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Adolph ashcroft { December 1 2001 } >It Can Happen Here > > > > December 1, 2001 > > > > By ANTHONY LEWIS > > > > BOSTON > > > > On the basis of secret evidence, the government accuses a > > non-citizen of connections to terrorism, and holds him in > > prison for three years. Then a judge conducts a full trial > > and rejects the terrorism charges. He releases the > > prisoner. A year later government agents rearrest the man, > > hold him in solitary confinement and state as facts the > > terrorism charges that the judge found untrue. > > > > Could that happen in America? In John Ashcroft's America it > > has happened. > > > > Mazen Al-Najjar, a Palestinian, came to the United States > > in 1984 as a graduate student and stayed to teach at a > > university. The Immigration Service moved to deport him for > > overstaying his visa - and asked an immigration judge, R. > > Kevin McHugh, to imprison him. Secret evidence, the > > government lawyers said, showed that Mr. Al-Najjar had > > raised funds for a terrorist organization, Palestinian > > Islamic Jihad. In June 1997 Judge McHugh issued the > > detention order. > > > > Mr. Al-Najjar's lawyers went to federal court and > > challenged the use of secret evidence against him. The > > court held that he must at least be told enough about the > > evidence to have a fair chance of responding to it. > > > > Judge McHugh then reopened the case in his immigration > > court. In a two-week trial the government's lead witness, > > an Immigration agent, admitted that there was no evidence > > of Mr. Al-Najjar contributing to a terrorist organization > > or ever advocating terrorism. At the end Judge McHugh found > > that there were no "bona fide reasons to conclude that [Mr. > > Al- Najjar] is a threat to national security." > > > > Judge McHugh, a former U.S. marine, wrote a 56-page > > decision that evidently carried much legal weight. The > > Board of Immigration Appeals rejected a government appeal. > > And Attorney General Janet Reno, who had the right to step > > in, refused to do so. A year ago Mr. Al-Najjar rejoined his > > wife and three daughters. > > > > Last Saturday immigration agents arrested Mr. Al-Najjar > > again. The Justice Department issued a triumphant press > > release saying that the case "underscores the department's > > commitment to address terrorism by using all legal > > authorities available." Mr. Al-Najjar, it said, "had > > established ties to terrorist organizations." > > > > That flat, conclusory statement was in direct contradiction > > to the findings made by Judge McHugh after a full trial. > > And the department did not claim, this time, to be relying > > on undisclosed information. It said the detention was "not > > based on classified evidence." > > > > It seems to me shocking that the United States Department< > >Tel. (562) 439-4162, Fax (562) 433-2262, e-mail >aidapa@yahoo.com >

Adolph ashcroft { December 1 2001 } Ash sings { March 4 2002 } Ashcroft addressing christ coalition [jpg] Ashcroft discusses new powers Ashcroft in icu with pancreatitis Ashcroft makes blacklist of judges { August 7 2003 } Ashcroft patriot act campaign { August 19 2003 } Ashcroft resigns from cabinet Ashcroft rove connection { October 2 2003 } Ashcroft rove ties scrutinized Ashcroft sued after re classify public records { June 24 2004 } Ashcroft to plug victory act Ashcroft traitor aug 20 03 [jpg] Ashcroft wants broader laws { June 5 2003 } Ashcroft wants more death penalty Ashcroft wants stronger patriot act { June 6 2003 } Ashcroft wants tougher patriot act { June 30 2004 } Ashcroft_patriot_act [jpg] Crisco kid Defying anti lobbying act { August 22 2003 } Justice statues bare breasts after ashcroft { June 24 2005 } Missouri attorney general ashcroft misused office for campaign { November 10 2004 } No excuses from ashcroft { June 6 2003 } Reducing plea bargain discretion { September 23 2003 } Rips anti patriot act hysteria Rove worked with ashcroft { October 2 2003 } Seizing dictatorial { November 15 2001 } Files Listed: 27

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