Bipartisan Members of Congress File Brief in Opposition to Administration Terror Policy

Paul Sheldon Foote, January 10, 2007

December 19, 2006 03:07 PM Posted By News <http://www.acsblog.org/>
<http://www.acsblog.org/news-and-announcements-bipartisan-members-of-congres
s-file-brief-in-opposition-to-administration-terror-policy.html#discussion>
Questions & comments 1

Bipartisan Members of Congress File Brief in Opposition to Administration
Terror Policy


Recently, ACSBlog highlighted
<http://www.acsblog.org/equal-protection-and-due-process-alleged-provider-of
-material-support-to-terrorists-challenges-designation.html> the case of
Rahmani v. U.S., in which the Ninth Circuit held that a person charged with
material support of a terrorist organization may not challenge the State
Department's designation of the organization as terrorist. An amicus brief,
filed by Congressmen Bob Filner (D-CA) and Tom Tancredo (R-CO) argues that,
by designating the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) as terrorists, the designation
which is at issue in this case, the State
<http://www.altshulerberzon.com/news/Rahmani_final_final.pdf> Department
exceeded its power under federal law.

According to the brief, Congress feared that, in enacting the law which
allows the government to designate terrorist organizations and prosecute
those who support them, it would abridge First Amendment rights by allowing
the State Department to designate groups for purely political reasons. Such
political opponents of the State Department would then be unable to raise
funds from donors unwilling to risk a criminal conviction. Accordingly, the
statute permits the government to only designate organizations who engage in
certain violent practices, such as highjacking, assassination or use of a
weapon of mass destruction. The brief argues that MEK engages in none of the
practices permitting terrorist designation under the statute. Instead, its
designation as a terrorist organization was part of a strategy to advance
foreign policy goals:


In May 1997, Iran elected Mohammad Khatami, a reform-minded political
moderate, as President. The U.S. regarded the change in leadership as an
opportunity to reopen dialogue with Iran. As the group that the Iranian
regime viewed as its most serious internal threat, Robert Collier,
Exonerated in Terror Case, 4 Brothers Still Locked Up, S.F. CHRON., Jan. 25,
2005, at A1, the MEK was a natural pawn, and Iran reportedly demanded the
designation as a prerequisite for engaging in diplomatic talks with the
U.S., see James Morrison, Embassy Row: Backing Resistance, WASH. TIMES, July
27, 2006, at A14. In October 1997, the State Department complied with Iran's
demand and included the MEK on a list of designated FTOs. Shortly
thereafter, a senior Clinton administration official indicated that the
designation was intended as a "goodwill gesture" to Khatami and the Iranian
regime.


This "politically motivated" designation, according to the brief, is not
permitted under federal law. The brief concludes that MEK is a "legitimate
political resistance," similar to the "Northern Alliance in
Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, the African National Congress in
apartheid-era South Africa, and Jewish armed resistance gruops in
Nazi-controlled Europe."


Written By:Paul Sheldon  <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/traitorsusa/> Foote
On January 9, 2007 11:51 PM

These representations about the Iranian Communist MEK (MKO, PMOI, Rajavi
Cult, or Pol Pot of Iran) omit that this terrorist group murdered American
military officers and Rockwell International employees. The MEK committed
many atrocities in Iraq in 1991, such as the massacre of large numbers of
unarmed Kurds. The MEK committed a terrorist act in New York City. In
September 2002, President Bush's background paper for his remarks to the
United Nations listed the MEK as one of three Saddam Hussein-supported
terrorist groups operating in Iraq. Hence, the MEK was a pretext for the
invasion of Iraq in 2003. In 2003, American and coalition forces attacked
Camp Ashraf, Iraq and killed some of the MEK terrorists.

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-file-brief-in-opposition-to-administration-terror-policy.html

Paul Sheldon Foote

 

traitorsusa@yahoogroups.com

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/traitorsusa/

 

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