Stewart, others convicted on bogus 'terrorism' charges
By
Dustin Langley
New York
Published Feb 17, 2005 8:35 PM
Following almost three
years of government pressure and media baiting of the defendants, on Feb. 10 a
Manhattan jury convicted well-known human-rights fighter and defense attorney
Lynne Stewart on five counts of "conspiring to aid terrorists" and "lying to the
government."
John Ashcroft's Justice Department targeted Stewart because
of her determined defense for her client, Muslim cleric Omar Abdel Rahman, and
because of her long career as a fighter for justice. Stewart, who is 65 years
old, faces a possible maximum sentence of 45 years.
Stewart's
co-defendants--Mohammed Yousry, an Arabic translator, and Ahmed Sattar, a postal
worker who acted as a paralegal--were also convicted of all charges against
them.
Speaking to the media immediately after hearing the verdict, Stewart
said, "We are not giving up, obviously. We are going to fight on. This is the
beginning of a longer struggle. I think everyone who has a sense that the United
States needs to protect the Constitution at this time understands that
struggle.
"And this case could be, I hope it will be, a wake-up call to
all of the citizens of this country and all of the people who live here that you
can't lock up the lawyers. You can't tell the lawyers how to do their job.
You've got to let them operate. And I will fight on. I'm not giving up. I know I
committed no crime. I know what I did was right."
The National Lawyers
Guild, anti-war organizations and civil-rights groups have rallied to Stewart's
defense following what they called "a travesty of justice."
Stewart's
indictment in April 2002 was announced by Attorney General Ashcroft himself on
the David Letterman show. It was the first time that the federal government
prosecuted a defense attorney in a terrorism case. Lawyers around the country
have said that they fear the government's goal is to silence dissent and scare
lawyers away from defending clients that have been demonized.
The
prosecution claimed that Stewart helped to communicate a message from Rahman to
his organization in Egypt, the Islamic Group, by passing on a press release
expressing his opposition to a cease fire with the Egyptian government. The
government claimed that this was a violation of the "Special Administrative
Measures" (SAMs) against Rahman. SAMs severely limit the ability of certain
federal prisoners to communicate with the outside world.
However, as even
the New York Times admitted, "The government never showed that any violence
resulted from the defendants' actions. The Islamic Group never canceled the
cease fire. The defendants were not accused of terrorism in the United
States."
Stewart's behavior was in no way linked to any violent acts. Yet
the prosecutor tried to paint Stewart as a terrorist, even showing videotapes of
Osama Bin Laden to the jury in attempt to link Stewart to Al Qaeda.
The
seven-month trial of Stewart and her co-defendants was held in the same New York
federal courthouse where the Rosenbergs were tried for conspiracy to commit
espionage more than a half century ago. The prosecution introduced approximately
85,000 pieces of evidence, including transcripts and audio and video clips
gleaned from spying on private phone calls, e-mails, and meetings. These
included conferences between Stewart and the jailed Sheik--conferences that are
supposed to be confidential.
The jury deliberated for 13 days before
delivering a guilty verdict.
Jury intimidation
Just prior to
her conviction, Stewart reported receiving a threat taped to the door of her
apartment in Brooklyn. It was reportedly from the Jewish Defense Organization,
an offshoot of the Jewish Defense League, a right-wing terrorist group.
In
addition, the group taped fliers on lampposts near the Manhattan federal
courthouse branding her a traitor for representing Omar Abdel Rahman and calling
upon jurors to put Lynne Stewart "in a cage." Although the organization denied
contacting any jurors, journalist Jennifer Monroe, who interviewed members of
the JDO, concluded that they were engaged in jury intimidation.
Judge John
Koeltl called upon law-enforcement authorities to investigate the organization,
which threatened to run the lawyer/defendant out of town for being an "enemy" of
the U.S. and Israel.
Koeltl set Stewart's sentencing for July 15. Because
she was convicted of a felony, Stewart will be immediately disbarred. She
remains free on bail, but is confined to New York State.
A statement
issued by the National Lawyers Guild in response to Stewart's conviction said,
"The U.S. Department of Justice was resolute from day one in making a symbol out
of Lynne Stewart in support of its campaign to deny people charged with crimes
of effective legal representation. The government is bent on intimidating
attorneys from providing zea lous representation to unpopular clients."
The Guild called for a National Day of Outrage in response to the Lynne
Stewart verdict for Feb. 17.
Speaking on WBAI-Pacifica Radio's "Morning
Show" on Feb. 15, Stewart announced an organizing rally for Feb. 17 at the
Community Church in New York at 7 p.m. She said she had been getting e-mails
from all over the country and the world and had begun a campaign to send 1
million letters to Southern District Judge John Koeltl demanding he rule in her
favor.
She said she hoped "this conviction is the low point for the
struggle and we can start fighting back from here."
Sara Flounders, a
co-director of the Inter national Action Center, said her group would "support
any protests and other actions called to defend Lynne Stewart. She is a real
people's hero and has conducted herself with enormous courage and determination.
This is an historically important case. She should be included in every mass
people's program to give voice to her or her case in every struggle throughout
the country."
To find out more and to assist in her defense, go to
www.lynnestewart.org or write to the Lynne Stewart Defense Committee, 351
Broadway, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10013.
Articles copyright 1995-2012 Workers World.
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved.
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