, because the speaking fees he was to receive for his appearances were too large to qualify as honoraria. There is, in fact, no such rule, and Homeland Security officials later issued a written apology; but Mr. McEwan and Portland lawyer Brent Renison, who represented him while he was held for more than 24 hours, worried that he might be delayed entering the country again because his passport is stamped "Entrance Denied" to the United States. "That doesn't make coming to the United States again massively attractive," McEwan said. "But I have many friends in the U.S., and it is a country that I adore, so I don't want to sulk about this. I want to do something about it." http://www.heraldonline.com/24hour/entertainment/books/news/story/1305734p-8445491c.html oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1081339661131751.xml?oregonian?albs oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/living/1082549382295540.xml?oregonian?ylvcjnx After a 24-hour flurry of activity that included legislators, border officials realized there's no rule limiting the size of honoraria one may receive. McEwan was admitted the next afternoon and arrived in Seattle an hour before his appearance. But McEwan and an immigration attorney who represented him during the holdup worried that he might be delayed entering the country again because his passport is stamped to note he was refused admittance to the United States. "That doesn't make coming to the United States again massively attractive," McEwan said. "But I have many friends in the U.S., and it is a country that I adore, so I don't want to sulk about this. I want to do something about it." [Ian McEwan is the author of Atonement (2001), winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award. John Updike called it "A beautiful and majestic fictional panorama." McEwan is the author of more than ten books, including Amsterdam (1998), winner of the Booker Prize; The Child in Time (1987), winner of the Whitbread Award; as well as the story collection, First Love, Last Rites (1975), winner of the Somerset Maugham Award. "His books have a natural 45-degree tilt, leaning forward, through a fog of mounting unease, toward claret-dark revelation." -The New York Times.] return to index What abuses have been experienced by foreign dignitaries visiting Multnomah County in the era of the U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act? Seven members of the Moroccan parliament, visiting Portland as part of a goodwill tour of the United States, were removed from a Delta Air Lines flight Saturday morning, January 31, 2004, and detained at the Portland International Airport in what officials described as an embarrassing series of coincidences, wrong assumptions and miscommunications. The Moroccans were released but missed a connecting flight and spent all day at the airport before boarding another flight late Saturday night. In the meantime, officials searched their luggage, the FBI questioned their intent and their American hosts -- including Multnomah County Commissioner Serena Cruz -- found themselves apologizing for what appeared to be a case of post-9/11 jitters. . . Speaking through an interpreter, the visitors said they fully understand security precautions but said their treatment was unacceptable. They carried diplomatic passports and Delta officials were aware of their status, they said. . . The group was preparing to board a 7 a.m. flight when one of their members, Abdellah Abbassi, left to get a cup of coffee, leaving his carry-on bag behind. The other six got on board before he returned, and in the meantime, someone reported the unattended baggage. Abbassi was detained when he returned and tried to board, and the other members of parliament protested to the flight crew. Due to the language barrier, neither could understand the other. The pilot, using his authority, ordered the Moroccans off the flight, and the Transportation Security Administration became involved. The visitors' luggage was removed from the plane, and officials became alarmed when they saw documents in Arabic with 911 written on them. It turned out that one of the group's host in Dallas, a previous stop, had given them instructions to call the 9-1-1 emergency number if they got into trouble, but it was mistaken for a reference to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Andrew Coose, the TSA's deputy security director in Portland, said the documents were removed from the luggage and photographed but apparently not returned to the correct bags, a development that further infuriated the Moroccans. The FBI began to question the group, a process that was delayed until an agent who spoke Arabic could arrive at the scene. The agents determined the visitors were not a threat and released them. Coose was apologetic about the incident, calling it "absolutely unfortunate." The agency was not equipped to handle the incident quickly, he said. www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1075640113239800.xml?oregonian?lcg (Eric Mortenson. Moroccan lawmakers detained at Portland airport. Sunday Oregonian Metro Section 02/01/04 Page C1, columns 2-5, and page C3, columns 1-2) return to index Portland police improperly cite war protester On March 27, 2003, Portland police officers approached ex-Marine Brent Was after he had walked up to a group of fellow war protesters. One of them asked for his ID. He refused, and was improperly cited for interfering with a police officer, taken to a holding cell, and held until after midnight (even after providing identification). After he hired a lawyer, Portland settled the case for $3,500. (Mari Brookshire. Name that peacenik: City reviewing policy of jailing mum marchers. Willamette Week 12/24/03.) http://www.wweek.com/flatfiles/News4663.lasso You will be directed to an error page and will need to enter "4663" into the appropriate text field, after which the story should show up. return to index Head of Portland Water Bureau stands up to improper seizure of luggage by U.S. customs Mort Anoushiravani heads the Portland Water Bureau, is listed as a "distinguished alumnus" of Portland State University, and has been a US citizen for more than 20 years. On February 13, 2004, he filed suit in federal court against the U.S. Customs office in Portland. The suit alleges that when he returned from visiting family in Iran on Oct. 30, 2003, U.S. Customs seized half of his personal baggage and, after three months of wrangling, offered to return the property that was exempt from the trade embargo with Iran if he agreed not to sue the agency. After he hired a lawyer, Customs agreed to make an exception in his case, but said that the policy would remain in place for others. "Imagine how many people have been forced to give up their constitutional rights to get their things back. This is not right," Anoushiravani said. "And I need to stand up for my rights. It's part of my contract with my country, to hold government accountable." (Steve Duin. The customary vigilance, service, and integrity. The Sunday Oregonian 01/15/04 Page B1, col. 1.) http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1076763956318780.xml?oregonian?ylccsd return to index Local photographer kept from taking pictures while on public property During his lunch hour on a sunny day in mid-December 2003, some of his previous black-and-white photographs having been featured in a local exhibit, Jeffrey Thomas was taking pictures of the white handrail in front of the old federal courthouse building on SW Broadway. A guard came out, told him that he was not allowed to take pictures of federal buildings, and called for backup. When asked for ID, Jeffrey produced his driver’s license. Two more guards arrived. One stood next to him, the other behind him. He was scared. "I didn't move. Since I had been carefully surrounded I never felt I had the option to leave... I certainly didn't want to be taken to a small room somewhere and questioned. All I was doing was taking pictures in a public space... After 15 minutes they gave me back my driver's license and told me I couldn't take pictures." In fact, it is not illegal to photograph federal buildings. (Margie Boulé. Photographer with eye on federal building puts focus on law. The Sunday Oregonian 01/18/04 Page L1 col. 1-4, Page L3 col. 1 - 3.) http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/living/1074258241122040.xml?oregonian?ylvcmb return to index
	main page \| actions \| news \| links about us \| events \| contact us
	Copyright © 2004, Rights 101 Oregon. All rights reserved. All registered trademarks and logos are property of their respective owners. e-mail webmaster \| privacy statement

News:

Index: