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+--- Thread: STATEMENT ON ARREST OF ISMAIL ROYER (/showthread.php?tid=9710)
STATEMENT ON ARREST OF ISMAIL ROYER - Muslimah - 07-02-2003
On Friday, 27th June, 2003, ATrueWord.com co-founder and editor, Ismail Royer,
was arrested and indicted by the United States government on 41 charges relating
to providing aid to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET); an organisation that seeks to end
Indian occupation of Kashmir.
It should be emphasized that Ismail has not been charged with terrorism,
supporting terrorism or doing anything to endanger the peace and safety of the
people of the United States. The essence of the charges against him is that he
lent "support" to a cause that the United States government had not endorsed:
the cause of Kashmiri independence.
Details of the arrest can be found at:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stor...ight+in+Kashmir.
A brief piece on Ismail's life can be found at:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stor...area+man's+life
The official indictment can be viewed at:
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/vae/Pressrelease...ndict062703.pdf.
In the coming days, we will be launching a campaign to raise awareness of
Ismail's case and the specific problems in the charges against him. This
campaign will center on the website, www.freeismail.org. This case has broad
implications for all Americans in that it will define to what extent Americans
are free to support humanitarian and independence causes around the world.
Some general comments on the 'facts' underpinning the indictment against Ismail:
1) Lashkar-e-Taiba was declared a terrorist organisation by the United States
government in December, 2001. Ismail worked for the organisation in 2000. At no
stage after it was declared a 'terrorist organisation' by the United States
government, did Ismail work with them;
2) Ismail's involvement with LET was limited to writing press releases and
assisting in building an international media profile for the Kashmiri cause;
3) Lashkar-e-Taiba exists only to secure independence for the people of Kashmir.
It has never launched terrorist attacks against the United States; is not linked
to al-Qaeda; and has, in fact, articulated a relatively moderate approach to
relations between Islam and the West. Refer to
http://iviews.com/articles/Articles.asp?re...ref=IV0012-1115 for an example of LET's
ideas;
4) Ismail's views on terrorism and political violence are well known to all
readers of ATrueWord.com. He has been an outspoken critic of such methods and,
dating well before September 11, had written numerous articles articulating a
vision of peaceful coexistence for the West and the Islamic world. Refer to
http://www.atrueword.com/index.php/article.../author/view/4/ for examples of
Ismail's writing;
5) The USDOJ has not charged Ismail with being a member of a 'sleeper cell' or
holding the intent to harm Americans or America. On the contrary, he is charged
with aiding a group that is seeking independence from a country with whom
America is not at war (India). If this is the standard that is being applied to
put Ismail in jail, then why is this same standard not applied to those who
support Tamil independence; those who support the Irish Catholic cause; and
individuals such as Dr Walid Phares, an academic linked to the Guardians of the
Cedar and Lebanese Phalange (refer to
http://www.atrueword.com/index.php/article...eview/60/1/1/);
On April 2, 2003, Ismail had been called before a grand jury, in Virginia. He
had refused to cooperate with what he believed was a 'witch hunt'; instead
opting to assert this rights under the Fifth Ammendment. We are reproducing a
transcript of his statement to the jury below:
"In this matter, I choose to assert my right under the Fifth Amendment of the
United States Constitution not to incriminate myself. I do so despite the fact
that I have never committed or planned to commit, or assisted in the commission
of any violence against the United States, or against any civilians anywhere.
On the contrary, I have consistently condemned such acts as illegal, immoral,
and a threat to the stability and best interests of the United States and
humanity. This is a position I have taken in my numerous articles, statements to
the media, as well as in private forums.
The reason I will not be a party to these proceedings is that they are part of a
campaign of persecution of Americans of the Muslim faith. This campaign is being
waged by politicians and bureaucrats who are trading the US Constitution for
personal political gain.
If, by testifying today, I thought that I would be making a America a safer
place, or would be preventing violent acts against America or civilians
anywhere, I would be the first to do so.
However, in this climate of fear, and in a time in which these politicians
portray virtually every practicing Muslim as being involved in a vast, complex
conspiracy to harm America, any word that comes out of my mouth will be
portrayed as furtherance of that non-existent conspiracy.
Therefore, until this nation regains its sanity, and elects an administration
that does not attempt to score political points by fear-mongering against
religious minorities, then I will have nothing further to say to this body, or
any other representative of this administration."
Anyone wishing further information on Ismail's case, or that wishes to lend
support to this cause, can contact us at: info@atrueword.com