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Justice Dept. Accuses U.S. Citizen Jailed in Saudi Arabia
for 20 Months Without Charge of Plotting to Kill Bush
Shocking Weapons: Taser Launches Campaign to Market New Model
to U.S. Public
U.S. Peace Activist Brian Avery Returns to Israel Two Years
After Being Shot in the Face
Justice Dept. Accuses U.S. Citizen Jailed in Saudi
Arabia for 20 Months Without Charge of Plotting to Kill Bush
We take a look at the case of Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, the U.S.
citizen who spent nearly two years in a Saudi prison where
he says he was tortured before being returned to the United
States. He now stands accused of plotting to kill the president.
We speak with one of his lawyers and a family friend.
Today we take a look at the case of Ahmed Omar Abu Ali -
the U.S. citizen who spent nearly two years in a Saudi prison
without charge before being returned to the United States
where he now stands accused of plotting to kill the president.
This is his story: Ahmed Omar Abu Ali was born in Houston
and raised in Virginia. In 1999, he graduated as valedictorian
of the Islamic Saudi Academy in Alexandria. He moved to Saudi
Arabia the following year to continue his religious studies.
In June 2003, the Saudi government - apparently acting in
consultation with US officials - arrested Abu Ali while he
was taking his final exams at the Islamic University of Medina.
Even though he was never charged with a crime, Abu Ali remained
in a Saudi jail for the next 20 months, where he was reportedly
tortured.
His parents claimed that he was being held at the behest
of the US government, and sued in court to get him returned
to this country. This past December, federal judge John Bates
wrote in an opinion, "there has been at least some circumstantial
evidence that Abu Ali has been tortured during interrogations
with the knowledge of the United States."
Abu Ali was flown to the United States this week where the
Justice Department accused him of plotting to assassinate
President Bush with members of Al Qaeda. The indictment charged
that Abu Ali, "discussed plans" to kill the president
either by shooting him or detonating a car bomb. The plot
apparently never advanced beyond the talking stage. If convicted
of all charges, Abu Ali faces up to 80 years in prison. In
a subsequent filing Wednesday, federal prosecutors asked that
Abu Ali remain in jail pending trial. They also revealed another
interesting fact: The only other witness to the alleged conversations
Abu Ali allegedly took part in was killed in September 2003.
Also in the filing, the Justice Department denied that Abu
Ali was tortured in Saudi Arabia and said he never made any
claims of abuse to American officials as he was being returned.
Abu Ali's family is planning to pursue a lawsuit accusing
the administration of being behind their son"s detention.
After the indictment, Abu Ali's mother spoke to reporters
outside the courtroom.
- Faten Abu Ali, mother of Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, speaking
to reporters outside the courtroom.
- Edward McMahon, Ahmed Omar Abu Ali's Attorney speaking
to reporters outside the courtroom.
- David Cole, professor at Georgetown Law School and author
of the book "Enemy Aliens: Double Standards and Constitutional
Freedom in the War on Terrorism." He represented the
Abu Ali family in their habeus corpeus petition challenging
Ahmed's detention in Saudi Arabia.
- Shaker Elsayed, a friend of the Abu Ali family and member
of the executive committee of the Islamic Center where Ahmed
Omar Abu Ali went to pray.
Shocking Weapons: Taser Launches Campaign to Market
New Model to U.S. Public
Taser International - the maker of Taser electro-shock weapons
- announced this month that they will begin a major campaign
to market a new model of the weapon to consumers. We speak
with the head of Amnesty International, which issued a new
report on Taser, as well as a lawyer representing the family
of a man killed by police with a Taser gun in January 2005.
Earlier this month, Taser International -- the maker of
Taser electro-shock weapons, announced that they will begin
a major campaign to market a new model of the weapon to consumers.
Currently, 95% of Taser's weapons are sold to law enforcement
agencies in the U.S.
Tasers are shaped like handguns and administer a 50,000-volt
shock by shooting someone from a distance, or by applying
the weapon directly to the skin.
Taser made this announcement despite growing concerns over
the safety and use of the weapons by police forces around
the country. The weapon has become increasingly popular in
police agencies who claim that lives are saved by using a
Taser rather than a firearm.
Taser International declined our request for an interview
-- but this is what Orange County Florida Sheriff - Kevin
Beary - had to say about his department's use of Tasers at
a conference sponsored by the company in Orlando in 2003.
* Sheriff Kevin Beary, of Orange County Florida.
Yesterday, the Orange County Sheriff's Department told Democracy
Now that they are reviewing their policy on the use of Taser
weapons. Amnesty International has documented more than 80
Taser-related deaths since 1999 -- 60% of which occurred in
the last year. Amnesty has called for a suspension of the
use of the Taser until it can be determined if they are killing
people.
In an Amnesty Report
titled - "Excessive and Lethal Force?: Deaths and
Ill-treatment Involving Police Use of Tasers" - the human
rights organization concluded that - "far from being
used to avoid lethal force, many US police agencies are deploying
Tasers as a routine force option to subdue non-compliant or
disturbed individuals who do not pose a serious danger to
themselves or others.
They have been used against unruly school children - mentally
disturbed or intoxicated individuals - unarmed suspects fleeing
minor crime scenes - and people who fail to comply immediately
with a command."
- John Burris, Civil Rights Attorney representing the family
of Greg Saulsbury killed by police with Taser gun in January
of this year in Pacifica California. Burris is also looking
into representing families of 2 other victims killed by
Tasers.
U.S. Peace Activist Brian Avery Returns to Israel
Two Years After Being Shot in the Face
We go to Israel to speak with U.S. peace activist Brian
Avery. In April 2003, he was shot in the face - he says -
by Israeli forces. His face was shattered, with his tongue
split in two, forcing him to undergo a series of facial reconstruction
surgeries.
We go to Israel now to speak with US peace activist Brian
Avery. In April 2003, he was shot in the face - he say by
Israeli forces. His face was shattered, with his tongue split
in two.
He has undergone a series of facial reconstruction surgeries.
Witnesses said an Israeli Armored Personnel Carrier opened
fire on Avery but Israel has denied being behind the shooting.
On Feb. 28 the Israeli Supreme Court will hear Avery's petition
demanding a criminal investigation into the shooting.
Brian Avery has returned to Israel for the first time since
the shooting.He joins us on the line from Tel Aviv.
- Brian Avery, U.S. peace activist who was shot in the
face by Israel forces in Jenin in April 2003. He returned
to Israel for the first time since the shooting.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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