Israeli Agents to Don Disguises at Trial

August 29, 2006, 11:15 PM EDT

CHICAGO -- Two Israeli security agents expected to testify at the trial of two men accused of fundraising for the Palestinian militant group Hamas may wear disguises and use aliases on the witness stand, a judge ruled Tuesday.

The courtroom will be cleared of everyone but the jury, attorneys, the defendants and their families while the Israeli agents testify, U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve ruled.

The ruling came in the case of Muhammad Salah, 53, of suburban Bridgeview and Abdelhaleem Ashquar, 48, of Alexandria, Va., both accused of funneling money to Hamas to pay for murders, kidnappings and other acts of terrorism aimed at the Israeli government.

Their trial on racketeering conspiracy and other charges is scheduled to start on Oct. 12.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-hamas-indictment,0,7156637.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

A key principle of the bill of rights

Why even bother with courts anymore?

and really the most important thing to consider in this case.

and the other as Kermit.

The appeals should be quick and easy on any conviction rendered in that court case.


Goodbye America, Hello AmeriKa

operating in the US...

Fark no!

where 3 CIA agents wore disguises as well. It was for the "former" CIA guy who was convicted in the beating death of an Afghani man.

<snip>

"An American citizen of Palestinian descent, Mr. Muhammad Salah traveled from his home in Bridgeview, IL to Israel in 1993 to provide monetary assistance to Palestinian families. At the Gaza border-crossing, over twenty Israeli soldiers arrested and detained him. The Israeli Secret Service then systematically tortured him during an 80-day interrogation and forced Mr. Salah to sign a confession in Hebrew, a language that Mr. Salah does not understand. The Israeli Military Court sentenced him to five years in prison. After serving his sentence, he returned home to his family in the U.S. in 1997.

When he returned, the U.S. government had launched an investigation and had listed him on a list of Specially Designated Terrorists. Mr. Salah is the only U.S. Citizen to be placed on that list. As a result of this designation, all of the Salah family assets were frozen, and he was prohibited from receiving any goods or services from any U.S citizen not licensed to do so. Mr. Salah had to obtain permission from the Department of Treasury to get a job, to retain an attorney, to open a bank account, and to receive medical ca! re. As a result of these restrictions, his entire family suffered consequences and now lives in fear of eviction. Mr. Salah suffered these restrictions on his rights without being notified as to the reasons and without an opportunity to challenge his placement on the list.

Not until 2001 did the United States federal government re-launch a grand jury investigation into Mr. Salah's case. Then, in 2004, the U.S. charged Mr. Salah with aiding a terrorist organization based on the Hebrew confession, obtained through torture in 1993. He is scheduled to stand trial in the fall of 2006 in the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois. Mr. Salah~Rs lawyers moved to suppress the 1993 Hebrew confession as evidence. Starting on March 3, 2006, the court will hold hearings on whether to admit this confession as evidence. The court has closed to the public the portion of the hearing in which Mr. Salah's Israeli interrogators will testify as to their methods of interrogation. The closing of the hearing further violates Mr. Salah's Sixth Amendment Constitutional rights and the public's First Amendment right to a full public trial."

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/05/04/18208451.php

The ability to cross-examine doesn't mean you get the names of foreign intelligence operatives released into public discussion. One would think that would be clear ex post Plame.