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<font size=3><br>
</font><font size=4><b>Tariq Mehanna: Obama's Latest Muslim
Target<br><br>
</font><font size=3>By Stephen Lendman<br><br>
</b>26 October, 2009 <br>
<b>Countercurrents.org<br><br>
</b>Post-9/11, Muslims have been victimized, vilified, and persecuted for
their faith, ethnicity, prominence, activism, and charity. They've been
targeted, hunted down, rounded up, held in detention, kept in isolation,
denied bail, restricted in their right to counsel, tried on secret
evidence, convicted on bogus charges, given long sentences, then
incarcerated for extra harsh treatment as political prisoners in
segregated Communication Management Units (CMUs) in violation of US
Prison Bureau regulations and the Supreme Court's February 2005 Johnson
v. California decision.<br><br>
An October 21 FBI press release announced Tariq (mispelled Tarek) Mehanna
as its most recent target saying:<br><br>
"A Sudbury , Mass. man was charged today in federal court with
conspiracy to provide support to terrorists."<br><br>
The FBI alleged that from "about 2001 and continuing until (about)
May 2008, Mehanna conspired with Ahmad Abousamra and others to provide
material support and resources for use in carrying out a conspiracy to
kill, kidnap, main or injure persons or damage property in a foreign
country and extraterritorial homicide of a US national."<br><br>
With no substantiating evidence, "Mehanna and coconspirators (were
accused of having) discussed their desire to participate in violent jihad
against American interests and that they would talk about fighting jihad
and their desire to die on the battlefield. (They also) attempted to
radicalize others and inspire each other by, among other things, watching
and distributing jihadi videos. (In addition), Mehanna and two of his
associates traveled to the Middle East in February 2004, seeking
military-type training at a terrorist training camp (to) prepare them for
armed jihad....including (against) US and allied forces in Iraq....(One)
of Mehanna's coconspirators made two similar trips to Pakistan in
2002."<br><br>
"....Mehanna and the coconspirators had multiple conversations about
obtaining automatic weapons (from a Mr. Maldonado, now serving a 10-year
sentence for training with Al Queda in Somalia) and randomly shooting
people in a shopping mall, and that the conversations went so far as to
discuss the logistics of a mall attack, including coordination, weapons
needed and the possibility of attacking emergency
responders."<br><br>
Yet no attack occurred. None ever was likely planned, but according to
the FBI, it was because no automatic weapons could be obtained even
though legal semi-automatic ones are freely sold and illegal automatic
ones easily gotten.<br><br>
The web site eastcoastfirearms.com lists for sale numerous ones,
including AK-47 (Kalashnikov) assault rifles, AR-15/M16 type rifles, Uzi
assault weapons, LWRC M6A2s called the most modern carbine rifle in the
world, and various others with considerable firepower.<br><br>
"Mehanna was previously indicted in January 2009 for making false
statements to members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force of the FBI in
connection with a terrorism investigation. If convicted on the material
support charge, (he) faces up to 15 years in prison, to be followed by
three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine."<br><br>
Federal Judge Leo Sorokin ordered Mehanna held without bail pending his
next court hearing on October 30. After his ruling, his attorney, JW
Carney, Jr. said:<br><br>
"This is the type of case that challenges our commitment and faith
in the United States Constitution. Our country is respected around the
world because we presume people are innocent, and we require the
government to prove its allegations in open court at
trial."<br><br>
Mr. Carney will soon discover how prosecutors use secret evidence, paid
informants, and will go to any lengths to intimidate juries to convict,
regardless of a defendant's guilt or innocence, especially targeted
Muslims charged with intent to commit or provide material support for
terrorism.<br><br>
According to the Bureau, Mehanna and his "coconspirators" used
code words like "peanut and jelly" to mean fighting in Somalia
and "culinary school" for terrorist camps, but perhaps they
said precisely what they meant, and what proof suggests
otherwise.<br><br>
The FBI also claimed when they weren't able to join terror groups in
Iraq, Yemen and Pakistan, the 2002 Washington-area sniper shootings
inspired them to attack shopping malls instead as well as two (unnamed)
former executive branch members.<br><br>
Mehanna is a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy where his
father, Ahmed, is a professor. They reside in Sudbury , MA , an affluent
Boston suburb.<br><br>
Neighbors expressed shock by the news. Chafic Maalouf called Mehanna
"very sweet (and) soft-spoken. He seemed so harmless. He has a beard
and a dark complexion, so to the average American he fits the terrorist
profile. But if you look in his eyes, he seemed to be a very genuine,
kind, loving person," not a jihadist.<br><br>
Paul McManus called him "everyday normal. When he was out walking,
he was friendly (and) neighborly." Another supporter said the FBI is
"painting the wrong picture of the Muslim community" by
targeting one of its up and coming members. Still others cited his work
with youths as a teacher at the Islamic Center of Boston in Wayland , MA
.<br><br>
Abdul Cader Asmal, the Center's former president, said he gave lectures
at Friday services in Worchester , MA and translated poetic Arabic
scriptures into English. Over time, he became dedicated to his beliefs as
many people of all faiths do who plan no terrorist acts.<br><br>
Ahmad AlFarsi defended Mehanna in a 2008 article following his previous
arrest that's pertinent to his current charges. At first, he hesitated
"so as not to expose (his) privacy," then felt he had to
support his friend "since the media has already made his case and
name public" and practically convicted him in the court of public
opinion.<br><br>
AlFarsi called him "one of the most gracious, kind, caring,
thoughtful, and respectable people I have ever known....I have seen him
go above above and beyond what most others would do to help others in
need. Those who know him personally know exactly what I am talking about.
I am sure any of his peers, Muslim or non-Muslim, would testify to his
excellent character."<br><br>
He's also been "very involved in the Muslim community. I remember
many times that he would be giving halaqaat (Islamic lectures) in the
local masjid (Muslim place of worship) on an Islamic text he was
studying. And he helped many many other Muslims in the community come to
the straight path....I'd also like to emphasize that he does not and
never has supported nor been involved with terrorism, in any way
whatsoever."<br><br>
Consider "the implications of this incident: we have another (Muslim
man, an American citizen) with no previous criminal record of any kind,
being held without bail (for now) in his own country....Such a tactic
serves only to smear Muslims, and brings pain and suffering to him, his
family, and his future," and leaves all Muslims "fearful,
marginalized, and unable to trust the authorities."<br><br>
The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) October 20 Affidavit<br><br>
JTTF Special Agent Heidi L. Williams assisted in the investigation of
Mehanna, Ahmad Abousamra, and others, and presented alleged evidence to
establish probable cause, but said "classified national security
information" would remain secret, unavailable to the defense, and
therefore beyond its capability to disprove.<br><br>
Williams claimed Mehanna's "Computer and its contents constitute
evidence of the commission of a criminal offense, contraband, fruits of
crime and things otherwise criminally possessed as well as property
designed and intended for use, and that has been used, as a means of
committing....criminal offense(s under US law)."<br><br>
She also said "information set forth herein comes from two
cooperating witnesses ('CW1' and 'CW2' - aka commonly used FBI informants
to entrap). Both CWs provided information that was based on personal
knowledge, including actions and statements by MEHANNA and
ABOUSAMRA." Their trial testimony will show "corroborative
evidence in the form of consensually recorded conversations" with
defendants and others. "Further evidence is provided by Daniel
Maldonado, who was a friend of MEHANNA and ABOUSAMRA, and is currently
serving a 10 year prison sentence for Receiving Military-type Training
from a Foreign Terrorist Organization (to wit: Al Qa'
ida....)."<br><br>
"Additional information was obtained from a review of records of
governmental agencies, such as Customs and Border Protection
("CBP") and Department of State, Passport Office, as well as
records of private entities, such as banks, airlines, telephone companies
and internet service providers, and interviews of friends, relatives and
acquaintances (of defendants)."<br><br>
Williams cited more evidence from:<br><br>
-- Mehanna's bedroom;<br><br>
-- a computer hard drive;<br><br>
-- "false information" he provided the JTTF with regard to his
2004 Yemen trip and knowledge of "Maldonado's circumstances at the
time of the interview;"<br><br>
-- recorded conversations in which "Mehanna admitted to other
individuals that he lied to the FBI" regarding Maldonado;<br><br>
-- the November 2008 charge of lying about Maldonado during JTTF
interrogations;<br><br>
-- the December 2006 charge that Abousamra lied during JTTF
interrogations in claiming his 2004 Yemen trip was to study Arabic and
Islam;<br><br>
-- Williams' assertion that both defendants went to Yemen in 2004
"to learn how to conduct, and to subsequently engage in,
jihad;" to Pakistan twice in 2002 for the same purpose;<br><br>
-- that defendants "continued in their efforts to train for jihad
(and) received information and assistance from an individual (referred
to) as Individual A, about who to see and where to go to find terrorist
training camps in Yemen;"<br><br>
-- in February 2004, Abousamra also entered Iraq, stayed for about
"15 days" and two months later went to Syria and Jordan before
returning to the US in August 2004; he subsequently visited Syria
"multiple times;" he "made fictitious and fraudulent
statements to the FBI" that he went to Jordan to "look for
colleges," to Iraq "to look for a job" and to Syria
"to visit his wife."<br><br>
The lengthy 55-page affidavit, plus attachments, also claimed:<br><br>
-- CW 2 was a coconspirator;<br><br>
-- Abousamra had "extremist views by citing Islamic
teachings;"<br><br>
-- "the three men engaged in serious conversations about
jihad;"<br><br>
-- they discussed "going to terrorist training camps in Pakistan
(and) conducted logistical research on the internet pertaining to
terrorist training camp locations and how to travel there, but no
concrete plans materialized;" and<br><br>
-- extensive further allegations that defendants sought but never
received terrorist training; that they wished to engage in jihad, but
never did; and they subsequently "discussed logistics of a mall
attack, including the types of weapons needed, the number of people who
would be involved, and how to coordinate the attack from different
entrances (but) Because of the logistical problems of executing the
operation (and their inability to obtain the type weapons they wanted),
the plan was abandoned."<br><br>
From all this, an observer might conclude there was no plan, no weapons,
and no crime in what appears to be clear entrapment using a paid
informant, a coconspirator CW 2, offering testimony in return for
leniency, and Maldonado (imprisoned for 10 years) promised it as well for
his cooperation. Nonetheless, under US conspiracy law, if prosecutors can
convince juries that defendants words implied actions they can get
convictions, especially when they cite terrorism and the urgency to
prevent it at all costs, even if innocent victims are imprisoned for
offenses they never committed of planned.<br><br>
Mehanna Friends, Supporters, and Family Express Doubts about the
Charges<br><br>
With no previous criminal record, his friends and family call him a
maturing Muslim community leader, a passionate writer, and a young man
wanting a career in Saudi Arabia as a pharmacist, not a jihadist, even
though he supports the right of oppressed peoples to resist as
international law allows. In the Kingdom, he was promised good pay,
generous benefits, and free trips home. He was boarding a plane in Boston
en route when he was arrested.<br><br>
In a summer 2009 interview with the Boston Globe and subsequent
statements through his lawyer, he denied FBI allegations and accused
federal investigators of targeting him with bogus charges because they
wanted him as a government informant, pressured him to accede, but he
refused and wouldn't cooperate. That made him suspect, an enemy, and got
him targeted.<br><br>
The Dominant Media's Jihad against Muslims<br><br>
Whenever Muslims are charged, the dominant media provides support without
ever questioning the legitimacy of accusations. As a result, innocent
victims are vilified. They're presumed guilty unless proved innocent.
Fear is instilled in the public, while law enforcement officials are
portrayed as public defenders, working to keep us safe from bad guys.
Below are some samples of media bias:<br><br>
-- The New York Times headlined, "Mass. Man Arrested in Terrorism
Case....The authorities said he had conspired to attack civilians at a
shopping mall, American soldiers abroad and two members of the executive
branch of the federal government."<br><br>
-- AP called Mehanna "an Incompetent Wannabe" and practically
accused him of "plotting to shoot up a mall, kill US troops fighting
overseas, and assassinate US officials" here at home;<br><br>
-- Fox News highlighted the alleged plot, called Mehanna "Defiant in
Court," and said he was only foiled by being "unable to get
into terror camps for training and failed to get access to automatic
weapons;"<br><br>
-- the Wall Street Journal headlined the "Plots to Shoot Up Mall,
Kill Federal Officials" by a man "out on bail (from an earlier
unsubstantiated charge and) awaiting trial;"<br><br>
-- the Washington Post reported about the: " Massachusetts man
arrested on terror charges" (for) conspiring to support terrorists
by seeking training from Islamic extremist fighters
overseas...."<br><br>
-- Time magazine offered a "two-minute bio" about an
"Alleged US Terrorist....plann(ing) to carry out a 'violent jihad'
by killing US politicians, (and) attack(ing) US shopping
malls;"<br><br>
-- the Christian Science Monitor headlined how the "FBI traced Tarek
Mehanna in his quest to become a jihadi" and practically accused him
of "try(ing) to become a terrorist for eight years following the
9/11 attacks....;" and<br><br>
-- Jihad Watch, an Islamaphobic web site, called Mehanna "a
Misunderstander of Islam," then accused him of "plotting
'violent jihad.' "<br><br>
Nowhere do major media or hate group reports suggest possible bogus
charges, ulterior motives behind them, innocent people being targeted,
secret evidence withheld to compromise a proper defense, intimidation of
juries, or that everyone is presumed innocent unless proved guilty in
fair and open proceedings with defendants having competent
counsel.<br><br>
According to muslimmatters.org after Mehanna's 2008 arrest, the FBI was
"Desperate for Results (so they) Arrest(ed a) US Citizen on
Two-Year-Old (unsubstantiated) Charges" and got their usual scare
headlines for support.<br><br>
These comments followed his October 21 arrest:<br><br>
"All of us here at MM believe, based on the facts that we know, that
Tareq is innocent of the crimes that he has been accused of....MM is
often on the front lines against disinformation about Islam, and actively
seeks to counter the radicalization of Muslims."<br><br>
MM's goal "is to educate readers about the fallacies and dangers of
all types of extremism by promoting Orthodox Islam....we believe that
Islamophobes are indirectly aiding and abetting terrorists' recruiting
efforts by fitting into their agenda and supporting their
stereotypes."<br><br>
Many Muslims were shocked about the news on Mehanna. "It was
generally thought (his 2008 charges were bogus) and that (he) had been
falsely accused. After all, (post-9/11), the civil liberties of the
Muslim American community had been slowly withered away by the Patriot
Act, warrantless wiretapping, the denial of the basic American right of
habeas corpus, and unsavory tactics that targeted (Muslims) in
general....we at MM" know his "reputation as a family man and a
peaceful citizen" and presume he's innocent "unless proven
otherwise.... (We) remain highly skeptical that he was actually a
'terrorist in disguise.' "<br><br>
A Final Comment<br><br>
More than any other ethnic-religious group, Western discourse has long
portrayed Muslim/Arabs stereotypically as culturally inferior, dirty,
lecherous, untrustworthy, religiously fanatical, and violent.<br><br>
According to Jack Shaheen's book, "Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood
Vilifies a People," defaming them has been fair game throughout
decades of cinematic history (from silent films to today's blockbusters)
as a way to foster prejudicial attitudes and reinforce notions of Western
values, high-mindedness, and moral superiority.<br><br>
Worse still are slanderous media characterizations of dangerous
gun-toting terrorists who must rounded up and put away, never mind the
rule of law, right or wrong, or whether those accused are guilty or
innocent.<br><br>
It's no surprise why it's dangerous to be Muslim in America at a time
when we're all as vulnerable as Tariq Mehanna.<br><br>
<b>Stephen Lendman</b> is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research
on Globalization. He lives in Chicago and can be reached at
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.<br><br>
Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to The
Global Research News Hour on RepublicBroadcasting.org Monday - Friday at
10AM US Central time for cutting-edge discussions with distinguished
guests on world and national issues. All programs are archived for easy
listening. <br><br>
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