[Peace] another boundary crossed

[Al Kagan]

There is an editorial in today's New York Times titled "Dirty Bombs 
and Civil Rights."  It explains that Abdullah al-Muhajir, formerly 
known as Jose Padilla was picked up at O'Hare as being a terrorist. 
Everyone agrees that he is an American citizen.  He was originally 
picked up as a material witness and not charged with any crime. 
There was supposed to be a hearing yesterday to either charge him 
with a crime or not.  Instead he has been labelled an "enemy 
combatant," and has been jailed in North Carolina.  Under this 
designation, they claim they can hold him indefinitely.  The NYT 
states that is clearly illegal.  Another bridge has been crossed. 
They are now indefinitely detaining American citizens in the United 
States.
-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu