Imprison first and ask questions later, is this justice?

The case of Derek Bond, the 72-year-old retired British charity worker, who was wrongly imprisoned in South Africa on the request of the FBI, has been blamed on "stolen identity". After insisting they had the right man, the FBI admitted they made a mistake and subsequently issued an apology. However, the manner in which the FBI has conducted itself in this case is not an isolated event, but a new policy of "imprison first, ask questions later".

The fact that Mr Bond has been released in a short space of time, and has received an apology from the FBI, can be largely attributed to his British nationality. Many thousands of Muslims of numerous nationalities have been locked up without charge by the FBI. Their release, much less apologies, is not likely to be forthcoming.

Derek Bond was held in a South African police station under FBI orders for nearly three weeks after being arrested at gunpoint while on holiday with his wife. On Wednesday the FBI conceded he was not the man they had been seeking, wanted fugitive and fraud suspect Derek Sykes. The real Derek Sykes, wanted in connection with a telemarketing scheme which defrauded people of millions of dollars, was arrested in Las Vegas on Tuesday evening and officials say it is a case of identity theft.

Mr Bond was critical of the way the FBI had handled this entire case. "Though I protested my innocence from the beginning this seems to have had little impact on the FBI" he said. "The FBI has had all the paperwork, but they don't appear to have read it until now…my criticism of the FBI is extreme. America is meant to be a humane country, but under no circumstances did they behave in a humane way".

Meanwhile the Americans were quick to apologise, John Lewis from the US Attorney's office said: "We got the wrong man, Mr Bond is owed an apology." However, Mr Bond's case was well publicised and supported by the British consul in South Africa. Had Mr Bond not been British, or a Muslim, then chances are he would still be locked up or have found himself being extradited to America.

Since the events of 9/11, and in line with the new Bush doctrine of "pre-emption", the FBI have taken it upon themselves to arrest and detain Muslims simply on suspicion. Many thousands of Muslims have been arrested in the US and abroad, and many still remain locked up, often without a charge filed against them. Take the case of Rabih Haddad who ran a Muslim charity in the US and was arrested in December 2001. The charity was shut down, its assets frozen, and Mr Haddad was put in solitary confinement, though the FBI hadn't presented a shred of evidence against him. Today he is still in jail and still has not been charged with any crime. He has had three secret deportation hearings and his wife and children are living under the daily threat of deportation.

US - Racial Profiling!
The FBI also started arranging 'voluntary' interviews with thousands of Middle Eastern and Muslim visa holders, bringing new meaning to the concept of racial profiling. These men were selected for interview not because of any known connection to terrorism but simply because of their names and countries of origin.

Muslims treated like animals!
The FBI also decided Muslims need not be afforded politeness and professionalism whilst being questioned without charge and without evidence of any guilt. "I was treated worse than an animal," said Yazeed al-Salmi, one of those arrested and subsequently released without charge, "They don't call you by name… They call you [expletive] terrorist". Human Rights groups reported that Muslims arrested in such fashion were often "denied exercise; given certain foods which they cannot eat on religious grounds; [and] kept in cold cells, with only one blanket…".

America the Humane! Justice! the Crap?
If the situation for Muslims in mainland America is such, the situation for Muslims abroad is often worse. There have been literally hundreds of Muslims that have been arrested at the behest of the FBI worldwide. In many European countries, courts have often thrown out the cases because there was little or no evidence presented. However, the pressure applied to Muslim governments has meant that they accede to FBI demands regardless of evidence.

Other countries allied to the US
Many countries such as Egypt, Algeria, Saudi and Pakistan have rounded up hundreds of Muslims suspected by the FBI, only to torture and exact false confessions from them on behalf of the FBI. Indeed, many of the thousands of Afghan prisoners that are still being held "with no legal status" in US military bases are often flown to Muslim countries for this very reason.

Two teir system?
It is clear therefore that the American government has redefined its concepts about "human rights". There is now clearly a two tier system of rights, one for the Muslims and one for the non-Muslims. Whilst the liberties and freedoms that are constitutionally provided for citizens will continue to be afforded to the non Muslims, Muslims can be thought of as an exception to this case.

What about the UK?
These concepts are also being introduced to other western countries such as Britain, where emergency powers and legislation mean that the government can detain indefinitely, or even expel Muslims that they are suspicious of.

This blatant discrimination on belief and ethnic origin affects not just a few, but millions of Muslims who live in the western countries. Such discrimination is proof of the inability of the western viewpoint about life, Capitalism, to bring justice to all its citizens.

The Islamic system on the other hand is a system suitable for implementing over all of mankind, and designed to bring justice to all regardless of belief or ethnic origin. Muslims and non-Muslims co-exist as citizens of the Islamic State. The non-Muslim citizens are known as Zhimmi or "people of the covenant". Their rights are to be protected as a matter of duty and obligation by the Islamic State and by each and every Muslim. The Prophet Mohammed (SAW) said:

"One who hurts a dhimmi (non-Muslim citizen of the Khilafah), he hurts me and the one who hurts me, hurts Allah"

It is forbidden to discriminate against any citizen of the Islamic State, Muslim or Non-Muslim, to harm them in anyway or to even spy on them. In the history of Islam, many nations converted to Islam after witnessing the justice and mercy of Islam. Yet, there were pockets of communities that chose to remain in their existing faiths, such as the Jewish communities in Iraq and in Turkey, or the Christian communities in Lebanon and in Egypt. These communities continued to exist for so long, because they were not discriminated against, but rather protected by the Islamic State. Indeed, many of the Christian community fought alongside the Islamic State to repel the western forces at the time of the western Crusades, even though they shared the same belief as the invaders. This is testimony to the justice of Islam, which lies in it being the revelation of Allah (SWT), and it is not a system for men to change to suit their interests and prejudices. Allah (SWT) says:

"And of those We created are a nation who direct others with truth and dispense justice on its basis."[ 7:181]

And He (SWT) says:

"Verily! Allâh commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due; and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice. Verily, how excellent is the teaching which He (Allâh) gives you! Truly, Allâh is Ever All­Hearer, All­Seer." [4:58]

He (SWT) also says:

"And so judge between them by what Allâh has revealed and follow not their vain desires, but beware of them lest they turn you far away from some of that which Allâh has sent down to you. And if they turn away, then know that Allâh's Will is to punish them for some sins of theirs. And truly, most of men are Fâsiqûn (rebellious and disobedient to Allâh)." [5:49]

It is incumbent upon Muslims in the West to expose the flaws of western civilisation to the wider society and explain to them that rights of humans, irrespective of their beliefs can only be guaranteed by Islam.

Source:www.1924.org/viewpoint/
28th February 2003 / 27 Dhul Hijjah 1423 Hijri