Posted on 04/10/2002 4:27:03 PM PDT by Jean S
DETROIT --
A federal appeals court delayed the release Wednesday of transcripts from the closed deportation hearings of an Islamic charity's founder.
The three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Justice Department did not have to turn over the transcripts by a Wednesday afternoon deadline that had been set by a lower court judge.
The government is investigating suspected links between terrorists and the Global Relief Foundation, which Rabih Haddad co-founded. Haddad is accused of overstaying his visa; he has not been accused of helping terrorists.
Last week, U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds said the Justice Department improperly barred reporters and the public from Haddad's hearings. She said transcripts of the hearings must be made public.
The Justice Department had asked the appeals court Tuesday to temporarily block Edmunds' order. The court gave the Justice Department until April 22 to argue against Edmunds' order.
Justice Department lawyer Michael Lindemann has said terrorists would be able to get valuable information if immigration hearings related to the Sept. 11 attacks were opened to the public.
Lawyers for Haddad, several Detroit-area newspapers and Rep. John Conyers filed the lawsuit to have the hearings opened and the transcripts released.
An April 24 hearing has been scheduled on whether Haddad, a 41-year-old citizen of Lebanon, should be expelled from the United States. He has been in custody since Dec. 14, when he was arrested at his home in Ann Arbor.
On the same day, authorities raided the foundation's offices in Bridgeview, Ill. The government has also frozen Global Relief's assets, but has not said how the charity allegedly helped terrorists.
Don't forget Conyers...
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