Re: [Marxism] Another guilty verdict today

["acpollack2@xxxxxxxx" <acpollack2@xxxxxxxx>]

Add to this to the Ward Churchill defense hopper: not only do we kill hundreds 
of thousands of kids, but those seeking to feed them and stop their murder by 
starvation are criminals!
Seems like a general nationwide defense committee for Churchill, Stewart, 
Dhafir and on and on and on is needed!
-- Andy <esquincle@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Lynne Stewart's conviction is indeed a terrible blow.

Rafil Dhafir, M.D. is a central (upstate) New York oncologist who
sought to help sick Iraqi children in the 1990s.
Here is Madis Senner's latest update, sent this afternoon:

For Immediate Release
  madis senner
  315-463-5369
  madis@xxxxxxxxxxxx
  Rafil's Homepage: http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/FreeDhafir.htm

          Targeted Muslim Doctor Convicted

          Supporters Shocked and Surprised

Dr. Rafil Dhafir arrested on February 26, 2003, as a potential
terrorist (to read Ashcroft Statement
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2003/February/03_crm_119.htm) was found
guilty on 59 of the 60 charges against him.  When the terrorist claims
failed to materialize the government expanded its case to include
Medicare fraud and other charges. Dhafir was found guilty of charity
fraud, breaking the sanctions against Iraq and Medicare fraud among
other things.   He was only acquitted of charge 3 in a 60-count
indictment that dealt with money laundering.

Dr. Dhafir is to be sentenced on June 20, 2005.

Dr. Dhafir is one of the only, if not the only, person to be arrested
for breaking the sanctions against Iraq. The only thing that
distinguished Dr. Dhafir from the others that similarly defied the
sanctions was his Muslim faith.

In a pretrial motion Defense Attorney Devereaux Cannick asked that the
charges be dropped against Dr. Dhafir because he was being selectively
prosecuted (To read the motion
http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/DhafirBailMotion.htm). Because of this
pretrial ruling the judge did not allow the defense to raise the issue
of selective prosecution and ask why Dr. Dhafir was being targeted when
countless other individuals had blatantly and willfully defied the
sanctions and were not charged. This has been documented with testimony
from those that similarly defied the sanctions at:
http://www.jubileeinitiative.org/OperationFreeDhafir.htm

In another pretrial ruling the Judge prevented the defense from
questioning why Dr. Dhafir had been arrested--so they could not raise
the issue of terrorism and the government's intent in arresting Dr.
Dhafir. Arguably this handicapped the defense.

Going into the trial there was a question as to whether in a post 9-11
environment  the Dr. could find a fair jury. In an effort to find an
unbiased jury the court sent out a pretrial 44-page questionnaire to
prospective jurors. Some of the comments that came back were very
racist. To read more about the questionnaire go to:
http://www.syracuse.com/news/crime/poststandard/index.ssf?/base/news-1/
1096275470208011.xml

One of the contentious issues of the trial had been the coverage of the
trial by the local paper, the Syracuse Post Standard. Several
supporters set up blogs to document what they saw as unfair and
prejudiced coverage. To access two of these blogs go to:

http://www.dhafirtrial.net/
http://dontsmeardhafir.blogspot.com/

Dr. Dhafir's supporters were shocked and surprised that he was
convicted of so many charges. Several that had attended the trial on a
regular basis questioned whether they had been sitting in the same
courtroom as the jury. Others said that this was another sign that
there are two systems of justice in our country--one for rich and white
folks, the other for the poor, people of color and Muslims. Some saw
deeper symbolism and wondered what this verdict says of our country
referring to a recent Cornell study that found 44% of Americans would
favor restricting the civil liberties of Muslims in America (To read
the survey go to: http://www.comm.cornell.edu/msrg/report1a.pdf

The lawyers were going to meet with Dr. Dhafir to determine what they
were going to do next, if anything. I am hopeful that the defense will
move ahead with an appeal.

The one bright note of the Dhafir trial was the Dr. Dhafir was never
charged with terrorism--so he was never convicted of terrorism.  The
sad thing is that he was not allowed to wipe this smear from his name
in court!









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