Va. Teen Detained in Kuwait Returns to U.S.

Gulet Mohamed, a 19-year-old U.S. citizen from Alexandria, entered the arrivals terminal nearly two hours after his United Airlines flight landed. His attorneys said he had been kept after the flight by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents.

As he emerged from the gate around 8:40 a.m., his brother Abdi Mohamed, 28, sprinted over and hugged him, shouting "Gulet!" repeatedly.

A sea of media then engulfed the teenager, even before he had a chance to embrace his mother. Mohamed - dressed in a worn hooded sweat shirt and sweat pants, his baby face framed by a fuzzy beard - smiled and pulled his hood over his face.

"My voice has been heard," he said moments later. But "there's other Muslims and non-Muslims that are still being tortured."

Read on: Washington Post

My Interview on Keith Olbermann's 'Countdown' w/Guest Host Chris Hayes

Aspirational vs. Operational

Although many argue that this was simply entrapment, evidence does indicate that Mohamud became increasingly radicalised and voluntarily continued with the FBI's fake terror plot. Regardless, CAIR attorney Zahra Billo told me, "The FBI seek out troubled people – nobody is arguing that some of these individuals aren't deeply troubled – and then enable and facilitate their aspirations. It is the FBI's job to stop operational terrorists. It is not the FBI's job to enable aspirational terrorists."

Read On: Guardian Online

Local Muslim Leaders See Portland Terror Plot Arrest As Possible Entrapment

San Jose: Local Muslim leaders said Monday they were concerned the Portland terror plot arrest over the holiday weekend could be possible entrapment by the FBI.

Watch Video: Here

My Interview w/Laura Ingraham of the O'Reilly Factor

TSA Receives Backlash for Body Pat-Downs

Is the FBI Using GPS Devises to Spy on Muslims?

"I'm a criminal"

Lately, I've been telling people that I'm a criminal. This shocks most people, since I don't "look like" one. I'm a fairly clean-cut, light-skinned black woman with fancy degrees from Vanderbilt University and Stanford Law School. I'm a law professor and I once clerked for a U.S. Supreme Court Justice -- not the sort of thing you'd expect a criminal to do.

What'd you get convicted of? people ask. Nothing, I say. Well, then why do you say you're a criminal? Because I am a criminal, I say, just like you.

This is where the conversation gets interesting. Most of my acquaintances don't think of themselves as criminals. No matter what their color, age or gender, most of the people in my neighborhood and in my workplace seem to think criminals exist somewhere else -- in ghettos, mainly.

They have an unspoken, but deeply rooted identity as "law-abiding citizens." I ask them, "Haven't you ever committed a crime?" Oddly, people often seem perplexed by this question. What do you mean? they say. I mean, haven't you ever smoked pot, didn't you ever drink underage, don't you sometimes speed on the freeway, haven't you gotten behind the wheel after having a couple of drinks? Haven't you broken the law?

Well, yeah, they say, but I'm not a criminal. Oh, really? What are you, then? As I see it, you're just somebody who hasn't been caught. You're still a criminal, no better than many of those who've been branded felons for life.

Perhaps there should be a box on the census form that says "I'm a criminal." Everyone who has ever committed a crime would be required to check it. If everyone were forced to acknowledge their own criminality, maybe we, as a nation, would second-guess our apparent zeal for denying full citizenship to those branded felons.

In this country, we force millions of people -- who are largely black and brown -- into a permanent second-class status, simply because they once committed a crime. Once labeled a felon, you are ushered into a parallel social universe. You can be denied the right to vote, automatically excluded from juries and legally discriminated against in employment, housing, access to education and public benefits -- forms of discrimination that we supposedly left behind.

Full piece at: CNN

ALERT: Reports of FBI Visits Prompt Reminder of Legal Rights

(SANTA CLARA, CA, 5/18/2010) -- The San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA) said today that CAIR offices nationwide have been receiving an increasing number of reports of FBI agents, along with local law enforcement and Department of Homeland Security officers, visiting and interviewing American Muslims, particularly members of the Pakistani and Yemeni community. Reports received by CAIR-SFBA describe visits by the FBI as "community outreach" visits.


Considering recent events, and the increase in FBI/Joint Terrorism Task Force-related (JTTF, including officers from the Department of Homeland Security and local police or sheriff departments) incidents reported to our office, it is important that Muslims understand their rights when visited by FBI/JTTF at their home or workplace:

1) Understand that your providing information to the FBI or any law enforcement, absent a subpoena, is strictly voluntary. You are not obligated under law to answer any of law enforcement's questions, other than giving your name and sometimes your address.

2) You may choose to have an attorney accompany or represent you for any interview or questioning. We strongly recommend you consult with an attorney regarding the risks and benefits of being interviewed by law enforcement in your specific case. CAIR-SFBA may provide legal assistance, or can refer you to an attorney.

3) If an FBI/JTTF agent shows up at your home or workplace, and they do not have a search or arrest warrant, you have no obligation to let them in.

4) If they do have an arrest or search warrant, you can still exercise your right to remain silent. Comply with all directives and do not physically resist an officer. Be polite and respectful at all times. Remember that you retain the right to remain silent and do not have to comment or respond to any inquiries. You also have the right to an attorney.

5) If an agent or officer says they have some questions for you, you have the right to refuse to speak to them and/or you may tell the agents or officers that you will have your attorney contact them if they wish to speak to you. Again, CAIR-SFBA may provide legal assistance, or can refer you to an attorney.

6) Note that anything you say to an agent or officer can be used against you in a court of law, and lying to an agent or officer is a criminal offense.

7) Should you decide to speak to agents alone despite the risks, note that you may set the conditions of the interview, including choosing when and where the interview is to take place, having a third party present such as a family member or community leader, and deciding what questions to answer, and refusing to sign any documents. You may cancel the interview at any time.

8) Be sure to get the names, agencies, badge numbers, and business cards of ALL agents or officers.

9) Contact your attorney and/or CAIR-SFBA to report the interview/incident and to discuss next steps. If you feel that your civil rights were violated, you may also file a complaint with the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. CAIR-SFBA can help you with this process.

10) To file a complaint with CAIR-SFBA, please go here: CAIR-SFBA Civil Rights Page

MORE RESOURCES:

1. "FBI Interview: Knowing the law can protect you," by Ahilan Arulanantham and Ranjana Natarajan. InFocus News.

2. VIDEO: "Got Rights: Protect yourself and your family at home and at the airport," by Muslim Advocates.

3. To file a complaint with the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, go to:
DOJ Civil Rights Page


American Muslims strongly support law enforcement and the protection of our national security. As Americans, we also value the civil rights of every individual. All Americans have the constitutional right of due process and to be politically active.

If you know of any criminal activity taking place in your community, it is both your religious and civic duty to immediately report such activity to local and federal law enforcement agencies.

[Please note: This above is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Should you have any questions about the material herein or about a specific case, please consult with your attorney.]

CONTACT: CAIR-SFBA, 408.986.9874, E-mail: info@sfba.cair.com

Interesting Perspective on Proposition 8

Propo​nents​ of Prop 8 conti​nue to lie in their​ telev​ision​ ads.

Vote as you please, but don't be deceived. Here’​s what’​s ficti​on and what’​s fact:​

Ficti​on:​ Teach​ing child​ren about​ same-​sex marri​age will happe​n here unles​s we pass Prop 8.

Fact:​ Not one word in Prop 8 menti​ons educa​tion,​ and no child​ can be force​d,​ again​st the will of their​ paren​ts,​ to be taugh​t anyth​ing about​ healt​h and famil​y issue​s at schoo​l.​ Calif​ornia​ law prohi​bits it, and the Yes on 8 campa​ign knows​ they are lying​.​ Sacra​mento​ Super​ior Court​ Judge​ Timot​hy Frawl​ey has alrea​dy ruled​ that this claim​ by Prop 8 propo​nents​ is “fals​e and misle​ading​.


Ficti​on:​ Churc​hes could​ lose their​ tax-​exemp​tion statu​s.​

Fact:​ Nothi​ng in Prop 8 would​ force​ churc​hes to do anyth​ing.​ In fact,​ the court​ decis​ion regar​ding marri​age speci​fical​ly says “no relig​ion will be requi​red to chang​e its relig​ious polic​ies or pract​ices with regar​d to same-​sex coupl​es,​ and no relig​ious offic​iant will be requi​red to solem​nize a marri​age in contr​avent​ion of his or her relig​ious belie​fs.​


Ficti​on:​ A Massa​chuse​tts case about​ a paren​t’s objec​tion to the schoo​l curri​culum​ will happe​n here.​

Fact:​ Unlik​e Massa​chuse​tts,​ Calif​ornia​ gives​ paren​ts an absol​ute right​ to remov​e their​ kids and opt-​out of teach​ing on healt​h and famil​y instr​uctio​n they don’t​ agree​ with.​ The oppon​ents know that Calif​ornia​ law alrea​dy cover​s this and Prop 8 won’t​ affec​t it, so they bring​ up an irrel​evant​ case in Massa​chuse​tts.​


Ficti​on:​ Four Activ​ist Judge​s in San Franc​isco…​

Fact:​ Prop 8 is not about​ court​s and judge​s,​ it’s about​ elimi​natin​g a funda​menta​l right​.​ Judge​s didn’​t grant​ the right​,​ the const​ituti​on guara​ntees​ the right​.​ Proponents​ of Prop 8 use an outda​ted and stale​ argum​ent that judge​s aren’​t suppo​sed to prote​ct right​s and freed​oms.​ This campa​ign is about​ wheth​er Calif​ornia​ns,​ right​ now, in 2008 are willi​ng to amend​ the const​ituti​on for the sole purpo​se of elimi​nating a funda​menta​l right​ for one group​ of citiz​ens.​


Ficti​on:​ Peopl​e can be sued over perso​nal belie​fs.​

Fact:​ Calif​ornia​’s laws alrea​dy prohi​bit discr​imina​tion again​st anyon​e based​ on race,​ relig​ion,​ gende​r,​ or sexua​l orien​tatio​n.​ This has nothi​ng to do with marri​age.​


Ficti​on:​ Peppe​rdine​ Unive​rsity​ suppo​rts the Yes on 8 campa​ign.​

Fact:​ The unive​rsity​ has publi​cly disas​socia​ted itsel​f from Profe​ssor Richa​rd Peter​son of Peppe​rdine​ Unive​rsity​,​ who is featu​red in the ad, and has asked​ to not be ident​ified​ in the Yes on 8 adver​tisem​ents.​


Ficti​on:​ Unles​s Prop 8 passe​s,​ CA paren​ts won’t​ have the right​ to objec​t to what their​ child​ren are taugh​t in schoo​l.​

Fact:​ Calif​ornia​ law clear​ly gives​ paren​ts and guard​ians broad​ autho​rity to remov​e their​ child​ren from any healt​h instr​uctio​n if it confl​icts with their​ relig​ious beliefs or moral​ convi​ction​s.​