Worse Than Watergate

Posted on May 16, 2007 by Mash

 

Former Deputy Attorney General James Comey testified yesterday about Mr. Gonzales’s late night visit to the hospital to convince an ailing attorney general John Ashcroft to sign off on Mr. Bush’s domestic wiretapping plan which the Justice Department had already deemed illegal. It was riveting testimony. There is not much I can add to Mr. Comey’s testimony in this post. My best advice is that you watch the entirety of it – it is well worth the time.

I was reminded of the famous scene in "The Godfather" where Vito Corleone lies in the hospital unguarded and Michael Corleone rushes to save his father’s life.

To get a flavor of the kind of attorney general Alberto Gonzales is, as Alfredo points out in the comments, consider his remarks at the National Press Club soon after Paul McNulty resigned:

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Tuesday that his deputy, who is resigning, was the most important player in the controversial decision about which U.S. attorneys should be fired last year.

…

"You have to remember, at the end of the day, the recommendations reflected the views of the deputy attorney general. He signed off on the names," Gonzales said. "And he would know better than anyone else, anyone in this room, anyone — again, the deputy attorney general would know best about the qualifications and the experiences of the United States attorneys community, and he signed off on the names."

Gonzales, who called McNulty’s pending departure "a loss" for the Department of Justice, said that his chief of staff had only coordinated the process of evaluating U.S. attorneys, while McNulty’s opinion "would be the most important.

"The one person I would care about would be the views of the deputy attorney general, because the deputy attorney general is the direct supervisor of the United States attorneys," Gonzales said.

Gonzales said he was reassured by McNulty as recently as March that the firings all were justified.

Gonzo. Pathetic. Worse than Watergate.

Posted in Constitution, Society | Comments Off on Worse Than Watergate

Deputy Attorney General Resigns For Performance Reasons

Posted on May 14, 2007 by Mash

Paul McNulty resigned:

The No. 2 official at the Justice Department, Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, submitted his resignation to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the Justice Department announced Monday.

McNulty cited personal reasons for his resignation.

"The financial realities of college-age children and two decades of public service lead me to a long overdue transition in my career," he wrote in his resignation letter.

Or in Kyle Sampson speak, he resigned for performance reasons:

the distinction between "political" and "performance-related" reasons for removing a United States Attorney is, in my view, largely artificial. A U.S. Attorney who is unsuccessful from a political perspective, either because he or she has alienated the leadership of the Department in Washington or cannot work constructively with law enforcement or other governmental constituencies in the district important to effective leadership of the office, is unsuccessful.

This is a sad day for injustice.

Posted in Politics | 2 Comments

Insanity

Posted on May 13, 2007 by Mash

This is truly disturbing. It is outrageous. A 91 year-old veteran of World War II was beaten mercilessly by a carjacker in a public parking lot in Detroit as people looked on and did nothing. The entire incident was caught on tape.

There is something horribly wrong when a carjacker feels the need to punch an aging veteran 21 times before stealing his car.

Here is the video of the carjacking. It is difficult to watch, and even more difficult to believe that this is happening to a senior citizen and a veteran.

Posted in Society | 1 Comment

Threatened For Blogging

Posted on May 13, 2007 by Mash

In the wake of the detention by the Bangladesh military of journalist and blogger Tasneem Khalil, I was interviewed by BBC World Service Radio last night about blogging and the intimidation of bloggers by governments. In addition to talking about Tasneem’s case I cited the case of the Egyptian blogger Monem currently under detention for "anti-state" blogging. Little did I know at the time that the topic would hit close to home the very next day.

Yesterday a commenter calling himself "ABC" posted identical comments on a number of Bangladeshi blogs that were involved in the successful campaign to free Tasneem Khalil. "ABC" posted a similar comment on my blog as well. At the time he posted, the commenter had information about the negotiations to free Tasneem from military custody that was not yet public. He was also posting his comments from Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was widely assumed that he was affiliated with elements within the Bangladesh military.

Today the commenter "ABC" is back. He has posted a threatening comment on a number of Bangladeshi blogs. A check of the IP address he was posting from confirmed that he was the same commenter. Below is what he wrote on one of the blogs that participated in the campaign:

This is ABC. Yes, you could be arrested for your blogs here and DP, but you won’t be. Military knows very well who writes what and what has been discussed in the last 3 months. Very open discussions, critical analyses, criticisms, points/counterpoints. Military believes on freedom of speech and individual rights. At times, very objectionable remarks are also made against military. Those are viewed as ‘personal opinions’ and never interfered. May be some of you are thinking that you are indulging in your intellectual efforts sitting in a different country (a safe place)and you are beyond reach. Very wrong. If military wants to get you, it will get you. In fact, you will struggle on your own to catch the next available flight to Dhaka. But military is not interested on you….or any particular blogger. You have 100% freedom of expressing your views and you are already enjoying it uninterruptedly.

Blogging and sending SMS is no crime (as many has asked this question). In fact blogging and SMSs are the wonders of modern science in effective communication. As long as you use your knife to cut potatoes, you are fine. Try this on cutting somebody’s throat, you are in big trouble.

So you don’t know the content of Tasneem’s SMSs. You don’t know what was found in his computer. You don’t know who else were his contacts apart from you guys. It is obvious, you will scream. Ever seen in movie an FBI action ? Ever heard the term counter-terrorism? Think about the entire thing in cool brain. Is it a very difficult puzzle?

Enjoy your blogging. Say whatever you want to. Criticize or advise any way you want. Nobody will tell you or your family members back home anything. You should all be proud that your military has got appreciations and love in over 2 dozens countries for their professional work. They are not aliens from Mars. They are your brothers, uncles and nephews. They are not against you and they have no interest in stopping your right to speak freely.

Would appreciate if this is shared with your other fellow bloggers. [Emphasis added by me.]

We know that newspaper editors and reporters in Bangladesh have been intimidated. The detention of Tasneem Khalil is the most recent example of intimidation of the press by elements of the Bangladesh military. Now the intimidation has crossed outside the borders of Bangladesh. I am not sure where the line is between innuendo and a prosecutable federal offence for making threats over the internet, but I suspect if the current tone of the commenter continues he will soon cross it. However, that is little solace for many expatriate Bangladeshi bloggers who stood together yesterday, along with many bloggers from all over the world, to help a man thousands of miles away whose freedom and life were in great peril. Those selfless and brave Bangladeshi expatriates shouted to the world yesterday when a man’s voice was being silenced in Bangladesh. Today the same bloggers fear for their loved ones.

Fear and intimidation are the weapons of thugs the world over. They aim to achieve silence. They aim to achieve compliance. All things that are antithetical to human freedom and liberty.

Posted in Bangladesh, Human Rights, Media, Terrorism | 19 Comments

Tasneem Khalil Released!

Posted on May 10, 2007 by Mash

Action Information

 (via Shuchinta)

>>> Contact the following Senators:
Edward Kennedy, John Kerry, Charles Schumer, Hillary Clinton
>>> Contact the Congressional Bangladeshi Caucus Members:
Gary Ackerman (NY-05), Michael Capuano (MA-08), Joseph Crowley (NY-07), William Delahunt (MA-10), Eliot Engel (NY-17), Chris Van Hollen (MD-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Carolyn Maloney (NY-14), Gregory W. Meeks (NY-06), Jim Moran (VA-08), Jim McDermott (WA-07), Jerrold Nadler (NY-08), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Bill Pascrell (NJ-08), Thomas Petri (WI-06), David Price (NC-04), Silvestre Reyes (TX-16),  Ed Royce (CA-39), Brad Sherman (CA-27), Anthony Weiner (NY-09), Robert Wexler (FL-19),  David Wu (OR-01)
>>> Please visit and vote for Tasneem Khalil on Technorati to keep the story on Technorati’s "HOT WTFs" list.
>>> Please add the "Please Help Tasneem Khalil" image (on the top of my sidebar on the right) to your blog and link to any post about his story. Please help keep his story alive. It will keep him alive. [Many thanks to Jill at Never In Our Names for the image and support.]
>>> For readers in the UK, Pickled Politics is organizing an e-petition to the British Government.

 TASNEEM KHALIL HAS BEEN RELEASED (5/11/2007 1:39pm)

From Asif at Drishtipat:

Update 9:11:33 pm BDT
Tasneem is meeting with Mahfuz Anam in his office alone. Staffers in office say he looks physically ok, but badly shaken up. He is being taken home to his wife by DS staff after the meeting with MA.

Update 8:11:15 pm BDT
Tasneem Khalil released by joint forces. 24 hours after being picked up.

Update 7:10:15 pm BDT
Senior Daily Star office are huddled in office, including Mahfuz Anam. MA has released a statement. Excerpts: ” “I contacted the authorities concerned and was informed that him being questioned was not due to his journalistic work and had nothing to do with his functions at The Daily Star….In fact, it was because of the contents of his personal blog and some SMSs he had sent recently….Following my discussions with the authorities and because of the caretaker government’s commitment to the policy of freedom of the media, it was agreed that he would be released tonight.” Full statement is not online on DS website yet.

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR OVERWHELMING RESPONSE. I’ll post more as I know more.

[Courtesy bdnews24.com] Below is the Press Release from Daily Star editor and publisher Mahfuz Anam that was sent out after negotiations with the military to secure Tasneem’s release (click image for larger version):

Daily Star Press Release by Mahfuz Anam

Update 5/11/2007 7:14pm): Amnesty International and Committee to Protect Journalists have sent out alerts for Tasneem Khalil. The BBC has also reported on his case.

Update (5/11/2007 11:02am): The military has apparently promised to release Tasneem by 11:30am EST (9:30pm Bangladesh time).  I’ll update as soon as I hear anything. Nothing is certain until he is released – the situation is quite fluid. Follow Drishtipat for up-to-the-minute information.

Tasneem Khalil, an editor at the Bangladesh’s leading English language daily, The Daily Star, has been taken away from his home by the military in Bangladesh. He was taken away just a few hours ago in the middle of the night. His whereabouts are currently unknown and his life is most certainly in danger.

Apparently Mr. Khalil’s crime is that he did his job. He spoke truthfully about the current situation in Bangladesh. He was interviewed by Nora Boustany of the Washington Post last month – that interview may have cost him his freedom and now possibly his life.

I have been speaking out over the last month about the military takedown of the democratic system in Bangladesh. One by one the fundamental rights of Bangladeshis have been taken away. But, Bangladeshis have recently started to fight back against the military. The press, the people and the courts have begun speaking out. The military now aims to silence them. Their thuggery is now plain to see.

Do not let Tasneem Khalil be "disappeared" into darkness. He is one of the brightest lights in Bangladeshi journalism and today, this minute, his life is in danger. Other reporters in Bangladesh are currently living in fear.

I urge anyone reading this post to come to the rescue of a man who has in times of need spoken out for freedom. Only sustained pressure and international news coverage will stay the brutal hand of the Bangladesh military.

UPDATE (5/10/2007 7:13 pm):

Human Rights Watch has just released the following statement demanding immediate release of Tasneem Khalil:

Bangladesh: Release Journalist and Rights Activist

Army Arrests Tasneem Khalil of Human Rights Watch

(London, May 11, 2007) – Bangladesh’s military-backed care-taker government should immediately release Tasneem Khalil, an investigative journalist and part-time Human Rights Watch consultant, who was detained by security forces late last night, Human Rights Watch said today.

Khalil, 26, is a journalist for the Dhaka-based Daily Star newspaper who conducts research for Human Rights Watch. According to his wife, four men in plainclothes who identified themselves as from the “joint task force”came to the door after midnight on May 11 in Dhaka, demanding to take Khalil away. They said they were placing Khalil “under arrest” and taking him to the Sangsad Bhavan army camp, outside the parliament building in Dhaka.  
 
“We are extremely concerned about Tasneem Khalil’s safety,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “He has been a prominent voice in Bangladesh for human rights and the rule of law, and has been threatened because of that.”  
 
The men did not offer a warrant or any charges, Khalil’s wife said. Using threatening language, they searched the house and confiscated Khalil’s passport, two computers, documents, and two mobile phones.  
 
“It is an emergency; we can arrest anyone,” one of the men said. Another asked if Khalil suffered from any particular physical ailments. They drove Khalil off in a Pajero jeep.  
 
Khalil is a noted investigative journalist who has published several controversial exposes of official corruption and abuse, particularly by security forces. He assisted Human Rights Watch in research for a 2006 report about torture and extrajudicial killings by Bangladesh security forces.  
 
According to Bangladeshi human rights groups, the army has detained tens of thousands of people since a state of emergency was declared on January 11, 2007. A number of those detained are picked up in the middle of the night, as Khalil was, and then tortured.  
 
In Bangladesh, security forces have long been implicated in torture and extrajudicial killings. The killings have been attributed to members of the army, the police, and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite anti-crime and anti-terrorism force. The Human Rights Watch report Khalil worked on, “Judge, Jury, and Executioner: Torture and Extrajudicial Killings by Bangladesh’s Elite Security Force,” focused on abuses by the RAB.  
 
Killings in custody remain a persistent problem in Bangladesh. To date, no military personnel are known to have been held criminally responsible for any of the deaths.  
 
Khalil was called in for questioning by military intelligence last week, apparently as part of the military’s campaign to intimidate independent journalists ahead of May 10, 2007, when the army’s three-month legal mandate for ruling under a state of emergency came to an end.  
 
“The Bangladeshi military should be on notice that its actions are being closely watched by the outside world,” Adams said. “Any harm to Tasneem Khalil will seriously undermine the army’s claims to legitimacy and upholding the rule of law.”

 Update 2 (5/10/2007 11:18pm):

CNN Wire is currently carrying the following story of Tasneem Khalil’s arrest:

Bangladeshi journalist arrested

(CNN) — A Bangladeshi journalist was arrested and taken from his home Friday and is believed to be held by the army for unknown reasons, according to his wife.

Tasneem Khalil, who also works part-time for Human Rights Watch and as a stringer for several news organizations, including CNN, writes for the Dhaka-based Daily Star.

Khalil’s wife telephoned CNN to say that men from an army intelligence unit arrested him early Friday.

In a statement, Khalil’s wife said he was arrested by four men in plainclothes who said they were from "the joint task force." They refused to tell Khalil on what charges he was being arrested and cautioned him to be quiet "if you don’t want anything else to happen," she said.

She said the men searched the house, taking Khalil’s passport and cell phones, two desktop computers and "all the documents, notepads, piles of paper, CDs and everything. They took it all away."

The men allegedly took Khalil to the Sangsad Bhavan army camp, outside the parliament building in Dhaka. (Posted 7:33 p.m.)

Update (5/11/2007 1:50am):

According to CNN, CNN and Human Rights Watch are in contact with the Bangladeshi government trying to get information about Tasneem:

The Bangladeshi army has detained thousands of people since declaring a state of emergency on January 11, Human Rights Watch said. Many of them have been tortured, the group said.

"We are extremely concerned about Tasneem Khalil’s safety," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "He has been a prominent voice in Bangladesh for human rights and the rule of law and has been threatened because of that."

Late last year, Khalil worked on an HRW report about the elite Bangladeshi security forces and its alleged participation in torture and extrajudicial killings, said HRW press director Emma Daly.

CNN and HRW have been in contact with Bangladesh’s Special Envoy to the United States, Farook Sobhan, and other officials in attempts to find information about Khalil. Sobhan told CNN it was the first he’d heard about Khalil’s arrest and promised to make inquiries.

Update (5/11/2007 7:30am):

Tasneem is alive. He has been allowed to speak briefly on the telephone with his wife. The Associate Press is now covering his story. Scroll down for previous updates.

Posted in Bangladesh, Human Rights | 22 Comments