N.J. Officers Assault Detained Palestinian Activist ... (more)

[Resistance]

Note: the incident happened last week, but has gone unreported until today.

New Jersey Officers Assault Detained Palestinian Activist, Confiscate "Anti-Government" Publications

On the evening of Nov.19 law enforcement officers pushed, kicked and punched a well-known New York-area Palestinian activist, Farouk Abdel-Muhti, in the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, NJ, after finding leftist publications in his cell. Abdel-Muhti and his supporters say that the assault follows a pattern of harassment of Abdel-Muhti for his political activities. Abdel- Muhti has been detained for more than a year and a half by US immigration authorities, who claim they need to hold him while they attempt to carry out a 1995 deportation order.

The two officers became abusive, calling the publications "anti- government" and telling Abdel-Muhti to "shut the fuck up" and to "go back to Palestine." The officers, who were not wearing name tags, pushed Abdel-Muhti against the wall on at least two occasions, kicked him to the ground, and punched him on the side of the head. They then confiscated his personal property, including papers, address books and medicine, which was prescribed by the prison clinic for high blood pressure and a thyroid condition. Abdel-Muhti, who is 56 and in poor health, did not resist in any way.

[teryang]

1. Another proud day in the city on the hill

...I'm proud to be an American....How does the rest of it go?

[durutti]

2. Someone from the I/P Board Will Defend This

Watch.

[GabysPoppy]

6. Your implication is disgusting

[tinnypriv]

10. Seems reasonable to me

We've had people defending Dershowitz after all.

He advocates worse than this - i.e. "shaking" Palestinians in custody (to use Israeli parlance).

If nobody defends it, then the prediction is of course inaccurate. No big deal.

[GabysPoppy]

12. Nor is your reply a surprise

[shanti]

13. a hit dog screams first

eh?

[GabysPoppy]

14. I'm sure you meant to make a point

[DUreader]

3. "go back to Palestine."...Can we infer official recognition?

not to be funny, that just kinda jumped out at me

[tinnypriv]

11. Maybe he meant in Texas

[UpInArms]

4. does anyone here remember the

story that was behind the movie "Midnight Express"?

What is so wrong with our country that these atrocities are being committed at all levels?

[Muddleoftheroad]

5. Nothing to defend

If it happened, the officers should be charged criminally, not just administratively. Right now, all we have is an allegation.

[DoNotRefill]

7. No surprise there....

the New Jersey cops had quite a reputation for beating deadheads to death back when Jerry was still alive. That's one of the reasons I will not set foot in New Jersey.

[legin]

8. I think this is the district of Steve Rothman (D)

New Democrat, one of many co-sponsers of the Syria Act, AIPAC whore, etc, etc.

Get rid of him and get rid of Robert Andrews (D) while you are at it.

[Zhade]

9. Cowards. They wouldn't even let their names be known.

I wouldn't doubt that he was singled out for his pro-Palestinian efforts.

(Wait - will I be called anti-semitic for that comment?)