Posted on 01/14/2002 3:20:49 PM PST by ThinkPlease
Monday, January 14, 2002
By JO COLLINS MATHIS
NEWS STAFF REPORTER
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Federal authorities have taken Ann Arbor Muslim leader Rabih Haddad to an undisclosed location and were not allowing him to speak to either his attorneys or family.
Haddad, who has been held on immigration charges since Dec. 14, has been removed from custody of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and turned over to the United States Marshals Service. A spokesman for the Marshals Service said today that Haddad is being held in an undisclosed location and would be transferred to Chicago.
"We don't know where he is," his wife, Salma Al-Rushaid, had said Sunday night. "They won't tell anyone where he is. I can't understand all this secrecy."
Haddad's attorney, Noel Saleh, learned on Friday that an order was issued from the U.S. Marshal changing custody from the immigration service.
Saleh said he can only speculate as to why custody was changed.
"Whether they're going to hold him as a material witness and he's going to become one of the 500 the U.S. government won't acknowledge where they are, I don't know," said Saleh. "Whether they're going to take him before a grand jury as part of the investigation of the Global Relief Foundation and they want him as a witness there, I don't know."
He said the only thing he knows for certain is that an order was placed in federal court for the U.S. Marshal to take custody of him, but the rationale behind that change is under seal.
Four weeks ago, federal agents arrested the 41-year-old Lebanon native at his Scio Township apartment and charged him with violating a temporary visa.
His arrest coincided with federal raids at the Global Relief Foundation headquarters near Chicago. The government has frozen the Islamic charity's assets and said it is investigating whether Global Relief provided funding to terrorists.
Haddad helped form Global Relief in 1992 and is still an active board member and fund-raiser.
Since the arrest, Muslim and non-Muslim community members have rallied in support of Haddad, who was again denied bond last Thursday during a closed hearing in immigration court in Detroit. Haddad had earlier lost a bond appeal when a judge ruled that Haddad was a threat to the community because authorities found a hunting rifle in his apartment.
Because the closest federal detention facility is in Milan, Saleh called the prison on Sunday only to be told there were "no records available."
Saleh, who hopes Haddad has not been taken out of Michigan, said he believes the government has no case against Haddad.
The fact that he was switched to federal custody from INS custody means only that the marshals have priority, not that the INS hold is canceled, Saleh said.
The INS, an agency of the Department of Justice, is responsible for enforcing the laws regulating the admission of foreigners to the United States.
U.S. Marshals protect the federal courts and ensure the operation of the judicial system.
Al-Rushaid, who said she was expecting her husband's release any day, was visibly worried about his fate. She said she had planned to visit Haddad on Friday when a friend called the Monroe County jail to confirm the visit, only to be told he was no longer there.
Salah called this latest move a continuation of the dishonest way the U.S. government has been handling this case from the start.
"If they really believe Pastor Rabih Haddad has done something illegal, has violated the Anti-Terrorism Act or the U.S.A. Patriot Act, then they should charge him as such and not assassinate his character without giving any proof," he said.
"And if they don't believe that, he should be treated like any other person who's violated his immigration status. He should be eligible for a bond and released to his family."
Saleh said he expects to learn today where his client is being held so he can meet with him.
Haddad's removal hearing is scheduled to resume Feb. 19.
Last month, my friend and I flew to Frankfort from Chicago. Sitting next to my friend was a 19 year old Albania man, with a Slovinian passport. He had flown to Chicago to visit his sister without a Visa. He said he had done it twice before with no trouble. Well this time big trouble ensued. He was held over night by INS and then put aboard the plane in handcuffs (which were removed for the flight. At Frankfort he was taken offr the plane by military or police (handcuffed) before other passengers were allowed off.
This is just the way it has to be now.
Or preferably deported. If that's all they've got on him, it's enough.
the NRA and the ACLU will be right on the case.
An immigration violation was apparently the crime he was held for; and now, something's probably come up that makes it necessary to keep his whereabouts unknown == perhaps, even, for his own protection.
Justified.
I think a constitutional amendment is absolutely necessary to clarify this.
The notion that Constitutional "Rights" accrue to terrorists illegally in this country is so beyond the pale that it would have been thought ridiculous to our founding fathers to address an absurd non-problem.
Well, that is precisely where we are.
And children born of foreign nationals illegaly or temporarily in this country are likewise illegal.
I really believe that this one issue will control the next presidential or congressional elections. The mood is getting uglier and firmer on this issue with the overwhelming number of Americans.
That said, I am uncomfortable with the idea of scarfing someone up to an "undisclosed" location without being able to talk to anyone for weeks. You also have to be disturbed by the fact that a judges are considering someone a "threat to the community" for possesing a hunting rifle.
Somebody change my mind on this.
Looks like the patsy's (us) the terrorists were used to dealing with have all gone away.
Let's see. What do we have here?
1. Haddad is evidently not an American citizen.
2. Moreover, he was obviously found in violation of his immigration/visa status.
3. Finally, he appears to be credibly linked to a suspected terrorist organization.
Now, of all times, is not a good time to be a non-citizen in America -- if you are found in violation of an immigration statute. And, especially, if you co-founded an organization suspected of raising money for terrorism.
The Constitution guarantees many things to Americans. The guarantees to non-citizens are largely reliant on our good faith -- which is somewhat strained right now.
hmm.
"appears to be linked". what is this, enron?
A federal judge is issuing the orders as things progress here. These judges are not necerssarily known as lapdogs for the federal law enforcement agencies.
"Global Relief Foundation" is a terrorist front.
This guy broke the law.
Would anyone be whining if this guy was a mafia don? I claim terrorists are worse. At least the mafia tries to kill only other crooks.
Oh, my friend, you don't know yet how right you are.
Actually, under current law, they're U.S. citizens.
You are correct! That is an unnecessarily wimpy infinitive, is it not?
Make that "is linked to a suspected terrorist organization."
My apologies.
the supremes disagree with you on this. they even give rights to non-natural persons (corporations).
thats what i call due process!
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