[Imc] Fwd: [Foa] EMERGENCY: URBANA Anti-Authoritarian detained by FBI/INS

Fri May 31 16:48:24 UTC 2002

I am forwarding this email just posted to the "Friends
of Ahmed" email list.
   Ahmed is a local activist that has just been
detained yesterday by the INS, Immigration and
Naturalization Services with the reason not given.

Please read the email below and to learn more and/or
join the email list goto http://www.ucimc.org/
and http://www.ucimc.org/ahmed/

ALSO Ahmed's friend Hadeel was just interviewed by
WILL Radio and the piece will air at 12:30pm on AM 580
or you can listen to it online at
http://www.will.uiuc.edu/ and then click on WILL.

in solidarity,
Michael Walcher

--- redblack <redblack at ziplip.com> wrote:
> From: redblack <redblack at ziplip.com>
> Reply-to: redblack <redblack at ziplip.com>
> To: foa at lists.cu.groogroo.com
> Subject: [Foa] EMERGENCY: Anti-Authoritarian
> detained by FBI/INS
> Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 09:04:55 -0700 (PDT)
> 
> Comrades, This is what I sent out to a number of
> anti-fascist and anarchist lists. I think it is a
> reasonable possibility that we could have demos in
> Europe, Australia & Latin America as well as U.S.
> and Canada
> 
> EMERGENCY- Please spread far and wide
> 
> Anti-Authoritarian Comrade detained by FBI/INS
> 
> Comrades-
> Ahmed Bensouda, a member of the Champaign-Urbana
> based anti-authoritarian collective Unity & Struggle
> was detained by the FBI, yesterday, Thursday, May
> 30, at 2:30 pm.
> 
> Ahmed, 22 years-old, with Unity & Struggle, has been
> deeply active in Palestine Solidarity work. The
> University of Illinois has one of the most visible
> public campaigns for Israeli Divestment in the
> country and Ahmed has been a strong part of it.
> Ahmed has participated in actions against the U of
> I's racist Chief Illiniwek. He has also been
> involved in Anti-Racist Action's campaign against
> the white supremacist and anti-semitic World Church
> of the Creator. Ahmed has also participated in
> recent discussions of anti-authoritarian activists
> in the midwest/Great Lakes region.
>   
> Ahmed had been visited recently by the INS for an
> "interview", part of Ascroft's witchhunt of Arab
> immigrants/students/activists in the U.S. We have no
> idea what reason the Feds are using for detention of
> Ahmed. Last night they would not even confirm that
> they had him.
> 
> Strangely, this morning Ahmed was briefly brought
> back to his apartment by INS agents, hand-cuffed and
> shackled, supposedly to "collect clothes". Several
> of Ahmed's friends and comrades were there, having
> been tipped off that agents were bringing Ahmed
> back. His friends report that Ahmed seemed
> "out-of-it" and "incommunicative". He had very
> likely been deprived of sleep, questioned, and
> threatened all night. He did indicate to one friend
> that the agents were lying when they said that he
> had been given an oppurtunity to make a phone call
> and had declined. Ahmed said he had been given no
> oppurtunity to contact anyone. Ahmed was then taken
> away again by the agents and is reportedly being
> held in Springfield, the state capital.
> 
> The agents seized computer files from the apartment
> and reportedly said that they were planning on
> deporting Ahmed. Ahmed has U.A.E. citizenship
> (though is of Morroccan/Gambian nationality). Ahmed
> is in the U.S. legally, and all of his papers are
> reportedly in good order, so it is unclear on what
> grounds Ahmed is being threatened with deportation,
> or if that is even the real reason at all for his
> detention.
> 
> His friends and comrades have obtained the services
> of a Chicago-based attorney with a good rep, but
> this will undoubtedly be expensive. Family members
> in the U.S. have been contacted and are supportive
> of our efforts.
> 
> Comrades, this is no time to be shy. One of our own
> has been seized by the State on purely racist and/or
> political grounds. We must answer this challenge.
> There is a need for pickets/demos and other
> appropriate action at U.S Federal buildings,
> Embassies, and Consulates demanding the immediate
> release of Ahmed Bensouda, the release of thousands
> of other Arabs and Muslims detained in the U.S.
> without cause, hands off the Palestine Solidarity
> movement, and hands off anti-authoritarian
> activists.
> 
> There will be active committees in both the Chicago
> and Champaign-Urbana areas, but we must make this an
> national, and international campaign.
> 
> For more information check the Champaign-Urbana
> Indymedia Center site, which has devoted a page to
> Ahmed's case: www.ucimc.org
> 
> For those who want to become part of core-organizing
> on this case please join foa at lists.cu.groogroo.com
> 
> An Injury to One is an Injury to All!
> 
> Free Ahmed Bensouda! Release all Arab and Muslim
> Detainees! Hands off the Palestine Solidarity
> Movement! Hands off Anti-Authoritarian activists!
> 
> Solidarity, 
> Anti-Racist Action (Chicago)
> 
> > Dear Friends: 
> > 
> > I greet you with an emergency request for help for
> a comrade.  Some of you may
> > know Ahmed Bensouda. He is of medium height with
> dreadlocks and has a slight 
> > British accent. 
> > 
> > Ahmed Bensouda, who just graduated this month from
> the UIUC polisci program 
> > with his BA, an international student from Dubai,
> U.A.E., a crucial member of 
> > The Israel Divestment Campaign, the Democratic
> Solidarity Committee, and 
> > Urbana-Champaign Unity & Struggle, needs are
> assistance. 
> > 
> > I was informed by a friend that he was picked up
> and arrested from his 
> > apartment in Urbana today by the FBI at 2:30 pm. 
> Recently, the INS came to
> > his 
> > home to do what is now the standard interview for
> young Arab and Muslim 
> > visiting student males.  Ahmed is a secular
> anti-authoritarian, and all
> > answers 
> > to the questions they asked, despite him being a
> community activist, were 
> > answered honestly and accurately, as he does not
> fit their Islamicist profile.
> > He was not "happy" after Sept. 11, he has no
> military training, no experience 
> > with explosives, flying lessons, etc.-you know the
> drill. 
> > 
> > We don't know if these agents will return him
> tonight or sometime soon.  We 
> > don't know the nature of his being detained.  Some
> of these feds may have
> > their 
> > Arab and Muslim student activists mixed up.  On
> the other hand they may be 
> > targeting the Palestine solidarity movement which
> has been among the most 
> > strong at the UIUC campus the past two years. 
> Some of us were scheduled to 
> > travel shortly to visit the occupied territories. 
> > 
> 
> > Matthew Quest 
> > M.A. African Studies 
> > UIUC graduate 2001 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >
>
******************************************************************************
> > ** 
> > Strong people do not need strong leaders 
> >                                                   
>      --- Ella Baker 
> > 
> 
> 
> Kieran Frazier
> redblack at ziplip.com
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Foa mailing list
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> http://lists.cu.groogroo.com/cgi-bin/listinfo/foa
> 

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