Letters to the Editor, St. Petersburg Times
August 10, 2003
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Re: It is time to rethink the defense of Al-Arian, by Mary Jo Melone, Aug. 3.

Mary Jo Melone is not looking at the entire picture regarding Dr. Sami Al-Arian. Al-Arian and his co-defendant, Sameeh Hammoudeh, are not yet on trial and it is not up to the press to determine the guilt or innocence of the accused. Why is she not concerned with the conditions under which they are being held rather than the release of evidence upon which these detainees have no opportunity to comment?

I wish that Melone had put aside her misgivings about what apparently were earlier sympathies for Al-Arian, and instead focused her concerns on the inhumane treatment of Al-Arian prior to his trial.

The Justice Department’s inspector general recently gave a detailed account of deliberate, pervasive violations of the rights and liberties of hundreds imprisoned by Attorney General John Ashcroft in the wake of 9/11. Why is Melone not questioning the solitary confinement of Al-Arian and Hammoudeh? They are being held in a maximum security prison built to house dangerous, convicted criminals. They rarely see daylight and were continually strip- searched until a judge intervened. Legal mail from attorneys was opened, attorney visits were delayed and interrupted, telephone calls to family are denied and other visitors were not allowed.

Does it occur to Melone that our government is using its power in a very abusive way that is a violation of due process and humane treatment?

The judge has set a trial date of January 2005, a denial of the right to a speedy trial. Will these men be emotionally and physically able to defend or even attend their trial by then? And can they receive a fair trial when the government can introduce secret evidence that the defendants are not allowed to see?

National defense implies not only defense of our land, but of our values, and our most basic value is the rule of law. The president and attorney general are setting standards that have no basis in law or history. The Constitution does not distinguish between citizens or noncitizens when addressing fundamental liberties on American soil.

— Dwight Lawton, St. Petersburg