secret arrests in the US: happening now in your neighborhood

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I heard on the radio just now, that the US Justice Department (according to the representative from the Center for National Security Studies) has arrested approximately 900 people, calling the "terrorist suspects".

The frightening thing about this is the similarity between this practice and the "disappeared" of Chile's Pinochet regime.

No one seems able to find out just WHO has been arrested. Nor are people whose husbands', wives', parents' children's were arrested able to even find out where they are being held.

According to this report, these folks are not charged with any crime, have received no sentence, and there is no explanation forthcoming to the public about what the hell is going on here!

I only heard the last two or three minutes of this report, unfortunately; anyone else know anything more about this?

JOJ

-- joj (jump@off.c), October 29, 2001

Answers

I have heard fewer in number (700 something) and what I -think- the deal is, is that with the new war, the time period for holding someone under arrest without charging them is completely discretionary. Our new law covers that in one of the hundreds of sections. I'm sorry, but I can't look it up right now.

The sheriff in Anderson County Tx held Joe Gray for two full weeks then released him and charges weren't leveled until 10 months later. So I don't think this behaviour is particularly new, however it is repugnant. Heil der Republik!

-- Doe (bisquit@here.com), October 29, 2001.


Most if not all of these people are here on visas. They aren't citizens of this country and don't have the rights of a citizen. However, there is definitely a concern here that this is a precedent that will be used on citizens later.

Speaking of "citizens", has anyone noticed just how much that word is being used lately? Shades of Communist Russia!! Or one of Orwell's books.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), October 30, 2001.


today the number being held is said to be up to 1000...

-- joj (jump@off.c), October 30, 2001.

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