See also
Kennedy/Feingold/Conyers letter to Ashcroft:
"Suspend" INS Registration Program

Another INS Detainment -- TIME FOR ACTION!

Per New England Comittee to Defend Palestine or the Amer Jubran Defense
Committe; Thanks, Marta from bringing this to our attention.

***PLEASE FORWARD AND JOIN US IN ACTION ON JAN 9***

Abdelkader Amir Ayed, an Algerian living in the Boston area, was arrested at
his home early Monday morning on December 23rd. Between 10 and 20
agents came to his home in Everett and questioned his roommates while he
was still at work. They did not identify which agencies they were from
or present search or arrest warrants. They did, however, physically break down
his bedroom door to see if he was inside.

When Abdelkader returned home from work they arrested him in front of his
house. They still did not identify themselves but during the arrest he heard
that some of the agents were from INS (Immigration and Naturalization
Services). When Abdelkader told them that he wanted to speak to his lawyer
an agent replied that a lawyer wouldn't do him much good at this point. The
agents said they wanted to search his car, and he replied that he did not
consent to a search, which is the appropriate response. The officers then
told him that things would go badly for him if he took this attitude.

They then took him to INS headquarters in Boston where they began to
interrogate him about his political views. They asked him if he was an
extremist and if he knew any extremists. They asked him how he felt about
the United States. These questions had nothing to do with issues regarding
his immigrant status.

Abdelkader is currently being held without a date for a hearing at the
Bristol County Jail at 400 Faunce Corner Road in North Dartmouth,
Massachusetts.

This is the same jail where Jaoudat Abouazza was subjected to medical
torture--the yanking of four molars--last June.

Abdelkader has a heart condition and normally follows a careful diet along
with medications to control the condition. In the week since his arrest he
has been experiencing health problems due to the poor diet in the
prison and the fact that the foods he needs are not available. In addition to this, medical
staff at the prison have forced him to take a standard dose of medications
rather than allowing him to adjust the dose each day as he needs to based on
his condition. Abdelkader also needs to see his cardiologist.

Each step of Abdelkader's arrest and detention has violated the norms of due
process. The political nature of this arrest is clear and all-too-familiar.
For the past year and a half, the INS has been targeting Muslim and Arab men
on the basis of their religion and country of origin. In collaboration with
the FBI, it is capturing them from their homes, workplaces,and off the
streets, shackling them, and putting them in jail for alleged violations
which in the past were handled by notices in the mail.

Immigrants from non-Arab countries are not being targeted in the same way.
This racial/religious profiling is being directed by the Bush Administration
and Attorney General John Ashcroft who are now resorting to mass roundups of
Arab and Muslim people as they prepare a massive attack on Iraq.

Please join the effort to help Abdelkader immediately in the following ways.
Many of these are the same steps we took with Amer Jubran's arrest ( see
http://www.amerjubrandefense.org). Around the country other groups are
trying to deal with similar cases. If you hear of other successful
strategies please share them with us.

STEPS YOU CAN TAKE:

1. Write and call INS District Director Steven Farquharson
In your letter, try to address the following points:

* Briefly state your concerns regarding the illegality of the arrest.

* Explain how Abdelkader's imprisonment is compromising his health and
insist that he be released immediately so that he see his regular doctors
and follow the diet that he needs.

* State your awareness of the political nature of the arrest and your
understanding that this is part of the targeting and intimidation of Middle
Easterners in our community.

* If you know Abdelkader, attest to his character. Show that he is not
going to try to escape if they grant him bail, without saying that
explicitly (e.g., Abdelkader is a responsible and reliable individual with a
stable job).

* Insist that a bond hearing be set immediately.

* Ask for a response to your letter (and follow up with more letters if
you do not get one).

Send your letter to:
Stephen J. Farquharson
INS District Director
Room 1700, JFK Federal Building
Boston, MA 02203
and please cc it to both

Michael Garcia, Acting Commissioner
Immigration and Naturalization Service
425 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20536

and

RI Detainees Defense Network
P.O.Box 5785
Providence RI 02903

FAX your letter to Steven Farquharson at: 617-565-4765
PHONE Steven Farquharson to explain these points to him in person at
617-565-4214.

Please also EMAIL a copy of your letter to ajdc@amerjubrandefense.org. in
Boston or bobbielouton@juno.com in Providence.

2. Write to Abdelkader to show him support and also to show INS that many
people are concerned for him and he will not conveniently disappear in the
system. You can send him photocopies of articles, poetry, or other things
he may enjoy reading.

Abdelkader Amir Ayed, unit GB, #123611
Bristol County Jail
400 Faunce Corner Road
North Dartmouth, MA 02747
USA

If you would like to visit Abdelkader, visiting hours are Thursdays at 1pm,
Saturdays at 1pm and Sundays at 9am.

Please call Bobbie at (401) 941 8183 if you are planning to visit so we can
coordinate the visit.

3. Protest illegal INS detentions at a major demonstration at the INS office
in Boston, JFK Federal Building, 12 Noon, Thursday January 9.
Demand justice for the 1,000 Muslim, South Asian, and Arabic immigrants
recently arrested in California. Demand justice in Massachusetts and Rhode
Island for Abdelkader Ayed and for Amer Jubran who went through the
same process of illegal arrest and detention in November and who is now out on bond and
facing deportation proceedings.

4. Please ask your communities and contacts to participate in this work. We
are hearing of more and more detainees that we will need to defend and we need
to organize ourselves to respond effectively. The RI Detainees
Response Network has recently formed to help people connect themselves proactively with others
who can support them before they encounter any difficulties, and to help
those who have already been detained. We would be happy to share
our model with your community and meet with you to help you organize to be able to respond to
this ongoing and escalating need in our communities.

Page created January 4, 2002 by Charlie Jenks.