Al Qaida suspects sue Boeing, with ACLU's help - Political Forum

AmericaOutloud · #1 (**permalink**) 06-01-2007, 02:54 PM

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Boeing has been sued by suspected Al Qaida operatives transported by the CIA to Arab countries for interrogation and torture.

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit against Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen Dataplan on behalf of three Al Qaida suspects transported by the CIA under the so-called "extraordinary rendition program." The suit charged that Jeppesen helped the CIA transport the three plaintiffs to secret locations in Egypt and Morocco, where the company knew they would undergo torture.

"American corporations should not be profiting from a CIA rendition program that is unlawful and contrary to core American values," ACLU executive director Anthony Romero said. "Corporations that choose to participate in such activity can and should be held legally accountable."

The plaintiffs named in the suit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, were Binyam Mohamed, Abou Elkassim Britel and Ahmed Agiza. Britel and Mohamed were said to have been flown by the CIA to Morocco. Agiza was taken to Egypt.

The suit said Jeppesen, based in San Jose, Calif., has been a key provider of flight and logistical support services for CIA aircraft in the rendition program. Since December 2001, the suit said, Jeppesen provided flight and logistical support to at least 15 CIA aircraft that conducted 70 rendition flights.

Jeppesen was said to have provided aircraft crew and flight planning services for the CIA program. The subsidiary also ensured customs clearance and security for CIA aircraft and crew.

"Jeppesen's services have been crucial to the functioning of the government's extraordinary rendition program," ACLU staff attorney Steven Watt said. "Without the participation of companies like Jeppesen, the program could not have gotten off the ground."

The suit was filed under the Alien Tort Statute, which permits aliens to bring claims in the United States for alleged violations that involve American citizens or assets. The statute accounts for torture.

In 2002, Mohamed, an Ethiopian national, was transported to Morocco, where he spent 18 months in prison in what the suit asserted included torture by the intelligence services of the North African kingdom. In 2004, he was taken by the CIA to a secret U.S. detention facility in Kabul, Afghanistan, and then to the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he remains.

Britel was flown from Pakistan to Morocco in 2002. He was said to have remained in Morocco. Agiza was taken from Sweden to Egypt and remains in detention.

"For the first five weeks after his arrival in Egypt, Mr. Agiza was detained incommunicado," the suit said. "During his time and for some 10 weeks thereafter, he was repeatedly and severely tortured and denied meaningful access to consular officials, family members and lawyers."

From World Tribune

The ACLU...keeping terrorists out of jail or will cry trying!

AllieBaba · #2 (**permalink**) 06-01-2007, 05:26 PM

What do you expect from the people who are supporting the rights of pederasts to have relations with underage boys?

rakkasan · #3 (**permalink**) 06-01-2007, 08:07 PM

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Originally Posted by AllieBaba

What do you expect from the people who are supporting the rights of pederasts to have relations with underage boys?

great point and it once again shows i dont even think the ACLU knows WTF they stand for anymore

Troianii · #4 (**permalink**) 06-03-2007, 08:56 AM

It's no surprise to me. The ACLU tends to want to help those with the greatest need, which in law usually means those with the greatest crime, and Al Quida would be a big score for that mindset.

Slartibartfas · #5 (**permalink**) 06-03-2007, 09:08 AM

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Originally Posted by AmericaOutloud

The ACLU...keeping terrorists out of jail or will cry trying!

suspected terrorsts, please. And there have already been several quite obvious cases where people became vicitms of those renditions who were totally innocent.

All I can see is that ACLU helps all people to get their right.
Or do laws in the US not apply to suspected terrorists like to other people?

cornnfedd · #6 (**permalink**) 06-04-2007, 08:11 AM

only 'in America!!' bloody hell that is just stupid....

it would be nice to see people take resposability for their own actions one day...

Slartibartfas · #7 (**permalink**) 06-04-2007, 09:00 AM

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Originally Posted by cornnfedd

only 'in America!!' bloody hell that is just stupid....

it would be nice to see people take resposability for their own actions one day...

Yes indeed. But Bush should not be excluded from that...

Troianii · #8 (**permalink**) 06-04-2007, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slartibartfas

suspected terrorsts, please. And there have already been several quite obvious cases where people became vicitms of those renditions who were totally innocent.

All I can see is that ACLU helps all people to get their right.
Or do laws in the US not apply to suspected terrorists like to other people?

What did the company do? It transported suspected terrorists for the U.S. government. This company did not commit any crime, it did not torture anyone. What law says that a company must be given proof that suspected terrorists are in fact terrorists before they help the U.S. government fight terrorism by the mere act of transporting prisoners?

They have committed no crime. They only knew that these men were suspected terrorists and they agreed to transport them for the government - they took no part in any crime, nor did they know whether or not the men were in fact terrorists. To punish them on the basis of cooperating with the government and transporting suspected terrorists is quite easily a case good enough to cite to punish the ACLU for providing aid and comfort to suspected terrorists.

As far as I can see, the ACLU is closer to having committed a crime here. The fact is that we don't know whether the men are innocent or not, but we know that the government has enough reason to beleive that they are Al Qaida operatives. If in fact they are innocent, then the only thing that the air company has done is transported suspects for the government. If they are in fact Al Qaida operatives, then the ACLU has provided aid and comfort to Al Quaida and has helped Al Qaida raise funds at the cost of those helping fight terrorism.

The ACLU is terribly wrong here.

AmericaOutloud · #9 (**permalink**) 06-04-2007, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slartibartfas

suspected terrorsts, please. And there have already been several quite obvious cases where people became vicitms of those renditions who were totally innocent.

O really? Can you name these individuals who were "totally innocent"? There may have been a couple that have subsequently let go for various reasons, I don't believe any of which are people who have been found innocent. None are US citizens either. I thought the ACLU was to protect the liberties of American citizens like myself who don't want to be killed by terrorists. It seems they are going out of their way to promote their anti-American liberal agenda at our expense.

Slartibartfas · #10 (**permalink**) 06-04-2007, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmericaOutloud

O really? Can you name these individuals who were "totally innocent"? There may have been a couple that have subsequently let go for various reasons, I don't believe any of which are people who have been found innocent. None are US citizens either. I thought the ACLU was to protect the liberties of American citizens like myself who don't want to be killed by terrorists. It seems they are going out of their way to promote their anti-American liberal agenda at our expense.

Al Masri. German citizen.
Theres also another German citizen where I forgot his name who was inmated in Gitmo and where the hypocrite German government who condemned Gitmo the most did try everything to deny his German citizenship. He was freed in the end. He never did anything illegal or terroristic.

The point of rights is that they are for all that are included in their definition. Not just to those the state currently thinks that deserve it.

Thats what civil liberties are about. If you dont like that concept than abolish them.