[Update: 09/24 12:27 am] Air Force Translator Charged With Espionage at Guantanamo Bay Prison

After reading the usual sources this morning (NYT, WaPost, AP, Washington Times), I'm not very encouraged by the military's attitude.

First the Washington Post:

Military prosecutors fought to keep an Article 32 preliminary hearing closed to the public. An initial order by Brig. Gen. Bradley S. Baker, a commander at Travis, to close the entire hearing was overturned within days by the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals. Baker will decide whether the evidence warrants a court-martial. Much of the hearing, which began Sept. 15, was closed after prosecutors argued that national security would be compromised.

The same theme is expanded by the NY Times:

In an unusual move, the Air Force on Sept. 15 tried to close the proceedings of the airman's Article 32 hearing, the equivalent of a grand-jury proceeding. His lawyers objected, and the next day, the United States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals upheld the protest and ordered the government to open the proceedings to the public, except when necessary to protect classified information. The hearing continued in both open and closed sessions through Sept. 18.

Finally, the most disturbing info from the Washington Times (which broke the story over the weekend):

The defense department documents showed that the Veteran Affairs Council was a designee of the American Muslim Foundation (AMF), which also was included in the Justice Department sweep.

The AMF was co-founded by Abdurahman Alamoudi, an acknowledged supporter of the Palestinian terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah. Mr. Alamoudi in 2000 contributed money to the Senate campaign of Hillary Rodham Clinton. She returned it after Mr. Alamoudi's anti-Jewish sentiments were made public.

The second Pentagon-approved endorser is the Islamic Society of North America. One of its board members, Siraj Wahhaj, was named in 1995 by U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White as one of more than 100 "unindicted persons who may be alleged as co-conspirators" in the attempt to blow up New York monuments.

Mr. Wahhaj also served as a character witness for Sheik Omar Abel Rahman, who was convicted in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Mr. Wahhaj was never convicted of a crime.

The disconnect between the Justice Department and the Pentagon was similar to the breakdown that led to the September 11 attacks, said Rita Katz, author of "Terrorist Hunter" and director of the Search for International Terrorist Entities (SITE) Institute.

"This is not intentional, but the things, the lack of sharing information, is still happening," Miss Katz said. "In this case, the Pentagon is relying on groups that the Justice Department is raiding. And neither agency was aware of what the other was doing. The system has to be re-examined and these agencies have to share more information.".

Pentagon spokesmen said this week there are no plans to review the chaplain accreditation process. Of more than 5,000 chaplains in the military, 12 are Muslims. About 4,200 Muslims serve on active military duty..

Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, has called for an expedited investigation into these groups, which he says are "financed by Saudi Arabia and follow the radical Wahhabi sect of Islam.".

Put these facts together with the St. Petersburg Times report of the belief that Al-Alwani, president of the Islamic institute that trained certified Yee and Saifulislam, is believed to be "unindicted co-conspirator five," in the Al-Arian indictment. What will it take to get the military moving on the more and more obvious association between the Muslim chaplains and terrorist groups/sympathizers? A bomb at Gitmo?

Yes, it is more complicated. CAIR is half funded by the Saudis, the remainder from private donations, many coming from apparently private Saudi individuals. Yet CAIR thinks the "Syria Accountability Act" is a threat to their interests. Of course, the middle east is more tribal than nationalistic. Its borders having been defined by Europeans, sometimes a nation's territory cuts tribal turf in half. This makes the nations more unstable and their governments weaker since large groups of people in neighboring nations are constantly interfering in their country over tribal or religious interests. It is no surprise then that thing are much more complicated than just one nationality vying against another. And loyalties are fluid, which makes it worse.

I found a link to this on another thread:

CAIR Action Alert: Oppose "Syria Accountability" Act [Hypocrisy Alert]
CAIR Action Alert (via email) ^ | June 20, 2002 | Council on American-Islamic Relations
Posted on 06/28/2002 5:42 PM PDT by Stultis

In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

CAIR ACTION ALERT #335

OPPOSE SANCTIONS BILL THAT HARMS AMERICANS AND SYRIANS

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/20/02) - CAIR is urging on Muslims and other people of conscience to take a few minutes and contact their elected representatives in opposition to a new counterproductive bill being considered by Congress, the "Syria Accountability Act of 2002."

The House bill number is HR4483 and the Senate bill number is S2215. They are nearly identical in terms of imposing possible trade sanctions and downgrading of diplomatic relations. The proposed legislation is not in America's best interest. It is opposed by the president and the State Department.

SEE: "U.S.-Syria Relations Not Quite as Cold"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13898-2002Jun19.html

The "Syria Accountability Act" seeks to impose sanctions on Syria and American companies seeking to trade with this important regional player. Sanctions will hurt American businesses and Syria's growing middle class most strongly.

The legislation, if passed, would:

1) further isolate Syria, 2) damage America's image in the Arab and Muslim world, 3) restrict President Bush's flexibility in dealing with a fluid political situation, and 4) generally harm efforts to bring peace and stability to the region.

The original sponsor of the bill in the House was Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX). Rep. Armey recently (5/1/02) made a public call for the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.

(* Note how shrill and hysterical CAIR is... and how big a bunch of liars they are)

On MSNBC's "Hardball," host Chris Matthews had the following dialogue with Rep. Armey:

MATTHEWS: Have you ever told George Bush, the president from your home state of Texas, that you think the Palestinians should get up and go and leave Palestine and that's the solution?

ARMEY: I'm probably telling him that right now. MATTHEWS: Well, just to repeat, you believe that the Palestinians who are now living on the West Bank should get out of there?

ARMEY: Yes.

(* How CAIR can equate this with "ethnic cleansing" and keep a straight face is beyond me.)

For full bill text visit http://thomas.loc.gov/home/ and type the bill number in the search field.

ACTION REQUESTED: (As always, be POLITE.) Visit
http://capwiz.com/cair/home/ to contact your representative and senator (Write your own letter or use the sample provided.) and ask them to oppose the "Syria Accountability Act of 2002."

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