Mike German, Policy Council to the American Civil Liberties Union, says that Congress should create a subcommittee to examine all the violations of the National Security Act. (0:15)
Mike German, Policy Council to the American Civil Liberties Union, says that Rep. Barbara Lee’s (D-Calif.) proposed subcommittee on National Security Act Violations would not only examine the Central Intelligence Agency, but also look at the other agencies in the U.S Government that work “hand in glove.” (0:15)
Mike German, Policy Council to the American Civil Liberties Union, says that the ACLU fully supports the investigation of the CIA’s potential violations of the National Security Act. He also says that the ACLU supports the formation of a congressional subcommittee that would investigate all potential National Security Act violations. (0:16)
When asked by Talk Radio News Service about the Central Intelligence Agency’s potential violations of the National Security Act, American Civil Liberties Union Policy Counselor Mike German says that Congress has the right to “thorough and truthful briefings.” (0:11)
When asked by Talk Radio News Service about the ACLU’s support of Congress’ decision to investigate the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) potential violations of the National Security Act, Mike German, Policy Council to the American Civil Liberties Union, says that the CIA was “less than truthful” with Congres on at least five separate occasions. (:09)
By Learned Foote — Talk Radio News Service
Today, in a hearing before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, a panel of expert witnesses testified to the necessity of reauthorizing the “Violence Against Women Act”, a law passed by Congress in 1994, and reauthorized in 2000 and 2005. The panelists argued that reauthorization is necessary to improve services offered to victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse, and to strengthen the ability of law-enforcement officials to combat crime.
“Everyday VAWA funding makes a difference in how communities across America assess, assist, and protect victims,” said Catherine Pierce, acting Director of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women.
Some witnesses affirmed that work remains to be done to increased funding for rural and under-served communities.
“I was raped in a wealthy community, with an adequately funded and staffed rape crisis center,” said actress Gabrielle Union, who testified as an advocate for victims of sexual assault. She said that disparate resources varying from neighborhood to neighborhood create a “parallel universe of justice,” and that all victims should have adequate protection.
Karen Tronsgard-Scott, Director of the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, said that: “Women, children and men are actually on waiting lists to receive treatment and therapy after sexual assault. The Violence Against Women Act is working, but the job is not done.”
The hearing also addressed the issue of DNA testing sexual assault suspects. The American Civil Liberties Union criticized parts of the 2005 re-authorization of VAWA. The ACLU argues that the tests violate the Fourth Amendment, since the samples are collected before suspects are convicted. The Fourth Amendment protects U.S. citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures.
“DNA is a very useful tool in identifying suspects,” said Sally Wolfgang Wells, Chief Assistant of the Maricopa County, Arizona Attorney’s Office. “There are a number of crimes that seem to be precursors or associated with sexual crimes, like burglary, petty theft, other kinds of felonies like that. Many states are expanding their DNA testing to those offenders as well, so that – like I said – if we can identify them early and stop even one sexual assault, it’s worth it.”
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, said that the bill has bipartisan support, and will “continue to serve as a powerful tool to combat violence perpetuated against women and families.”
http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/19885leg20050929.html
Vincent Warren, Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, met yesterday with President Obama. He released this statement:
CCR attended the meeting as did ACLU, Human Rights Watch, Charlie Swift and others. The president did not preview his speech for us. The president was very open in hearing CCR’s concerns on a range of guantanamo policy issues. I came out of the meeting deeply disappointed in the direction that the administration is taking and I don’t see meaningful differences between these detention policies and those erected by President Bush.
By Kayleigh Harvey – Talk Radio News Service
Reem Salahi from The American Civil Liberties Union read an account from her client Naji Handam, a U.S. citizen, who was detained and tortured in the United Arab Emirates, at what he claims was at the request of the American government.
By Kayleigh Harvey – Talk Radio News Service
Reem Salahi from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) talks about the experience of her client Naji Hamdan, an American citizen, who will be tried in the United Arab Emirates for terror related crimes. Salahi said that Hamdan only admitted to crimes under torture. She is calling on the U.S. government to intervene and free Hamdan.
By Kayleigh Harvey – Talk Radio News Service
If you were being tortured, both physically and mentally to the point of near-death, if your wife had been threatened with rape and your family with abuse would you sign a statement admitting to criminal offenses that you did not commit?
This may be the situation with Naji Hamdan, 47, a U.S. citizen, who claims that he admitted to perpetrating terror related crimes whilst under torture.
“[Hamdan] was placed in a blindingly white room, where he was unable to differentiate the day from the night for three months. In the room the AC was constantly on full-blast and Naji was denied a blanket or even a jacket to keep warm. For the three months that Naji was in state security custody the U.A.E. interrogators would alternate between placing him in solitary confinement for weeks at a time and taking him out blind-folded and handcuffed and torturing him,” said Reem Salahi, Hamdan’s lawyer from ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union).
According to Salahi the only evidence against Hamdan that the U.A.E. will present are confessions to crimes signed under torture.
Hamdan who lived for 20-years in Southern California, moved to the United Arab Emirates to expand his business in 2008. Today he faces life imprisonment under U.A.E. law for terror related crimes.
The FBI first investigated Hamdan in 1999, when he was placed under surveillance and taken in for questioning. Hamdan was never charged for any crime, but his lawyers say he was unfairly questioned because he is a Muslim activist.
In August 2008, after visiting family in Lebanon, Hamdan was taken and detained by U.A.E. security forces for three months. Salahi said “During that time he was interrogated about the years he spent in the U.S. and about information only U.S. federal agents would have. He was tortured severely. At least one American official participated in his interrogation and witnessed his torture,” Salahi said.
Salahi accuses the American government of allowing the U.A.E. to detain and interrogate Hamdan “knowing he would be subject to torture.”
In November 2008, the ACLU filed a habeas petition in the D.C. District Court alleging that the U.S. government was responsible for his improper detention and subjection to torture. One week after filing the petition Hamdan was charged in the U.A.E with “terror related crimes, based on nothing more than his forced confessions,” Salahi said.
On November 26, 2008 Hamdan was transferred to the U.A.E. criminal custody, a normal prison, where he was able to speak to family and legal representatives for the first time in three months since being detained. Salahi said, “the timing of this transfer is most certainly not coincidence, but a clear attempt of the U.S. government to avoid the reach of our lawsuit.”
Salahi added, “Naji Hamdan is a victim of the U.S. government’s policy and practice under the Bush administration, of requesting a foreign government to arrest and detain terrorism suspects, who we cannot arrest and detain ourselves under our laws.”
Salahi accused the American government of “asking another government to do its dirty work.”
Hamdan’s case will be heard in the U.A.E Supreme Court and no appeal following the decision will be granted.
Salahi is currently in Washington D.C. talking to Member’s of Congress about Hamdan’s trial. The ACLU is asking Congress for “Mr. Hamdan’s release because he is a victim of torture and the evidence against him was obtained through torture….If prosecuted in the U.A.E., ensure that Mr. Hamdan receives a fair trial and that evidence obtained under torture is not used against him….Investigate the role of the United States in Mr. Hamdan’s detention and torture.”
Speaking in support of Hamdan’s case, Dbraham Romey from The Muslim American Society (MAS) said, “We are saying to the Congress of the United States, to the President of the United States, to the Attorney General, to the Secretary of State, to leaders of the U.S. military, that we will not be silent and complicit in the ongoing abomination that is torture.”
The ACLU has made contact with Congressman Howard Berman (D-Calif.) who, as Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has written to Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton concerning this case. A response is still forthcoming from both Cabinet members.
Whilst in D.C. Salahi will contact other Members’ to ask for their support in releasing her client.
An U.A.E. Supreme Court trial date for Hamdan looks set to be given in the near future.
