Early morning raids/arrests in progress in the nation

[jannu]

Just heard that "morning services" (early morning raids) are in progress in the nation from coast to coast. The prof. in Florida has been arrested red-handed whose friend had left the U.S. and became head of Islamic Jihad.

Don't have much more info. right now. Heard the news on Dan Ankarlo's show on www.klif.com. CAIR is sure to pick on this.


Need more info.

[Nadia_H]

"I'm an Arab, I'm Palestinian, I'm a Muslim. That's not a popular thing to be these days. Do I have rights or don't I have rights? Right now it seems like a majority of the people think 'No, you don't have rights because you don't agree with us.' We will continue to fight this. I believe the issue is still academic freedom, the right to espouse views however unpopular."

That's professor Sami al Arian, who used to teach at a Florida University. US Palestinian Academic held, BBC Not certain who the others are? Professor al Arian is alleged to have ties with Islamic Jihad, although he denies all links to such orgs. Apparently, "The charges against him are to be released at a court appearance later on Thursday."

Checked the CAIR website, they have nothing on it at the moment. If the evidence linking al Arian with Islamic Jihad is tangible, then will the public be offered an opportunity to study it so it can be discussed in the open? If the evidence will be closed off, one question - why?

[underthedome]

Originally posted by Nadia_H:
[b]

If the evidence will be closed off, one question - why?

The only reason would be for national security concerns, but we're getting ahead of ourselves.

[ahmadjee]

Here is a link from CNN website: FBI arrests professor with suspected terrorist ties

Does this mean that all politically active Muslim academics will be in jail soon? No, I don't think so. It's an on going case that they will rap up, probably in secret.

[Mr Fraudia]

Political activism is fine but if it is fundraising for groups like those mentioned then there is a problem.

Only exception I can see to that rule is if a person was fundraising for a group that was later named as a terrorist outfit, or the person was supporting some chairtyu or some group with all good intentions but that organization in secret was supporting some terrorist group. I doubt if that applies to the gentleman in question.

we will see what happens.

[Nadia_H]

The only reason would be for national security concerns, but we're getting ahead of ourselves.

"National security", academic freedom, or both?

This is a two week-old article, but related to this issue perhaps: Professors' group enters Al-Arian fray: The American Association of University Professors said Wednesday it will send a team of investigators to the University of South Florida this spring to examine the university's treatment of controversial professor Sami Al-Arian.

The [American Association of University Professors] has concluded that the case "has raised issues of academic freedom, tenure and due process that are of basic concern to the academic community and are incumbent on us to address," associate general secretary Jordan Kurland wrote in a letter to USF president Judy Genshaft.
~ ~ ~
Anyways, this is a list of eight individuals suspected by the US as members of Islamic Jihad.

[Nadia_H]

"I have nothing to hide and nothing to fear."

UK academic to fight terror claim, BBC, 22 February 2003

Basheer Musa Mohammed Nafi, 50, was one of eight men indicted by US Attorney General John Ashcroft this week. He is accused of being the British head of Islamic Jihad - designated a terrorist organisation in the US. It is believed to be responsible for more than 100 killings including suicide bombings, car bombs and drive-by shootings in and around Israel.

But Dr Nafi has denied having any connections with the militant Palestinian organisation. "I support the Palestinian people's rights - those rights which are recognised by the United Nations and the international community," he told Radio 4's Today programme on Saturday. "But I have nothing to do with organised politics whatsoever."

Dr Nafi said he had both an Irish and an Egyptian passport and could "leave this island now if I want". But he said he intended to stay on in Oxfordshire where he has lived for 20 years and "fight them to the bitter end".

"What is being said against me is absolutely untrue. I have nothing to hide and nothing to fear."

Dr Nafi is a frequent contributor to Arab newspapers where he is seen as a moderate commentator and an opponent of Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.

Abdul Bari Atwan, editor of the London based Arabic newspaper Al Quds, knows Dr Nafi, and described the indictments as a US "witch hunt" against the Palestinian community. The US Attorney General said the arrests were part of the US war on terror, including efforts to stamp out terrorist finances.