The Case of Dr. Sami Al-Arian - as presented by MAS Freedom

MAS Freedom Renews Call for End to Manipulation of Justice System as Dr. Sami Al-Arian Enters Day 9 of Hunger Strike

WASHINGTON, D.C. (MASNET) March 12, 2008 - MAS Freedom (MASF), as the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), has learned that on the 9th day of a hunger strike that began on Monday, March 3, 2007, he was moved to a federal medical facility in Butner, North Carolina on March 4, where his condition has continued to deteriorate. Dr. Al-Arian has reportedly lost more than 20 pounds, and, as a diabetic, his condition has been deemed as 'grave' with irreversible renal failure looming on the horizon - all under the watchful eyes of the Bush "Justice" Department.

"Apparently, "legal black holes" like Guantanamocan be created without having to set-up a special overseas prison, if domestic law can be sufficiently manipulated. And the Bush administration is very, very good at manipulation, both legal and otherwise," stated Al-Arian's attorney, Peter Erlinder, in his March 11, 2008 article, "The Torture of Sami Al-Arian".

"The government, after years of incarcerating Dr. Al-Arian and spending millions of the taxpayers' dollars, was unable to get a single conviction by a federal jury in this case, yet they've used every trick in the book to persecute Dr. Al-Arian and his family. Through this ordeal, Dr. Al-Arian has endured being subjected to such things as inhumane periods of 23-hour lock-down; being deliberately, improperly dressed while forced to walk in sub-freezing weather, and sporadically threatened with abuse from guards and U.S.marshals. Clearly outrageous displays of government corruption and abuse of power.

In spite of an agreement intended to resolve his case once and for all, the government has continued to harass Dr. Al-Arian and mire him further in legal purgatory," added MAS Freedom Executive Director, Mahdi Bray.

This is Dr. Al Arian's third hunger-strike during his 5 years of imprisonment.

During the first hunger-strike in 2005, Dr. Al- Arian took only liquids for 140 days, before he was permitted to retain lawyers of his own choice.

In early 2006 he drank only water for 60 days when the court refused to require the Bush-administration to honor their earlier "no grand jury cooperation" promise to (a) drop all charges; (b) release Dr. Al-Arian in 30 day; and (c) assist in deporting him to the country of his choice, immediately upon release - this in lieu of the death penalty or life imprisonment.

In this third hunger-strike Dr. Al-Arian, after the passage of the promised April 7, 2008 release date, he is refusing all food and liquids. And although he has been transferred to a prison medical facility, he is reportedly not getting necessary medical treatment.

Dr. Al-Arian has vowed to continue his hunger-strike until the government ends its vindictive campaign against him fulfills its prior promises.

As a community we must continue to insist that the government end its manipulation of the U.S. Judicial System and to demand the release of Dr. Al-Arian.

TAKE ACTION NOW

Please spend some time today phoning or writing your local newspapers and radio stations. An innocent man's life may depend on it. Please write to the following individuals to ask for an immediate end to Dr. Al-Arian's harassment and imprisonment:

It can be as simple as this:

"Please help Dr. Sami Al-Arian stay alive during his hunger strike. Our government is responsible for his life during his hunger strike. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg is a well-known Islamophobe, who has made inappropriate and inflammatory comments about Muslims. In 2006 he railed against the Islamization of America. He will keep postponing his release for one reason or another unless you step in.

The previously promised release date of April 7, 2008, has passed, please release him now."  

"Please do the right thing and step in. Dr. Al-Arian is no terrorist. He is a hard-working professor, father, husband and a man who loves the United States and Palestinians. His views are shared by many Americans, including me."

Please contact any one of the following:

Hon. Judge Gerald Lee

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia

Alexandria, VA 22314

Attorney General Michael Mukasey

Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Justice

Washington, DC 20530-0001

Fax: (202) 307-6777

E-mails to the Department of Justice, including the Attorney General, may be sent to: AskDOJ@usdoj.gov

US Department of Justice

Office of Professional Responsibility

Washington, DC 20530

House Judiciary Chair

The Hon. John Conyers, Jr.

2426 Rayburn Building

Washington, DC 20515

(202) 225-5126

Fax: (202) 225-0072

E-mail: John.Conyers@mail.house.gov

Senate Judiciary Chair

Sen. Patrick Leahy

433 Russell Senate Office Building

United States Senate

Washington, DC 20510

(202) 224- 4242

E-mail: senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov

To contribute to Dr. Al-Arian's legal defense, please send checks to:

National Liberty Fund

P.O. Box 1211

Welches, OR 97067

For Additional Information

About Dr. Al-Arian's case, please visit: http://www.freesami alarian.com

Read an articles by Al-Arian's counsel, Peter Erlinder:

The Torture of Sami Al-Arain (March 11, 2008): http://www.masnet.org/views.asp?id=4941

Enough is Enough: Bush Administration Denying Justice for Sami Al-Arain (March 7, 2008): http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/78922

ALSO:

National Lawyers Guild Calls Third Summons to Grand Jury of Dr. Sami Al-Arain Punitive Government Harassment:

http://www.masnet.org/news.asp?id=4920

Dr. Al-Arain moved to Medical Unit:

http://www.masnet.org/news.asp?id=4922

Read an article by Pulitzer prize-winning reporter Chris Hedges:

http://www.alternet .org/story/ 79107

Screenings of USAvs. Al-Arian

Friends of Human Rights (a group that began in Tampa when Dr. al-Arian was first arrested) have organized a national tour to present the award-winning film "USA vs. Al-Arian". This award-winning documentary, filmed in Tampa, Florida, by Norwegian film-makers Line Halvorsen chronicles the effects of a terrorism trial on the family of the accused. Please contact Melva Underbakke to schedule a screening in your city. Call (813) 215-3403, or E-mail her at: melvau@earthlink.net.