[Peace] =?X-UNKNOWN?Q?What_Happened_to_Ahmed_This_Morning=5BFoa=5D_Ah?= =?X-UNKNOWN?Q?med=2C_We_Love_You=2C_We_Support_You=2E=5BISO-8?= =?X-UNKNOWN?Q?859-1=5D_=94__The_Second_Official_Statement_F?= =?X-UNKNOWN?Q?rom_The_Friends_of_Ahmed_Bensouda_Committee_?= =?X-UNKNOWN?Q?=28fwd=29?=

[parenti susan rose]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 11:13:22 -0500
From: jmschltz <jmschltz at students.uiuc.edu>
To: foa <foa at lists.groogroo.com>
Subject: [Foa] Ahmed, We Love You,
     We Support You.[ISO-8859-1] ^=D4  The Second Official Statement From T=
he
    Friends of Ahmed Bensouda Committee

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5-31-02

=93Ahmed, We Love You, We Support You.
 =09The Second Official Statement From The Friends of Ahmed Bensouda Commit=
tee

=09=93Ahmed, We Love You, We Support You!=94 was the chant Ahmed Bensouda h=
eard as
he arrived briefly at his home (205 W. High Street, Urbana, IL ) today
shackled at the hands and feet accompanied by two Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS) officers in order that he could pack one small
bag of clothes.  He was asked to do this while still in chains. He will be
detained indefinitely under the premise of undisclosed charges.
  =09Friends of Ahmed, his solidarity committee, found this out at 6:30 thi=
s
morning as INS officers, Special Agents Tom D. Merchant and Stuart A. Kutz,
were shocked to find as they opened his apartment door, a contingent for a =
fit
welcome. They are both based at the INS office in Springfield, Illinois.  T=
his
is where Ahmed is allegedly held.  Lawyers for the family will confirm shor=
tly
the basis for his detention and threatened deportation.
  =09Earlier reports that Ahmed was detained by the FBI were not totally wi=
thout
 foundation. His landlord was first advised by those who came for Ahmed tha=
t
they were FBI officers. After his initial arrest federal agents seized his
computer files.  There is reason to believe this is a campaign of political
repression as Ahmed, an international student from Dubai, U.A.E., of Morocc=
an
and Gambian ancestry, has been instrumental in building the Palestine
solidarity movement in the USA and at the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign in particular.
While the INS officers were overwhelmed with chanting and questions, Ahmed,
we must report, showed little emotion.  He appeared fatigued and to be the
subject of intimidation.  According to friends at the scene, he walked into
his apartment as one who had been the subject of warfare.  The officers
expressed shock on their faces to be greeted with what they termed =93a cir=
cus=94
and called for back up.
  =09Imagine walking into your own apartment and being surprised by =93a ci=
rcus=94
of friends and family waiting for you.  You might smile, or show a startled
look, or be caught off guard and look scared like the officers.  Ahmed
initially walked by friends he=92s known for years as if we were furniture.=
  It
clearly took some time for Ahmed to be debriefed, and express an awareness
that he was not alone, that his fiancee and closest buddies were by his sid=
e,
and were prepared to fight for his release.  His overlords calmly insisted
throughout Ahmed already had access to use of a phone to contact friends an=
d
family and would be so permitted again.  Shortly, before Ahmed left us he
stated calmly but firmly, =93That is not true.
=09We ask international concerned friends and family to begin preparing loc=
ally
based Friends of Ahmed solidarity committees.  A coordinated protest will b=
e
announced
shortly.

=09For further information contact Raana (in Urbana-Champaign) 217-201-1547=
, and
in Chicago, Hadeel, at 217 766 5907 and Matthew, at 773-680-0376.
By e-mail, contact Jamusa at jamusa at hotmail.com

See our website at www.ucimc.org/ahmed


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