ZGram - 3/4/2004 - "Two items of importance: TASC hearing / Excerpt from Wired Interview with Architect of the Patriot Act"

zgrams at zgrams.zundelsite.org zgrams at zgrams.zundelsite.org
Thu Mar 4 15:08:49 EST 2004






ZGram - Where Truth is Destiny:  Now more than ever!

ZGram - March 4, 2004

Good Morning from the Zundelsite:

I have two items to report:

The first one is important for CSIS-Watchers:

Come to Court for Arab Secret Trial Detainee

Mon., March 8, 9:30 A.M., Federal Court of Canada, 330 University 
Avenue, Canada Life Building, just north of Queen St. and Osgoode 
subway, west side of street.  Come to court and support the motion to 
reopen the bail hearing for Secret Trial Detainee Mohammad Mahjoub, 
held without charge or bail on secret evidence neither he nor his 
lawyers are allowed to see, since June, 2000.

Mr. Mahjoub's life is in grave danger if deported to Egypt. Although 
a security certificate was upheld against him, no proof has ever been 
publicly shown that Mahjoub is even remotely connected to 
organizations which CSIS alleges he is involved in.

A victim of torture while in Egypt, Mahjoub came to Canada seeking a 
peaceful, quiet life, and has three children and a partner he misses 
terribly.

For more info: Campaign to Stop Secret Trials in Canada, tasc at web.ca, 
(416) 651-5800, www.homesnotbombs.ca

=====

Here is my caveat:  I have not the faintest idea who this man is, who 
his friends are - but NO ONE in a democracy ought to be victimized by 
secret trials and secret hearings!  No one! It is an absolute 
disgrace - a stain on Canada! 

If you are in the area, attend this hearing - and report to me what was said.

Thank you!

=====

The second item is an excerpt I lifted from Wired News from an 
interview with Viet Dinh, a Vietnamese attorney who seems to have 
been the major architect responsible for the Patriot Act:

[START]

Wired News: An estimated 5,000 people have been subjected to 
detention since 9/11. Of those, only five -- three noncitizens and 
two citizens -- were charged with terrorism-related crimes and one 
was convicted. How do we justify such broad-sweeping legislation that 
has resulted in very few terrorist-related convictions?

Viet Dinh: I've heard the 5,000 number. The official numbers released 
from the Department of Justice indicate approximately 500 persons 
have been charged with immigration violations and have been deported 
who have been of interest to the 9/11 investigation. Also, 
approximately 300 individuals have been criminally charged who are of 
interest to the 9/11 investigation. Of the persons criminally 
charged, approximately half have either pled guilty or been convicted 
after trial.

It may well be that a number of citizens were not charged with 
terrorism-related crimes, but they need not be. Where the department 
has suspected people of terrorism it will prosecute those persons for 
other violations of law, rather than wait for a terrorist conspiracy 
to fully develop and risk the potential that that conspiracy will be 
missed and thereby sacrificing innocent American lives in the 
process. [Emphasis added]

(The full interview is at 
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,62388,00.html)

[END]

To paraphrase:  If a person is "suspected" of setting fires (no 
evidence necessary - suspicion is enough!) it's quite okay to arrest 
that person for, let's say, fudging on an Income Tax return, a wide 
enough net to catch most anybody?

Same for "immigration violations."  A wide enough net to brazenly 
incarcerate the "enemies" one needs?

When I read it to Ernst, he commented dryly - and here I quote from memory:

"Imagine!  That's what America imported right from the Viet Nam war!"

=====
=====

Reminder: 

Help free Ernst Zundel, Prisoner of Conscience.  His prison sketches 
- now on-line and highly popular - help pay for his defence.  Take a 
look - and tell a friend! 

http://www.zundelsite.org/gallery/donations/index.html



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