The Patriot Act in Work

[Moderate_THIS]

Any Arab 30+ years old and still in college should be arrested and tortured immediately.

 

[Lift Chief]

They don't have to explain it, just like they can't explain which exact rights were 'lost under the Patriot Act'

All they have to say is 'well the government is just trampling on people's rights! End of story!'

Invading people's personal privacy under the guise of "protecting us from terrorism".

 

[BO-DEN]

Get out of our Country, Abdullah. Free speech is fine, until you're funding and recruiting terrorists.
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Student Goes on Trial for Web Terror Charges

Tuesday, April 13, 2004

BOISE, Idaho — A Saudi graduate student accused of setting up Web sites to help Islamic militants recruit followers went on trial Tuesday in a key test of a Patriot Act (search) provision that bars the giving of expert advice to terrorist groups.



U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge questioned potential jurors in the case against Sami Omar Al-Hussayen (search) about their knowledge of Islam and religious conflicts in the Middle East and Chechnya, as well as their feelings about terrorism.

Al-Hussayen, a 34-year-old University of Idaho (search) student working on his doctorate in computer science, is charged with three counts of aiding terrorism. He is also charged with visa fraud and making false statements.

Al-Hussayen is accused of helping to run Web sites that supported the militant Palestinian organization Hamas and other groups allegedly promoting terrorism.

Federal prosecutors said he provided "material support" to terrorists, a crime that was expanded under the Patriot Act — the federal terrorism law passed after Sept. 11 — to include "expert advice or assistance."

Al-Hussayen was arrested at his home on Feb. 26, 2003, and has gotten strong support from students and faculty on the Moscow campus, where he had a reputation as a positive leader of the small Islamic community. After the Sept. 11 attacks, he marched in a peace rally, donated blood and worked to educate local residents about Islam.

Al-Hussayen's lawyer has said that while his client set up the Web sites, any statements made on those sites supporting terrorism were not his, and he has been unfairly blamed for the words of others.

The case has been seen as a test of the portion of the Patriot Act that prohibits providing expert advice or assistance to terrorist groups — a provision that critics say can snare people who may inadvertently provide assistance because of their special skills.

"We have a law that is shaky at best, and my feeling is that Sami is going to be the test case in this," said Rand Lewis, director of the Martin Institute for Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution and the Martin School of International Affairs at the University of Idaho.

But federal prosecutors said that in addition to running Web sites and e-mail groups for would-be terrorists, Al-Hussayen maintained bank accounts to funnel cash to another group with terrorist connections.

He is also charged with 11 counts of visa fraud and four counts of making false statements to cover up his alleged links to terrorists.

Al-Hussayen has been jailed since his arrest. His wife and three children returned to Saudi Arabia in January rather than fight deportation.

The terrorism counts are punishable by up to 15 years each, the visa fraud charges by up to 25 years each and the false-statement counts by five years each.

how do we know that the privlages that "patriot act" gives fbi the right to invade privacy was used in this case?

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

Invading people's personal privacy under the guise of "protecting us from terrorism".

the patriot attacks domestic terrorism. when someone has ties with terrorism or ties to "influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion" , he or she will relinquish his or her rights in accordance with the patriot act and federal and state laws. if the person has peaceful intentions, and does not advocate terrorism, then he or she cannot be targeted under the patriot act.



if you can, could you please bring up some articles in which people go public about the patriot act violating their rights?

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

how do we know that the privlages that "patriot act" gives fbi the right to invade privacy was used in this case?

huh?

The Patriot Act was used in this case. Read the article.

"Patriot Act prohibits providing expert advice or assistance to terrorist groups"

 

[BO-DEN]

coo

 

[Razorguns]

I bet you 10 bucks, if those 19 terrorist had survived -- they'd have a huge fanbase, fancy lawyers, and amnesty international defending them and making SURE, big tough US government doesn't try to lynch them and give them a *fair* trial. Not to mention liberal hippie groups watching over them in jail and making sure they're treated "well".

and of course, some internet sicko selling t-shirts of them with cute sayings. As well as democrats whining that Bush is lynching those 19 guys to make himself look good for the election.

 

[BO-DEN]

Bush is lynching those 19 guys to make himself look good for the election.

lol bush should be kissing their asses. if it wernt for the war on terror(that we are not winning) he would be a misrible failure with nothing to hold on to.

 

[Lift Chief]

the patriot attacks domestic terrorism. when someone has ties with terrorism or ties to "influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion" , he or she will relinquish his or her rights in accordance with the patriot act and federal and state laws. if the person has peaceful intentions, and does not advocate terrorism, then he or she cannot be targeted under the patriot act.



if you can, could you please bring up some articles in which people go public about the patriot act violating their rights?

It has expanded the power and ability the government has to intervene in the lives of its citizens. If there have been any abuses up to this point they have been, as far as i know, under the radar. Just because they have not happened yet does not mean they won't, however.

A substantial part of the patriot act gives the gov power to regulate and investigate any part of the internet they think may, even in the slightest bit, relate to terrorism. It's stuff like that that makes it simply too broad and far reaching.

This is one instance of it working... but naturally you're going to hear about any minor "success" resulting from the act, and will hear nothing about how it is giving the government greater power in your life.

 

[HS Lifter]

>Al-Hussayen maintained bank accounts to funnel cash to another group with terrorist >connections.
>
>He is also charged with 11 counts of visa fraud and four counts of making false >statements to cover up his alleged links to terrorists

Explain those two things -- oh ye defenders of the public faith and democracy...

Oh my.

First off, he was CHARGED.

Just because you are CHARGED with a crime, it does not mean you did it, just ask OJ.

Yes, he was also CHARGED with covering up his ALLEGED links to the terrorists.

Still does not prove shit.