Injustice within America

Magic Arrow · Oct 25, 2009

This story is about a man who has received the full brutality of injustice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Omar_Abu_Ali

Read the whole thing.

Important points:
1)

Abu Ali went to trial in the fall of 2005. The government's evidence was focused on a detailed confession Abu Ali had made while in Saudi custody. Abu Ali challenged the admissibility of the confession, claiming (1) the confession was involuntary due to alleged torture he had suffered at the hands of the Saudis and (2) he should have been given certain constitutional protections (including Miranda warnings), because the interrogations were a joint venture between the FBI and Saudi authorities, rather than a purely Saudi interrogation, which would not have been subject to the same scrutiny under the U.S. Constitution. After an extended pre-trial suppression hearing, in which Abu Ali himself testified,[8] Judge Gerald Bruce Lee, who presided over the case, ruled that Abu Ali's confession to Saudi agents was admissible.[9][10]
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2)

Abu Ali testified that on the first day, his interrogators asked him whether he knew specific people and whether he knew about bombings in Riyadh. At one point, his blindfold was taken off. Abu Ali said he then saw the bruised face of a man through a window in the door to the room. The man was asked if he knew Abu Ali, and he shook his head no, then was taken away. Abu Ali was not fed this day. The Saudis hit him, slapped him, punched him in the stomach, and pulled his beard, ears, and hair. He was not allowed to use the bathroom, even when Abu Ali asked to wash up for prayers. The next day, the Saudis continued hitting him. At one point, he was taken from the chair in which he was sitting, and his handcuffs were handcuffed to a chain or other handcuffs in the floor, leaving him with his knees to his chest on the ground, hunched over with his head on his fists, and his feet shackled. Then someone began to strike him on the back and to yell, â€œconfess!â€ He does not know what he was hit with, or how many times. Although he was blindfolded, Abu Ali said he could hear four different voices in the room, and that he thinks he was assaulted by only one person. Abu Ali said it was â€œvery painfulâ€ and that it was the â€œfirst time I felt extreme pain.â€ While he was being hit on the back, people in the room kept telling him to â€œconfess.â€ When the beating began, he was clad in an undershirt and long underpants. At one point, his undershirt was torn off and he was struck on his bare back. Eventually, Abu Ali told them he would cooperate. The beating stopped, and he was taken back to his cell.[11]
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3)

There were several marks on Abu Aliâ€™s back which the defense presented as physical evidence that Abu Ali had been tortured. The prosecution claimed that these marks were not the result of torture but merely â€œpigment discolorations.â€

The defense expert was Dr. Allen Keller, the director of the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture. Dr. Keller physically examined Abu Ali and said that he observed about seven to ten scars on Abu Aliâ€™s back which evince scars from the whipping Mr. Abu Ali claims he suffered during interrogation in Medina.

The government expert was Dr. Robert Katz, a dermatologist. He did not physically examine Abu Ali but viewed photographs that the court had taken. Dr. Katz stated that, in his opinion, the marks depicted on Abu Aliâ€™s back in the photograph were not scars, but â€œpigment discolorations.â€

The judge sided with the prosecution
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He was later sentenced to 30 years prison. On appeal, it was increased to life imprisonment.

This man has suffered enough, America should release him.

Burdock` · Oct 25, 2009

I don't understand what you're trying to say?

This guy was put on trial for terrorism, and was convicted. How is that injustice?

Also, I'm much happier with a potential terrorist being locked up, than a potential terrorist free to roam...

Magic Arrow · Oct 27, 2009

Burdock` said: ↑

I don't understand what you're trying to say?

This guy was put on trial for terrorism, and was convicted. How is that injustice?

Also, I'm much happier with a potential terrorist being locked up, than a potential terrorist free to roam...
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The only evidence they have against him is his "detailed confession". After a doctor examined him physically, he said there were torture-like scars, as he was claiming. After another doctor only saw a picture of these scars, he said they were "pigment marks".

Since when does confession under torture count?

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Injustice within America

Magic Arrow Protector of the homosex, defender of the AIDS

Burdock` Apprentice

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Magic Arrow Protector of the homosex, defender of the AIDS

Burdock` Apprentice

Magic Arrow Protector of the homosex, defender of the AIDS