[Peace-discuss] Greenwald and Tarek Menanna

[Rohn Koester]

Glenn Greenwald's
column<http://www.salon.com/2012/04/13/the_real_criminals_in_the_tarek_mehanna_case/>today
features the statement delivered by Tarek Menanna at his sentencing
hearing on Thursday. Essential reading in my opinion. Here's how it starts:


TAREK’S SENTENCING STATEMENT
APRIL 12, 2012

Read to Judge O’Toole during his sentencing, April 12th 2012.

In the name of God the most gracious the most merciful Exactly four years
ago this month I was finishing my work shift at a local hospital. As I was
walking to my car I was approached by two federal agents. They said that I
had a choice to make: I could do things the easy way, or I could do them
the hard way. The “easy ” way, as they explained, was that I would become
an informant for the government, and if I did so I would never see the
inside of a courtroom or a prison cell. As for the hard way, this is it.
Here I am, having spent the majority of the four years since then in
a solitary cell the size of a small closet, in which I am locked down for
23 hours each day. The FBI and these prosecutors worked very hard-and the
government spent millions of tax dollars – to put me in that cell, keep me
there, put me on trial, and finally to have me stand here before you today
to be sentenced to even more time in a cell.

In the weeks leading up to this moment, many people have
offered suggestions as to what I should say to you. Some said I should
plead for mercy in hopes of a light sentence, while others suggested I
would be hit hard either way. But what I want to do is just talk
about myself for a few minutes.


http://www.salon.com/2012/04/13/the_real_criminals_in_the_tarek_mehanna_case/
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