Official Request For The Release Of
Sheikh Omar Abdul-Rahman
03 June 2011By El-Hajj Mauri' Saalakhan
Assalaamu Alaikum (Greetings of Peace):
The following "Action Alert" has come to my attention
via "New Trend" (www.NewTrendMag.org), and with it
comes a reminder of a very unfortunate, yet typical,
censorship experience that I had with a NPR affiliated
radio station recently.
A few weeks ago, on the program "Radio Times with
Marty Moss-Coane," an often repeated UNTRUTH,
regarding Sheikh Omar Abdul-Rahman, was once again
authoritatively [mis]stated by one of the guests.
David Shanker of the Washington Institute for Near
East Policy told the listening audience that Sheikh
Omar was imprisoned after being convicted for the
first World Trade Center attack in 1993. That was an
outright lie!
I called into the program, in an attempt to set the
record straight, but it ended up being a waste of
time. After speaking with a "screener" who wanted to
know what question or comment I had, I ended up being
on my mobile (I was on an out of town trip) on hold
for about 20 minutes when - five minutes short of the
show's conclusion - the screener came back to the
telephone to apologize for having to inform me that
"you will not be able to go on the air with your
comment or question."
While I was more than a little irritated, I was not
surprised. During the "screening" process, the young
man questioned me in a way that I felt was
inappropriate (and I politely let him know it). And
so, again, I wasn't surprised that I didn't get on.
For the record, Sheikh Omar was tried and convicted
for something called "Seditious Conspiracy" -NOT the
1993 bombing of the World Trade Center! And while the
WTC connection is often made by a host of print and
broadcast journalists (for example, Dina Temple-Rastin
also made the same error in her recent NPR series on
Muslim Radicalization in America), my gut tells me
that this error is not always attributable to sloppy
journalism; but that it sometimes results from
intentional disinformation.
Also, for the record, it is a well known FACT (within
certain quarters) that a government-paid agent
provocateur, an Egyptian national by the name of Emad
Salem, was present and involved in the 1993 attack on
the WTC. (He ended up having to go to the hospital to
be treated for an inner ear attack following the 93
bombing.)
* Pacifica Radio -WBAI in New York - has a revealing
copy of the taped telephone conversation between Salem
and his FBI handler, "John," following the attack on
the WTC in 93. This is something that we rarely hear
anything about these days; it's never mentioned in
mainstream media!
But getting back to Radio Times: the other guest for
that particular interview (which focused upon
unfolding events in the Muslim world) was Khalid el-Gindy.
I couldn't help but wonder if he was aware of
Shanker's misstatement of fact concerning Sheikh Omar?
And if so, why he didn't make the necessary
correction!
At any rate, I encourage our readers and supporters to
please respond to the call being made below. The
treatment of this blind, diabetic political prisoner,
constitutes one of the gravest violations of U.S. and
international law that I've personally witnessed over
the past two-plus decades. It also constituted the
first major political prisoner-related litmus test for
Muslims in America. (The second was Imam Jamil
Abdullah Al-Amin, and the third is Dr. Aafia Siddiqui,
in my humble opinion.)
In the struggle for peace thru justice,
Arabic speakers can also see the concluding report
(re: Sheikh Omar) that came my way a few weeks ago.
-------------------------------------
Action Alert
Egyptian authorities urge US to return Sheikh Omar
Abdulrahman to Egypt
From the Islamic Human Rights Commission
12 May 2011
On 3rd May, 2011, the Egyptian authorities have made
an official request to the US administration for them
to return Sheikh Abdulrahman to his native Egypt.
Sheikh Omar Abdulrahman has been imprisoned in
solitary confinement in the US prisons for 18 years.
He has repeatedly requested to be returned to Egypt so
that he can spend the rest of his life there.
IHRC requests that its campaigners send letters to the
UN High Commissioner, the UN Special Rapporteur on
Heath, and the Special Rapporteur on Arbitrary
Detention.
Background
Sheikh Omar Abdulrahman, a 73 year old religious
scholar from the prestigious al-Azhar institute in
Egypt, was convicted in 1995 for the 1993 New York
World Trade Centre bombing and other New York attack
plans. He was tried under Sedition Laws, last used
during the American Civil War, two centuries ago.
There is a high chance that he may die soon, and his
family have requested for him to be able to spend his
last moments with them in Egypt.
The Egyptian authorities have made an official request
to the US administration for them to return Sheikh
Abdulrahman to his native Egypt.
The Grand Imam of al-Azhar institute Dr Ahmed al-Tayeb
has written a statement to the US Ambassador in Cairo,
Margaret Scobey, in which he called for the return of
the Sheikh.
The family of Sheikh Omar Abdulrahman has last week
submitted a request to the US Embassy in Cairo, Egypt.
His case has prompted demonstrations in Egypt, UK,
Denmark and other countries around the world.
The US Administration has not responded to the request
of the family or to the official request of the
Egyptian government. We therefore urge you to write to
the UN to take action for the release of Sheikh Omar
Abdulrahman and impose pressure on the US to provide
him compensation for the long years he spent in
solitary confinement.
Action required
IHRC urges all of its campaigners to help ensure that
Sheikh Abdulrahman is returned safely to Egypt. Write
to the UN High Commissioner, UN Special Rapporteur on
Heath and Special Rapporteur on Arbitrary Detention;
urging them to investigate his case and call upon the
US to return him to Egypt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sample letter
A sample letter is given below for your convenience.
Please note that model letters can be sent directly or
adjusted as necessary to include further details. If
you receive a reply to the letter you send, we request
you to send a copy of the letter you sent and the
reply you received to IHRC. This is very important as
it helps IHRC to monitor the situation with regards to
our campaigns and to improve upon the current model
letters. It is preferable that letters be sent via
post, or otherwise by fax and/or email.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ms. Navanethem Pillay is UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights, an email can be sent to: InfoDesk@ohchr.org
[Your name]
[Your address]
Ms. Navanethem Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights,
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Palais Wilson
52 rue des P?quis
CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 22 917 9220
[Date]
Dear Ms. Pillay
Re: Call for the safe return of Sheikh Omar
Abdulrahman to Egypt
I am deeply concerned about the health and detention
of Sheikh Omar Abdulrhman, a blind 73 year-old
religious scholar that has been imprisoned under
solitary confinement for 18 years, and denied his
visitation rights.
The Egyptian Authorities have recently addressed the
US Administration, calling for his immediate return to
his native Egypt, where he would serve the rest of his
sentence. His family have also submitted requests to
the US Ambassador to Egypt, which urges the US
administration to fulfil this request.
Sheikh Omar Abdulrhman was arrested in 1995 for the
1993 New York World Trade Centre bombing and other New
York attack plans. He was tried under Sedition Laws,
last used during the Civil War, two centuries ago. The
status of his health has deteriorated considerably
over the years, and the Sheikh now requires extensive
special care. There is a significant chance that he
may die soon, and his family have requested for him to
be able to spend his last moments with them in Egypt.
Sheikh Abdulrahman has protested about the conditions
he has been forced to endure during his time at the
Butner Federal Correctional Institution, North
Carolina. His family have spoken out against the way
in which he has been denied the basic rights that
other prisoners enjoy, such as visitation,
correspondence
and even being able to communicate with other
prisoners.
I urge you to investigate the case of Sheikh
Abdulrahman, and call for his transferral to Egypt.
His treatment at the Butner Federal Correctional
Institution, North Carolina, should also be further
investigated and he should be compensated for the long
years he spent in solitary confinement.
I look forward to your reply regarding this urgent
matter.
Yours sincerely,
[Your signature]
[Your name]
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