Saturday, September 09, 2006

Consequences of Bush’s Plan to Use Coerced Testimony, Hearsay, & Restricted Evidence

Post 9-11 a Muslim student housed in a hotel near the Twin Towers spent a month in custody for hearsay and coerced testimony. A hotel security guard provided the hearsay by linking an aviation radio to the moderate Muslim student. The FBI coerced testimony by making veiled threats against his family in Egypt. To protect his loved ones, the student made a false confession.

The feds charged him with making false statements on January 11th, 2002. Three days later a pilot staying one floor below returned asking for his aviation radio. Two days after the pilot's inquiry, the security guard retracted his testimony.

The falsely accused is back in Egypt but views his case as a parable. It seems the Bush administration wants the story to stay alive. It use of coerced testimony, hearsay and restricted evidence virtually assures it will be rewritten.

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