On Friday, March 12, members of the Tarek Mehanna Support Committee attempted for the second time to meet with a representative of the Massachusetts US Attorney's office. Again we were told to fill out a complaint form--there was no one at the office who could speak to us. We asked whether it was the explicit policy of the new US Attorney not to meet with concerned members of the public. The "Administrative Specialist" insisted that this was not the policy of the office, but couldn't explain why our calls, faxes and our formal complaint remained unanswered.
This time we left a written statement and directed the administrative assistant to bring it to the attention of the US Attorney. We were told, once again, that someone would contact us on Monday.
Many of us had thought that the former Massachusetts US Attorney Michael Sullivan had set a low water mark for unresponsiveness to community concerns. It seems that the new holder of the office, Carmen Ortiz, may lower the bar still further.
We are releasing our statement as an open letter to the new US Attorney.
=================
United States Attorney Carmen Ortiz
John Joseph Moakley
United States Federal Courthouse
1 Courthouse Way, Suite 9200
Boston, MA 02210
Friday, March 12, 2010
US Attorney Carmen Ortiz:
We are here representing the Tarek Mehanna Support Committee.
During the week of February 22 through February 26 we made numerous phone calls and sent faxes to Assistant Attorney Chakravarty to express strong community concerns in the case of Tarek Mehanna. Chakravarty appears to have dealt with these concerns by disabling his voicemail, routing calls to the voicemail of a secretary who never returned them. As you may have been informed, we sent a delegation to your office on Friday, February 26, to raise our concerns in person. We were instructed to fill out a complaint form with our contact information so that we could arrange an appointment with you. Since then, no one from your office has contacted us.
In our conversation with your administrative assistant, we expressed our belief that the unresponsiveness of your office to community concerns shows an arrogant contempt for the residents of Massachusetts. This contempt is especially egregious in light of the history of severe prosecutorial misconduct that has come to characterize the Massachusetts US Attorney's office from the time of Sullivan's leadership.
We are here again to demand that you take our concerns seriously.
We believe that Tarek Mehanna is the victim of FBI retaliation and severe institutional abuse of power because of his refusal to act as an informant for the FBI--a refusal that lies fully within his constitutionally protected rights. The FBI explicitly threatened Mr. Mehanna with this retaliation, saying that they would make his life a "living hell," by using false allegations of "terrorism" unless he agreed to act as an informant within the Muslim community.
These FBI threats and the decision of the US Attorney's office to carry them out are reminiscent of the criminal collaboration between Assistant US Attorney Jeffrey Auerhahn--also responsible for Mr. Mehanna's prosecution--and FBI Special Agent Michael Buckley, documented in the case Ferrara v. US.
Auerhahn's record of conduct would merit not merely disbarment, but criminal sanctions. These practices include:
*Coercing a witness into giving false testimony (suborning perjury);
*Falsifying evidence;
*Withholding exculpatory evidence from defense;
*Lying before the court (perjury).
US Attorney Michael Sullivan's failure to sanction Auerhahn for these practices in any meaningful way speaks of complicity in this criminal misconduct at the highest level of the Massachusetts office. As the allegations against Auerhahn came to light, rather than suspending Auerhahn, Sullivan transferred him from the Racketeering Unit to the Anti-Terrorism Unit, where he has continued in the same practices against another set of victims.
The criminal collaboration between Auerhahn and FBI agent Buckley requires that your office not only take action against Auerhahn, but reconsider those pending cases in which Auerhahn has been involved.
We believe that Tarek Mehanna is another innocent victim of illegal practices on the part of the FBI and the US Attorney's office. We strongly urge you, as the new leader of the Massachusetts US Attorney's Office, to break with this atrocious history.
Sincerely,
The Tarek Mehanna Support Committee
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For more information about Tarek Mehanna and the campaign for his release, see www.freetarek.com
SPOTLIGHT ON REPRESSION
A Fundraiser for the Jericho Movement to Free ALL Political Prisoners
The Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH, 2010
6-9:00PM
Doors open at 5:30
SPONTANEOUS CELEBRATIONS
45 DANFORTH STREET, JAMAICA PLAIN, MA
(Stonybrook stop on the Orange Line)
UPDATES ON POLITICAL PRISONERS LEONARD PELTIER, OSO BLANCO, MUMIA ABU JAMAL
KEYNOTE BY BOSTON CITY COUNCILOR CHUCK TURNER
Updates by Ashanti Alston - Jericho Movement to Free ALL Political Prisoners, Andrea Hornbein - Decarcerate,
Russell Peters - Mashpee Wampanoag
Refreshments, petitions and cards for/to the prisoners, photo op for LPDOC
"Zoom In" campaign for executive review, and more!
Download a flyer here.
Presented by Jericho Boston
www.jerichoboston.org
www.osoblanco.org www.whoisleonardpeltier.info www.freemumia.com
A Black History Month Salute to Dr. Aafia Siddiqui
featuring
El-Hajj Mauri' Saalakhan
Tuesday, Feb. 23rd, 2010
7:00 PM
Lewis Room
Cambridge Public Library, Central Square
45 Pearl St, Cambridge
accessible by bus and red line, central sq stop, wheelchair accessible
This event is free.
On March 30th, 2003, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and her 3 children, ages 7 mo. to 7 yrs. at the time, were disappeared from Pakistan. Her 2 youngest children are still missing, and she and her oldest son were handed over to the U.S. and secretly imprisoned in Afghanistan for 5 years. Since 2003, sister Aafia has been caged in solitary confinement, shot, and severely abused. She was then falsely accused of attempting to murder US interrogators in 2008. After being moved to NYC for trial, she was convicted with no evidence on February 3rd, 2010.
El-Hajj Mauri' Saalakhan will discuss the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and our primary focus in the struggle ahead.
Mauri' Saalakhan is a Metropolitan Washington, DC, based human rights advocate. He presently serves as Director of Operations for The Peace And Justice Foundation; a Muslim-led, grassroots human rights organization. He is also the author of several books: The Teacher, a work of Islamically-based poetry and commentary on a myriad of social and political issues; Why Our Children Are Killing Themselves, an examination of the root causes behind the crises facing children, youth and families in America; Criminal Justice in America, an examination of the U.S. Criminal Justice System and its impact on the African American community; Islam & Terrorism: Myth vs. Reality, and many others.
*** An excerpt from the film "In Search of Prisoner 650" co-produced by journalist Yvonne Ridley and filmmaker Hassan al Banna Ghani will be shown***
Refreshments will be served.
Please join us!
To download a flyer for this event, click here.
**The Cambridge Public Library is not a sponsor of this event.
Defending Our Communities from Federal Repression
Thursday, Dec 10th at 6:30pm
Lewis Room, Cambridge Public Library
45 Pearl St. Central Sq, Cambridge
What do you do when the FBI comes knocking at your door? Do you know what your rights are and how to assert them?
Join us for a discussion of federal repression in the Muslim and Arab communities, with a focus on the case of Tariq Mehanna.
Panelists will also discuss the history of repression against the Black Liberation and Puerto Rican independence movements, highlighting strategies of self defense that have worked in the past.
This event will include video excerpts with legal information on how to protect yourself, your family, and your community.
**Co-sponsored by the Free Tariq Committee and Jericho Boston**
*The Cambridge Public Library is not a sponsor of this event.*
5K Run in Solidarity with Political Prisoners
This year, Running Down the Walls will take place on Leonard Peltier's 65th birthday, his 33rd year in prison for defending the rights of his people. Because Leonard was recently denied parole--and given a 15 year hit until his next possible hearing--solidarity actions on his behalf will be held in DC and across the country on the same day (more information at http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/ ).
**Members of the Mashpee Wampanoag community will be holding a drum circle in honor of Leonard as part of the event.**
Proceeds from this year's annual 5K run will be divided between the Leonard Peltier Defense/Offense Committee (LPDOC) and Ojore N. Lutalo, a New Afrikan anarchist prisoner of war who has just been released.
We are suggesting a $15 donation to register for the run; participants are invited to gather pledges and donations to help support the event.
Jamaica Pond is located on the Jamaica Way in Jamaica Plain. The run will start at the Boathouse, near the intersection of Jamaica Way and Pond St. The closest T stations are Green St. on the Orange Line and Heath St. on the Green Line; the closest bus route is the 39. Please call Jericho Boston if you need more detailed directions.
A flyer for the event is available here.
JERICHO - BOSTON
jerichoboston.org
