Daily Report

Ex-Gitmo detainees cleared by Paris court

An appeals court in Paris Feb. 24 overturned the terrorism convictions of five French nationals formerly detained at Guantánamo Bay. Arrested in Afghanistan in 2001, the men spent up to two years in US custody at Guantánamo. Sent back to France in 2007, where they were sentenced to prison on terrorism-related charges, although they were not imprisoned as they had already served time before the trial. The Paris appeals court ruled that the men had been improperly questioned by the French intelligence services while they were at Guantánamo, making the charges baseless. The men acknowledged spending time at Afghan military training camps, but said they never put their combat skills to use. (EuroNews, Feb. 24)

Arms kingpin Monzer al-Kassar sentenced in DEA pseudo-deal with FARC

The US Justice Department announced Feb. 24 that notorious international arms smuggler Monzer al-Kassar, AKA "Abu Munawar" AKA "El Taous" was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for conspiring to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons to be used to kill US nationals in Colombia. Al-Kassar's associate and co-defendant Luis Felipe Moreno Godoy was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy. US District Judge Jed S. Rakoff imposed the sentences in Manhattan federal court.

Kurdish spoken in Turkey's parliament —in defiance of law

A prominent Kurdish lawmaker gave a speech in his native Kurdish in Turkey's Parliament Feb. 24—in defiance of the law. Turkey's state TV network cut off the live broadcast of the official, Ahmet Turk, as he spoke to members of his political party, the Democratic Society Party, known by its Turkish acronym DTP.

Spain escalates anti-democratic campaign in Basque Country

Having already barred two pro-independence parties (3DM and Askatasuna) from taking part in the Basque Country's regional parliamentary elections March 1, Spanish judge Baltazar Garzón last week banned all their activities and ordered the closing of their offices and websites. Eight people remain in prison for trying to organize pro-independence election platforms.

Colombia: Uribe disses top prosecutor over drug recrim

Colombian President Álvaro Uribe clashed with the country's prosecutor general over the head of state's proposal to re-criminalize possession of personal quantities of drugs. Prosecutor General Mario Iguarán expressed his support for a recent statement by a number of former Latin American presidents, including Colombia's César Gaviria, that drug addiction should be treated not as a criminal issue, but a healthcare issue. Uribe said Iguarán should have consulted with him before speaking publicly on the issue. Uribe also accused: "It seems to me he is misleading the public opinion when he says the government will take the addicts to jail. This can not happen like that." (Colombia Reports, Feb. 23)

Guadeloupe: talks resume after strike violence

On the evening of Feb. 19 French president Nicholas Sarkozy met in Paris with elected officials from the French overseas department of Guadeloupe and promised to work to restore calm to the Caribbean island, which has been paralyzed by a general strike since Jan. 20. He also announced 580 million euros ($737 million) in aid for France's overseas departments, with emphasis on the Active Solidarity Revenue (RSA), a social welfare program.

Haiti: Aristide exile used to justify barring of Lavalas candidates

On Feb. 16 Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) published its definitive list of candidates for the April 19 elections, which will fill 12 posts in the Senate. The lists did not include the candidates of the Lavalas Family (FL). The CEP had insisted that it needed official confirmation from the party's leader, former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide, now living in South Africa, in order to confirm the FL's candidates. According to Maryse Narcisse, the leader of one of the party's rival factions, Aristide refused to sign documents before consuls appointed by people who forced him from power in 2004. (Haiti Support Group New Briefs, Feb. 17 from Reuters; AlterPresse, Feb. 17)

Homeland Security announces deportation of 30,300 Haitians

A US federal judge has placed 30,299 Haitians under final deportation orders, the US government announced the week of Feb. 16. The government suspended deportations of Haitians living in the US in September, after four tropical storms ravaged Haiti in one month, devastating crops and killing at least 800 people; the US resumed deportations in December. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) bureau was only holding about 600 of the deportable Haitians as of Feb. 9; 243 others were being monitored with electronic ankle bracelets. The government says it expects the other Haitians with deportation orders to leave voluntarily. Otherwise, they will be sought by "fugitive alien teams," according to ICE spokesperson Barbara Gonzalez.

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