Muslims On No-Fly List Now Suing FBI, Pressured To Be Informants (VIDEO)

Nusrat Chadoury, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, National ACLU National Security Program, talks with reporters following oral arguments on the ACLU No Fly List challenge Friday, May 11, 2012, in Portland, Ore. A federal appeals court in Oregon will hear arguments in a lawsuit filed by 15 men who say their rights were violated because they are on the U.S. government's no-fly list.

Fifteen American Muslims, including four military veterans, are suing the federal government after discovering they were placed on the "no-fly" list.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of these 15 plaintiffs alleging that these U.S. citizens were put on a security risk no-fly list without any credible reasons or security concerns.

“It is unconstitutional for the government to put people on secret lists and deny them the right to travel without even basic due process,” Nusrat Choudhury, staff attorney with the ACLU’s National Security Project said in ACLU press release. “Without a meaningful way for people to challenge their inclusion on the list, there's no way to keep innocent people off it.

Ibrahim "Abe" Mashal, a 31-year old dog trainer and veteran marine on the K-9 unit, told KCRW's To The Point that he uncovered he was on the no-fly list while checking in for a flight from Chicago to Spokane.

"I went in, went up to the ticket counter to check in, gave the lady my license and she kind of gave me a strange look and then she went into the back room for about five minutes with my license..." Mashal told KCRW. "When she came back out I turned around and I was surrounded by probably at least 30 TSA and Chicago police and she then informed me I was on the no-fly list ... and that the FBI was on their way to the airport because they would like to speak to me. I kind of expected Ashton Kutcher to jump out and tell me I was being punked."

Mashal was later invited to an unnamed hotel and told by FBI agents that he could be taken off the "no-fly" list if he agreed to go undercover, spy on other Muslims and report information back.

"At that point I told them I'm no longer comfortable speaking without a lawyer present and they told me I had to leave after that," Mashal told KCRW.

The Illinois chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relation says Mashal's case isn't unique; rather, across the 19 states where CAIR has offices, there have been "dozens" of such complaints.

“I have no idea why I’m on the list,” Mashal told ACLU. “I should have the chance to clear my name and live my life normally. This has been a real hardship for me both personally and financially.”

A spokesman for the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center told the Wall Street Journal that about 20,000 U.S. residents are on the no-fly list; 500 of those are American citizens.

According to ACLU's press release, last week ACLU argued at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Portland to reinstate its challenge to the government's secretive no-fly list, arguing for due process for each of the 15 plaintiffs.

Comments

[calicoe]

03:03 PM on 06/16/2012

Who destroyed the THIRD tower....you know, the one that the plane that crashed into the ground was supposed to hit?

You know who!

[pete619]

03:07 PM on 06/06/2012

This is what people who serve in the in the military (myself included) fought, and still fight, against. This case certainly has the potential to go to the supreme court. Unfortunately, the Robert's court does not recognise civil, constitutional or, religious rights. Their monstrous decisions not only errode our civil liberties, they inspire this behavor by the FBI and others.

[Ray Qadri]

03:26 PM on 06/10/2012

You're 100% correct. It's sad however, we are heading and pretty much already in a situation where individuals will start to loose self liberty and dignity. This will not be limted to Muslims only it will be Muslim first followed by other religious blocks.

[pete619]

07:44 AM on 06/11/2012

"First, they came for the socialists", Martin Niemoller

[whenicyouucme]

01:03 PM on 05/28/2012

Right now when a Japanese person comes in and out of the country not a head turns. Japanese people bombed pearl harbor and lived a period in this country in peril. Many forced into camps. 60 years later it's no biggie. Americans clearly have a tendacy when not knowing a group of people to demonize. Japanese killed way more people than supposedly Muslim's killed on 911. I think after 60 years it will be the same with the Arabs. Perhaps the new group of people entering will end up with the same treatment. Happened with the Irish, Italians, Mexicans etc...
My point in this since American's have given up many of their civil liberties like DUE PROCESS (article right now on HF 7 WAYS TO BE DETAINED INDEFINATELY) right now it is accepted because Muslim's are a minority. Imagine though , since the American public has now lost their rights what happens when it's YOU or your relatives after the whole Muslim bashing era gets old.

[all deserve human rights]

08:20 PM on 05/28/2012

Do you know how many Japanese fire bombs, they invaded Pearl Harbor and 4 other ports in the Pacific that perilous night. They sided with Hitler to gain control of Asia, and in return hellped him gain control of Europe. Ask the old people of the Philippines and the people of South Korea Hawaii, Fuji, and South Vietnam who are FREE TODAY, because of the hard fought efforts of our troups. Ask them if they are happy we helped them become a free country.They are now as free as we are to travel,vote and voice opinions, but not able still to visit or even hear of the news and health of their love ones left behind in the communistic rule of say North Korea, or North Vietnam! Maybe it seems the son of Kim Young Ill will be more kind and democratic than his father. To think Hitler had all of Europe except a coupe corners the finishing touches when we invaded in Normandy, France. We did stop a lot of danger and spying that went on. How could we have watched these people back in that era.

[mustbelove]

07:20 PM on 06/04/2012

I saw a documentary on this one time. It is helping me to remind myself of it when the conservatives bash the gays and people fearfully and angrily oppose Muslims rather than the real enemy which is terrorism. Most Muslims are on our side when it comes to terrorism.

I know when Bush was president some Quaker communities were being watched (and listened in on via tapping) because they were opposing the war in Iraq. Quakers are pacifists yet they were being spied on as though they were a threat to our country!

Peace be with all creation!

[Macready]

05:41 AM on 05/23/2012

good sue the pants off the FBI

[all deserve human rights]

01:09 AM on 05/22/2012

These name anyway have been translated into The English language with not set of translation. Things don't translate exactly.You have to come up with a more credible argument. I have a different sounding name and very few people spell it right or even care and even get perturbed when I correct them. I wonder how they write my name in Polish or Mandrin. Names should not be translated that is part of your identification. It just astounds me how people change their names to an "American" sounding name, just to assimulate. Different languages don't interpret like that, a character say in Farcee or Persian, Mandarin or Korean does not translate directly into our letters. I don't understand you think this is all over not being able to pronounce a person's real name and wondering if it is legit. You need to be more creditable, this would be putting 200- 700 peoples lives at risk to travel on a privatized means of transportation which the gov is helping to patrol for the sake of the safety of all.

[all deserve human rights]

02:11 PM on 05/21/2012

Ossit you had such a great opportunity to befriend the young girls at your school. It is what their parents have escaped in their religious run, abusive, strictly regulated countries. Why wouldn't you want to know what its like all over the world. How people live. I LOVE travel and learning about other countries.We live in one world that should be cared for and we should live accordingly. These people are only a tiny, tiny portion, a group of names of all nationalities, of the many, many people that risk their lives everyday to fly. I'm ready to show up in my bikini if it makes us all safer. If everyone flew in their swimwear.......

[PalinEffect]

09:10 AM on 05/20/2012

How many of those on the list with common names like Hussein or Mohammed are under the age of 5?
An American was unceremoniously yanked off a flight recently, along with her diaper! She was all of 18 MONTHS old!

[all deserve human rights]

11:57 AM on 05/20/2012

The other day ....Officials at Denver International Airport say TSA security intercepted Al-Qaeda operative Anwak ’Baby Face’ Youssef, age 1, as he attempted to roll past security with multiple explosive devices attached to his stroller. Youssef was attempting board Flight 193, an American Airlines jet bound for Dulles International, when TSA agents grew suspicious of several wires protruding from beneath the carriage.
When confronted, airport officials say Mr. Youssef flew into a rage and became extremely aggressive: hurling obscenities, chanting ‘Allah Akbar!’ and ‘spitting-up’ on one TSA employee.

[all deserve human rights]

04:54 PM on 05/20/2012

who would name their child after hussein. Wow, think about it! We need to be soooooo unreasonable tolerant. OH yea it just means king right?

[all deserve human rights]

06:35 PM on 05/21/2012

that is: we are expected to be unreasonably tolerant even when lives are at risk??? he probably got a refund and these people will probably get a settlement for the inconvenience, but we need to be sure who these people are have them show up at the airports in an id in itself we will have their picture.It will get better with fingerprints

[Filthy]

02:13 PM on 05/23/2012

No, in Arabic it means handsome/good. Husayn was the grandson of Mohammad. Asking why someone would name their child Hussein is like asking why someone would name their child Allen or Kevin (both of which mean handsome in Gaelic). The question doesn't even make any sense.

[Adrian Davison]

02:48 AM on 05/22/2012

the term is: "off of" ...and besides, I think a bag of peanuts is not worth fighting over.

[all deserve human rights]

04:13 AM on 05/20/2012

Preventing you from getting on an airplane which was used as a WEAPON, is very vulnerable when in the sky! Flying, like driving in our country is a privialige not a right, and proper identification must be provided and there should be no questions in regards to a persons identity when you have 200-700 other peoples lives at risk!!! Those airlines are trying to be responsible for providing a safe trip or they will be sued by the families if there was something that could have been prevented. Flying is optional, you can ride a bike, motorcycle, car, burro, donkey, limo lear, private, personal jet or any other personal means of transportation. It seems they got it straightened out, they just gave him a job proposal. After all isn't he a patriotic marine? You are paying to take a privatetized, public transportation, nothing to do with civil rights, I think it has to do more with humane rights for the majority of the passengers to arrive safely without incident..

[SoapboxKing]

06:26 PM on 05/25/2012

No, the airlines were not being responsible. They were blindly following a list. A list that has no basis in reality.
The next person that forces a plan into a building is going to be a 50ish year old white guy with no history.
The response is completely reactionary.

[all deserve human rights]

08:44 PM on 05/25/2012

They are at least doing the best they can to keep people safe. We are advancing daily in our technology so it will be by fingerprints soon. At least we have precautions in place and they are doing a lot of things differently. Our pilots are much safer now. I'm so glad the TSA and Homeland Security are involved and it's not just left up to the airlines anymore!

[pete619]

03:15 PM on 06/06/2012

Stalin was very fond of lists also. He always demanded more names on them.

P.S. now that planes have secure cockpit doors and bulkheads, armed flight crews and better training, no one is going to force a plane into anything anymore but, those little facts are not going to stop the national hysteria.

[SoapboxKing]

06:28 PM on 05/25/2012

PS. If you are in the business of providing public transportation to people, you must provide it to all people regardless to name, religion, sexual orientation, color, etc. If you cant do that, you do not belong in the business.

[all deserve human rights]

08:46 PM on 05/25/2012

No you don't you can refuse service to anyone you like! Restaurants can refuse to serve you or taxis can refuse to pick you up. It's called private enterprise. I guess you don't have much of that in Iran. A new concept for ya.

[ZenSufi]

10:47 PM on 05/19/2012

I hope Mashal got a refund on his ticket.

[Ossit]

05:51 PM on 05/19/2012

Take 'em for all they're worth! We've become the same repressive Government we shout about in other countries and we should be ashamed.

[all deserve human rights]

04:01 AM on 05/20/2012

Not quite the same .

[Ossit]

11:40 AM on 05/20/2012

Very much the same. We don't like people of different religions, people here follow Government propaganda instead of thinking, we talk about freedom but only when it's convenient and to certain people, we always find enemies to dislike because of Media because most won't think independently and follow the herd mentality. Yup. We're just as repressive, all deserve human rights. Funny you should pick that screen name when you say we're not the same as other repressive places when you pick and choose who deserves human rights.

[Bones Rhodes]

12:20 AM on 05/23/2012

--correct: the others are somewhere else.

[all deserve human rights]

01:47 PM on 05/21/2012

Ossit, You contradict yourself. You need to watch the news from those other countries. Read the whole paper the world news. We get a lot of those news channels. Watch Al Jeezera, BBC, the News broadcasts from Mexico. See what these people are running from! You need to know history and peoples history and peoples personal history. You can't just sit under a rock and let everything go and say oh it will all be ok.Our farms are so technologically advanced the tractors do it by satellite. We are even losing those jobs. We need to be informed and keep vigilant with our security. You need to be more involved, and have conversations with these people. Remember the old saying just because you can't tell a book by it's cover. We need to know for sure everyone's identy.

[all deserve human rights]

12:17 PM on 05/19/2012

The airlines are a public transportation and when innocent people's lives are at risk I expect our government to protect us. To help the airlines provide safety, they are doing the best they can. I think they are doing a great job. If a marine does not see that, I don't understand what anyone would have to hide. Unless it is hurtful! Things will improve when we go to fingerprinting for identifcation. There are reasons the names are on the list, they must stay diligent.

[Puncastle]

01:17 AM on 05/20/2012

The reason they're on the list is because they have foreign, polysyllabic names that people are uncomfortable with. That's no reason to be denied public transportation. You're going to have to come up with a more credible argument.

[all deserve human rights]

03:45 AM on 05/20/2012

lol

[all deserve human rights]

12:15 PM on 05/21/2012

Your statement does not make sense. These name anyway have been translated into The English language with not set of translation. Things don't translate exactly.You have to come up with a more credible argument. I have a different sounding name and very few people spell it right or even care and even get perturbed when I correct them. I wonder how they write my name in Polish or Mandrin. Names should not be translated that is part of your identification. It just astounds me how people change their names to an "American" sounding name, just to assimulate. Different languages don't interpret like that, a character say in Farcee or Persian, Mandarin or Korean does not translate directly into our letters. I don't understand you think this is all over not being able to pronounce a person's real name and wondering if it is legit. You need to be more creditable, this would be putting 200- 700 peoples lives at risk to travel on a privatized means of transportation which the gov is helping to patrol for the sake of the safety of all.

[Joseph J Schuler]

04:19 PM on 05/21/2012

When did our country fill up with Sheeple. Grow a backbone.

[all deserve human rights]

05:21 PM on 05/21/2012

Why because I don't want to be afraid to fly????! I have to tuff it out. Have a backbone!???? Take one for the gipper is it the old people use to say! I don't want to take a chance on my life my husbands life and my families lives. Do you fly much?

[thaierah143]

11:47 AM on 05/19/2012

Its disturbing how anyone can be put on the NO FLY list at any time..I sure hope Americans also realize that many on those list are also NON-Muslims..Great way to control population once the NDAA is fully enacted and martial law is implemented. No escape whatsoever once the banks fail.

[JTarb]

08:42 PM on 05/18/2012

Maybe I'm missing the point, but I disagree with profiling for this: If the US truly believed that this was done by Muslims and all Muslims, the government would believe in profiling of Muslims. The US Government knows who did it, and they are against profiling. Someone else did the act, presumably the US Gov't.

[tr3s]

10:57 PM on 05/18/2012

That is an utterly depressing para JT. Is making sense of life really that confusing to you?

[Spock]

11:24 PM on 05/18/2012

Yeah, you did miss the point. Big time.

[pennysportscard]

03:42 PM on 05/18/2012

Every living person responsible for the existence of the no-fly list should be jailed indefinitely without trial.

[elizabethlee]

03:08 AM on 05/19/2012

Then you are talking about the entire USA government and all of its hundreds of thousand employees where the right hand never knows what the left hand if doing and they all collect a handsome payroll for just being.... on the payroll.

We don't have enough jails to house all the corrupt politicians that spew, create these agencies and then point fingers at each other.

No voter knows washington dark, dirty secrets and that is just the way they like it. You are uninformed and misled by campaign bs decade after decade while you continue to defend these two parties.

Got to go....someone is ringing my doorbell....geez,that was quick perhaps its the secret service of the fbi questioning my allegiance to the government....or perhaps it's a drone.

[thaierah143]

11:44 AM on 05/19/2012

amen!

[Filthy]

11:18 PM on 05/22/2012

Actually you have more than enough jails to house every member of the Bush administration. America actually spends about $7 trillion a year on jails. In fact no country in the world incarcerates more people than the United States. You are a world leader.