DhafirTrial

The Empire Turns Its Guns on the Citizenry

By PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS Counterpunch 1/24/07

In recent years American police forces have called out SWAT teams 40,000 or more times annually. Last year did you read in your newspaper or hear on TV news of 110 hostage or terrorist events each day? No. What then were the SWAT teams doing? They were serving routine warrants to people who posed no danger to the police or to the public. (more…)

Link to an interview of Katherine Hughes by Marianne Barisonek of KBOO Portland, Oregon, available here (30 minutes). Katherine was just one of a core group of 12 court watchers, several of whom attended almost all of the trial.

CORRECTION: In this interview, from memory, I gave the incorrect amount of depleted uranium dropped on Iraq during the Gulf War. The correct number is 300 tons and the half-life of depleted uranium is 4.5 billion years. For more informaton see this BBC report: Depleted Uranium Weapons — a BBC investigation by Angus Stickler. (more…)

We still have had no news from Dr. Dhafir since a December 18th, 2006, letter letting us know he had been moved to Terre Haute and is being held in a seperate section of the camp with other mostly Arab/Muslim prisoners. This “experiment” is ordered by the Attorny General and for three weeks we have been unable to find out any more about it.

Please continue to write to Dr. Dhafir to let him know that he is not alone and not forgotten: Rafil Dhafir, 11921-052, FCI Terre Haute, P.O. Box 33, Terre Haute, IN 47808

Some things you need to know before the world ends

by William Blum Killinghope.org 1/12/07

Johnny got his gun

In the past year Iran has issued several warnings to the United States about the consequences of an American or Israeli attack. One statement, issued in November by a high Iranian military official, declared: “If America attacks Iran, its 200,000 troops and 33 bases in the region will be extremely vulnerable, and both American politicians and military commanders are aware of it.” (more…)

[KH: The slaughter of Iraq’s children that began under the sanctions continues.]
Doctors issue plea to Tony Blair to end the scandal of medical shortages in the war zone

By Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor independent.co.uk 1/19/07

The desperate plight of children who are dying in Iraqi hospitals for the lack of simple equipment that in some cases can cost as little as 95p is revealed today in a letter signed by nearly 100 eminent doctors. (more…)

By Robert Parry Consortium News 1/19/07

In one of the most chilling public statements ever made by a U.S. Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales questioned whether the U.S. Constitution grants habeas corpus rights of a fair trial to every American. (more…)

Don’t let him off the Hook

By DAVE LINDORFF Counterpunch 1/19/07

In at least one area, President Bush is on the run and Congress should run him to ground. (more…)

A video interview with attorney Jim McGraw, counsel for Ayman Jarwan in the Help the Needy charity case, will be available through a link on this site in the next day or so. Ayman Jarwan was released on December 22, 2006 after serving 15 months, he continues to be held awaiting deportation.

Also coming (more…)