ACLU Fights to Give ‘American Taliban’ Group Prayer Rights in Prison
- Posted on January 4, 2011 at 11:14pm by
Meredith Jessup
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John Walker Lindh
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Two more Muslim inmates are trying to join American-born Taliban fighter John Walker Lindh and another prisoner in a federal lawsuit asking for them to be allowed to hold daily group prayers in their highly restricted cell block.
A federal judge on Monday gave the American Civil Liberties Union until Jan. 17 to respond to objections from the Bureau of Prisons.
The push to add individual plaintiffs comes after U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson denied the case class action status last month.
Lindh, 29, and Brian Carr, 43, claim the prison’s policy restricting group prayer in the Communications Management Unit at the federal prison in Terre Haute violates their religious rights. The government contends that restrictions at the CMU are necessary for security and don‘t violate inmates’ rights. Both sides hope Magnus-Stinson will rule the facts are in their favor, avoiding a trial.
Carr, who is serving a 20-year sentence for a bank robbery in Washington, joined the lawsuit in September after another inmate involved in it was released from prison, ACLU attorney Ken Falk said.
Earlier this month, the ACLU filed a motion in federal court in Indianapolis seeking to add two other inmates — Ali Asad Chandia, 34, and Rafil Dhafir, 62 — to the prayer suit. The Bureau of Prisons, however, opposed Dhafir joining the suit, saying he has not exhausted administrative remedies.
“The allegations are identical, they’re all raising the same issue,” Falk said.
Lindh and the others argue that their religion requires them to pray five times a day, preferably in a group. But group prayers at the prison are generally limited to once a week except during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, court documents said.
Terre Haute associate warden Harvey Church testified in a deposition given in January that 24 of the 41 CMU inmates were Muslim. The government says in court documents that there is no evidence that Muslims were confined to the CMU because of their religion and that most Muslims don’t adhere to the requirement of five daily prayers.
Chandia, a former Maryland teacher, was one of roughly a dozen men from the Washington area convicted as part what prosecutors called a “Virginia jihad network” that used paintball games in 2000 and 2001 to train for holy war around the globe. He was sentenced in 2006 to 15 years in prison.
Dhafir, a Muslim doctor from Syracuse, N.Y., is serving a 22-year prison sentence after his conviction in February 2005 on 59 criminal counts, including money laundering and conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions against Iraq. He was found guilty of misusing $2 million that donors gave to his unlicensed charity, Help the Needy, and spending $544,000 for his own purposes.
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Comments (48)
DoremusRJessup44
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 12:45pmThe First Unitarian Church of Honolulu is the only Hawaii-based congregation within the Unitarian Universalist Association. It is located at 2500 Pali Highway in the Nu’uanu Valley.
The congregation was founded in 1952 as a lay fellowship. The fellowship was unusual for its time because its leadership consisted of women (Rosemary Mattson as chairwoman and Ruth Iams as program director) and because it made efforts to engage in interfaith dialogue with Jewish and Buddhist congregations in Honolulu.[1]
In September 1969, the church made national headlines when it offered refuge to U.S. servicemen protesting the war in Vietnam. The servicemen were arrested by military police within the church grounds. The resulting action brought about an unsuccessful lawsuit filed by the church against the military – Bridges v. Davis, 443 F.2d 970 (9th Cir., 1971).[2] The private memorial service for Madelyn Dunham, grandmother of US President Barack Obama, was held there in December 2008.[3] It is also where President Obama attended Sunday School during his youth.[4]
The Rev. Mike Young has been the church’s minister since 1995.
Report Post »DoremusRJessup44
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 12:41pmUmmmmm people, Roger Baldwin, founder of the ACLU was a Communist. This is nothing new. The group is Communist. They don’t have Communist ties. THE ACLU IS A COMMUNIST GROUP.
Baldwin quotes “I am for socialism, disarmament, and, ultimately, for abolishing the state itself… I seek the social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied class, and the sole control of those who produce wealth. Communism is the goal.(1928)”.[7]
“I would say that social work began in my mind in the Unitarian Church when I was ten or twelve years old, and I started to do things that I thought would help other people.”[7] OH THE UNITARIAN CHURCH? LOOK THAT UP, OBAMA’S CHURCH AS A CHILD.
Report Post »dizzyinthedark
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 10:39amThey just want to stir the pot, create chaos wherever they can, not really pray to their almighty.
Perhaps they should grant them their wish under one condition. Solitary confinement for the rest of their time. Then they can pray all they want to, not disrupt anyone, oh and how about just bread and water too for their diet! Okay, okay, the bread and water is a little cruel, maybe give them some khot, which they take during their ‘high holy’ times when they fast, to ward off the hunger pains. Funny thing, I thought when you are supposed to be the most ‘holier than thow’ muslim praying what, 5 times a day, have your own set of laws special to no one but your ‘breed’, that during your time of fasting at rhammadan you should do this without the help of DRUGS! You falsely sacrifice yourself to your god! Whatabunch of phonies! Not to mention that most of the so-called ******* DO NOT pray anyway over there in their land of hell. Give me a break!
Report Post »imareader
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 10:34amIf people desire to be able to live unrestricted lives, I wonder…Why doesn’t it occur to them not to commit crimes in the first place? Shame on the ACLU… This is not restricting “religious freedom”…this is keeping a safe and orderly prison environment containing people who have committed treason against our Country during a time of war!
Report Post »psst
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 10:00amAw hell.
So what else is new w/ the ACLU.
It’s a communist organization
Emma Goldman, a communist was Roger Baldwin’s mentor.
Saul Alinski ,a communist was Hussein’s mentor
Baldwin openly sought the utter destruction of American society. Fifteen years after the founding of the ACLU, Baldwin wrote:
I am for Socialism, disarmament and ultimately, for the abolishing of the State itself … I seek the social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied class and sole control of those who produce wealth. Communism is the goal.
Crystal Eastman was a communist.
From 1917 to 1921 Eastman was the editor of the Liberator, a radical journal that matched Eastman’s qualities.
In 1922 , the Liberator was taken over by Robert Minor and the Communist Party.
Baldwin and Eastman founded the ACLU.
Read more: The ACLU’s shocking legacy http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45959#ixzz1AAjeObbv
Report Post »Zombee
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 9:44amSTOP tax payer funding of the the ACLU commies!.
Report Post »Support and donate to organizations fighting them in Court.
Here are the ones at the forefront :
ACLJ
Alliance Defense Fund
Thomas More Law Center
Join the Stop The ACLU Coalition
ksagpilot
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 9:17amIn a few years we’re not going to recognize this country thanks to the ACLU and the Progressives.
Report Post »hojo
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 8:52amLet them eat the congressional pork.
Report Post »Calvin4444
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 8:44amI have a question..waht about the supposed seperatio of church and state. I dont agree with it but if they can sue to take a cross off a War Memorial then why is governement housing supporting special meals and priviledges based on religion?
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 7:29amGood Morning, AMERICA! “RIGHTS”? In prison?????? Excuse me, folks, but when one chooses to commit a c-r-i-m-e, one also chooses to give up one’s rights, correct? No plasma tv screens, no air conditioning or heating, no WONDERFULLY, governmental controlled 3-meals-a-day, no cel phones (no pun intended)…. Let’s get over it and get real! Here’s another idea for the “namby pamby” state we’ve become thanks to the infidels currently in control: no muslims in our prisons. Better still, NO muslims in the USA, anywhere, ever again. Can you spell, “Get out of my country NOW?” And, take the leftists and Katie and Jon and……. with you! This grandma has had it! Stand up, creaky old knees. Stand tall, tired old body. We’ve much yet to do here. GOD IS IN CONTROL, and we yet serve HIM. (GOD not to be confused with “allah” who is not).
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 7:16amThe ACLU fights for Muslim‘s right to pray on government property and fight against Christian’s right to pray on government property. Go figure.
Report Post »beebacksoon
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 6:56amAnd Katie Couric (obama’s state run media) wonders why so many Americans have a bad taste in their mouth when it comes to muslims.
Report Post »Is their god only present when they are in a group? No one is prohibiting them from praying.
Where’s the ACLU when CHRISTIANS need them? No where, because they do not believe in the one and only God.
JROCCOD
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 6:48amWe had a Warden and Deputy Warden killed here in Philadelphia’s old Holmesburg Prison1n 1973.
Report Post »They were killed by muslim inmates over this very issue of group prayer. The ACLU is out of control.
Group prayer by radicals in a correctional setting is very dangerous. These idiots are going to get somebody killed.
BJAlexandria
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 6:28amThe Christian bible says that when TWO OR MORE are gathered in His name . . . so we don’t Christians get the same consideration? If this judge doesn’t rule against the ACLU, I think Bill O’Reilly ought to go after her journalistically.
Report Post »BJAlexandria
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 6:32amI meant “why don’t Christians get the same consideration?”
Report Post »red penny
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 6:17amPaint an arrow indicating East on the floor of their individual cells and let them do all the stupid praying they want to do.Instead of being a group of fools they can continue to be singular fools.O’ I meant to add—screw them,their faux religion,Allah,MoJoe (whatever his name is) and the flea infested rugs they flew in on.
Report Post »Jacob
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 5:37amAs far as I’m concerned you gave up rights when you committed the crimes that got you put in there? um eye for an eye?
Report Post »Jesus J
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 5:33amNo soup for you sucker! No one who goes against Jesus should be getting any so-called “prayer rights”.
Report Post »mikemanners11
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 4:28amIf ALLAH is such a POWERFUL god then why not let him fight for these guys?
Why does ALLAH need the ACLU?
Oh, by the way a man who read his Bible at Lunch at work was FIRED at work because people were “uncomfortable” with him doing that – on his own time. Where is the ACLU for this man?
I guess you have to be a blood thirsty terrorist before you get any justice in the good old USA….
Report Post »jeffsrevier
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 3:22amI am not in the giving kind of mood. I listened to Glenn Beck’s show from 9/11 today and I remember what they did. (The show was terrible but I now know things about Glenn that I did not know before.)
Report Post »BJAlexandria
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 6:31amWhat? And what does Beck’s show yesterday have to do with this story?
Report Post »scout n ambush
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 1:49amSometimes it is hard to tell who the good guy’s are.
Report Post »BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 1:45amFabulous- first they don’t want to be patted down at airports because it is against their religion. Next- after one is caught and imprisoned they bemoan that they are not being allowed to pray according to their religion.
Hey terrorist idiots- want to stop the groping at the airports? Wanna pray according to your faith? Stop plotting and killing people. Its hard to believe that it’s that simple- but it really is.
Report Post »timm84
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 11:02amby committing acts of terrorism, according to their faith, they are doing for allah more than 60 years of daily prayers. those who struggle and die for allah will be shown the gates of paradise, I am lazily paraphrasing, but that is about the gist of it. allow Rep Allen West to explain better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkGQmCZjJ0k
Report Post »Dale
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 1:28amIt seems that prison, by design, restricts one’s freedoms. If the prison’s administration determines it is a risk to allow group prayers, it just goes with the territory: ‘if you can’t do the time, don‘t do the crime’.
Report Post »BoilitDown
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 1:25amDid I misunderstand the reports and TV specials that showed them praying unrestricted?
Report Post »They are apparently praying to their “god” to give them strength to kill the infidels and we’re supposed to be concerned about that.
I guess our response should be to ridicule the ACLU for their absurdities and corruption of our principles.
CatB
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 1:04amThey can pray alone .. they do not need to be in a group … we know what happens when they get in groups. Bad enough that they still breath.
Report Post »Lantern
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 1:53amI agree, they do not need to be in a group to pray. Putting them in a group will just risk their trading plans and equipment to hurt the guards or incite a riot.
Report Post »Curator_JDR
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 2:08amI agree. The ACLU have their heads where the sun doesn’t shine. This hilarious animated short feature exposes the insanity of these “Progressives” http://www.marcrubin.com/hairmerica.ivnu See animated head-up-the-butt people. Images matter. .
Report Post »EP46
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 8:06amWe all seem to have reached the same conclusion.
Report Post »Tell them they can pick a certain TIME each day, and they can all pray individually at the same time…..this is just another way to strengthen terror groups.
I read that you cannot hold prayer on the steps of the Supreme Court…is that still true ? But you can let the terrorists hold group meetings ?
walkwithme1966
Posted on January 6, 2011 at 1:49amAgree – do the Christians get to prayer together or alone? http://wp.me/pYLB7-uK
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 1:03amThey won’t stand up for our rights yet bow to the rights of terrorists. What about the rights of Christians who are not serving time for such acts? Give me a break ACLU. Oh by the way, I just read about your connections with the communist party. No need to say more.
Report Post »UPSETVET
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 5:49amIs anyone surprised that the ACLU has communist ties ? As far as being defenders of terrorist to exercise their prayer rights in prison I think they’re forgetting that for decades they have defended the abolishment of prayer in public schools and federal facilities. Isn’t a federal prison a “federal facility” ? Come on ACLU, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Liberals and progressives only defend the rights of others if it furthers their own twisted ideologies. Terrorist have rights but, non terrorists don’t, according to the ACLU.
Report Post »oldguy48
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 7:09amTime to round up the “true believers” at the ACLU
Report Post »chazman
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 7:27amThe ACLU must be destroyed immediately when we begin to take our country back from these damn commies!!
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 8:17amGoing back to their roots, I guess. Certainly the discovery of early documents clarifys alot of their actions against religion; I think it is time that the ACLU loses some of its power, and citizens gain more of their rights. It is time to overturn the separation of church and state.
Report Post »taskmaster78
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 9:52amPam, Check out the funding they receive from tax payers. The amount is in the hundreds of millions, they don’t fight for rights, they have a goal of destroying this nation and it’s laws from within. This began in the mid 30′s. And you should agree they’re doing a great job.
Report Post »Wayner
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 11:55amLet’s get together and charge to aclu with treason and sedition to overthrow the Government of The United States.
Report Post »