Judge Tosses Out Perjury Indictment Against College Student Who Knew 2 Alleged 9/11 Hijackers

New York Daily News ^ | 4/30/02 | LARRY NEUMEISTER

[FreeTally]

Interesting. I had a feeling the courts may not look to kindly upon the actions of Asscroft.

And no one get me wrong here. Any person who is not an American citizen who is even suspected of having terrorist ties should be deported immediately.

[a_witness]

federal judge Shira Scheindlin

That is " Clinton appointed federal judge Shira Scheindlin" to you ...

[SolitaryMan]

I take it by your spelling of Ashcroft, you don't like him?

[w1andsodidwe]

Well what did we expect, after all x42 got away with this. Why shouldn't terrorists?

Yes this country is now seeing the seeds sown by X42. After all you can't expect a man to tell the truth about.....when he has to protect the ........ of others.

[FreeTally]

I take it by your spelling of Ashcroft, you don't like him?

Did I spell something wrong? ;)

[ecomcon]

So if I understand correctly, he did in fact lie about his connection to al-Midhar. Wonder how come?

[FreeTally]

So if I understand correctly, he did in fact lie about his connection to al-Midhar. Wonder how come?

I don't give a damn if he lied about his connection. If they suspected it(but had no proof which they obviously did not), then they should have deported him, which would have been legal. Abusing the Material Witness statute was not the answer.

[Almondjoy]

I agree with the fact that we shouldn't be allowed to hold people during an investigation.. can you imagine being a material witness in the OJ murder and having to sit in jail for 6 months for that trial to begin? That's a gross violation of the constituion.. but regardless even if he was overheld I don't understand the dismissal of the perjury. He clearly lied about all knowledge which impeded an investigation. I'm not buying this whole he was brutalized and so therefore he should be let go crap.

[BikerNYC]

So if I understand correctly, he did in fact lie about his connection to al-Midhar. Wonder how come?

Probably for the same reason Peter denied he knew Christ.

[ecomcon]

I'm not questioning some convoluted point of law. And besides, why deport someone you consider to be a material witness?

I'm asking how come this guy lied.

[freeperfromnj]

He had direct contact with one of the hijackers 30-40 times, he had videotapes and pictures of his hero, OBL. It's mindboggling that we Americans are losing some of our rights to protect ourselves from these sleepers yet this liberal clinton-appointed judge decides that this guy should have his constitutional rights!

[FreeTally]

I'm not questioning some convoluted point of law. And besides, why deport someone you consider to be a material witness?

The judge that threw out the indictment explains why he could not legally be detained under the "material witness" law. Please note that the law is called the "material witness" law and one does not just become a "material witness" because the government detains you (illegally) under this law.

I'm asking how come this guy lied.

I suspect we all know why he lied. Deport the anti-american who shouldn't have been here in the first place.

[The_Media_never_lie]

The judge said its authors believed people “should forever ‘be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects’ from intrusion and seizure by officers acting under the unbridled authority of a general warrant.”

Surely this is a stretch. The "authors" (founding fathers) could not have believed that the "people" should be forever secure. Maybe the authors beleived "citizens" should be secure, but certainly not potential terrorists, terrorists or mass murderers. There is a perverse and malevalent lack of common sense in this era of weapons of mass destruction this judge exemplifies, that, unless corrected, will result in mass casulties.

Like it or not, Ozzie and Harriet are gone and America's enemies have access to powerful, miniature weapons. We have to deal with that, and non-citizens should be well treated guests but should not have unfettered, anonymous access to our infrastructure.

We can maintain our moral high ground as the country that grants all kinds of rights to illegal aliens but there will eventually be a price to pay.

[FreeTally]

Why didn't the government just charge him with "terrorist activities" instead of illegally detaining him under a provision that relates to pre-trial activities and not grand jury investigations?

If Asscroft wants to charge any of these foreign terrorist associates or sympethizers as "terrorists", then I have no problem, providing there is proof. Just don't manipulate the law to your liking.

Bottom line, they will not deport these KNOWN TERRORISTS for a reason. What is it? They knew these people were associates of terrorists long before 9/11. Every American needs to ask the hard question, "Why, oh why, would our government let known terrorists and associates into this country in the first place". No other questions are needed.

[Psycho_Bunny]

There's really no reason to be puerile and uncivil about disagreement.

[VOA]

Judge Shira Scheindlin

Maybe the judge is right on the point of law.

(but...she's still a Clinton appointee...)

[thinden]

interesting perspective on the law & the appoinment.

[freeperfromnj]

Maybe the judge is right on the point of law.

How do you think this decision will affect other detainees being held under similar circumstances?

[Cold Heat]

The way I see it, The justice dept. did everything they could to avoid declaring martial law and suspending all liberties. They knew they would be in for criticism from the courts and have accepted it.

I think, in retrospect, they did the right thing. The suspension of liberties under martial law would have sent a shockwave through the world. The criticism is really mild IMHO.