New Trend Magazine commentary

(Voice of the Oppressed Masses)

For the First Time:The Story of Ramzi Ahmed Yousef
Torture and Serious Violations of Human Rights and International Law
We urge investigation by the new Regime in Pakistan

"Beware of the outcry of the oppressed. He seeks his right from Allah and Allah does not reject the right of the wronged."
Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, Hadith from Ali (ra)


First a word to our immigrant and faint hearted readers: Do not be afraid. It is not illegal for you to read or distribute the information we are providing. Also, you are within your rights to discuss this and similar issues, and no one will bother you if you organize to protest against wrongs being done to Ramzi Yousef and other Islamic prisoners.

If you are a Muslim, you should not be afraid in any case because you are a servant of Allah. Unless you take political action and work for socio-political change, such great evil will persist. Do what little you can. The Prophet (pbuh) has already given you the three aspects of behavior when confronted with evil beyond which you enter the area of unbelief.

On January 8, 1998 a U.S. judge named Duffy sentenced Ramzi Yousef as the mastermind of the World Trade Center bombing to: 240 years plus life in prison, plus a restitution order of $250,000,000 and allowed the Attorney General to confine Yousef to a sound proof prison meant only for him where he would be cut off from the rest of the world.

The U.S. is satisfied that Yousef is a terrorist and got what he deserved. However, an unusual attorney named Klienman got interested in Ramzi's case, spent a lot of his own resources, and filed a voluminous appeal on Ramzi's behalf, which we have obtained.

Ramzi Yousef's conviction was largely based on his alleged 'confession' to his 'crime' which the FBI claimed he had made. The media kept away from the public how this 'confession' came about. The following is from Ramzi's Affidavit on how his confession came about:

"In November 1994, Yousef, his twin brother, his older brother, and two nephews, ages six and eight, were kidnapped from Quetta, Pakistan, by seven armed and masked men. The armed men then blindfolded Yousef and his family, administered them sedatives, and transported them to an unknown location. Upon regaining consciousness, Yousef found himself in a sealed, windowless room. A light was on day and light, preventing Yousef from ascertaining whether it was day or night, or how much time had passed."

"While at this unknown location, Yousef was both physically and mentally tortured. Specifically, he was tied in a small chair, with his hands bound behind his back and his feet tied together against his chest and close to his chin. His mouth was taped and his eyes covered, and Yousef was deprived of food, water, and rest. For days, Yousef was subjected to listening to the "continuous screams" of his twin brother as his brother was tortured to death. Subsequently, when Yousef inquired about the fate of his twin brother, his answer came later that day when two men threw the mutilated corpse of his twin brother towards him. His twin brother's body was mangled, with an eye gouged out and holes surrounded by eroded flesh covering his face and body."

"Here Yousef encountered a man called "no.3," who conducted most of the torture on Yousef and his family. No. 3 spoke in Arabc using a broken Palestinian dialect, but occasionally used some English words, and wore a bag over his head to prevent identification. No.3 first threatened Yousef that he would be tortured if he did not cooperate, and taunted Yousef with the details of his impending torture. But when Yousef dismissed these warnings, No. 3 had Yousef's two young nephews dragged into his cell by their hair, and subsequently threatened: 'You won't be the only person to be tortured. You will expose many others to torture, but you are free to choose." Thereafter, Yousef agreed to cooperate with No.3 in return for release of his nephews and confirmation of their safe arrival. Some time later, Yousef was permitted to listen to a phone call by a man identifying himself as an official of the Pakistani intelligence service supposedly confirming the safety of Yousef's nephews."

"As a condition of Yousef's cooperation, his captors forced him to place his fingerprints on various items, including books, maps, and watches. He was also required to write notes in the pages of a chemical dictionary, rewrite letters, and make phone calls. Furthermore, to continue Yousef's 'cooperation', No. 3 threatened Yousef's relatives, at one point holding his brother at knife point to compel Yousef to place a phone call. Yousef's captors also applied enough pressure on his fingers to cause permanent disfigurement of his fingernails."

"After some time, Yousuf was again blindfolded, drugged and transported to a second location - a police station in a remote village in the Pakistani desert. Upon his arrival, Yousef was placed in a small cell and guarded by men wearing the official uniforms of the Pakistani police. No other prisoners were present, and No.3 continued to force Yousef to 'cooperate', administering Yousef drugs to keep him awake and only permitting him to rest during meals."

" Approximately three weeks later, Yousef was taken to a third location. Thereafter, Yousef was placed in a room and interrogated by an English-speaking Pakistani man and a man who identified himself as an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Several hours after this initial interrogation, a second English-speaking Pakistani advised Yousef that he was his appointed attorney. However, when Yousef fully disclosed the torture he had endured during his captivity, the 'lawyer' began beating Yousef and slamming his head against a table."

"Following Yousef's meeting with his alleged attorney, he was delivered to a different room where he encountered No.3 with Yousef's badly beaten cousin. Again, Yousef was ordered to place his fingerprints on various objects. No.3 then informed Yousef that he was going to be turned over to Pakistani authorities, and, once more, Yousef was drugged and blindfolded."

"When Yousef regained consciousness, he was told that he was in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. Yousef was then transferred to a police station, where he was detained for 15 days and then transferred to a different building. Here, a Pakistani officer entered the room with FBI officials and one agent identified Yousef, stating: 'It is he.' "

"Yousef was then chained up in a different room where he was visited by several persons identifying themselves as FBI agents and Pakistani security officers. An FBI agent began questioning Yousef, at which time a second FBI agent wrote out a Miranda warning and ordered Yousef to sign it. After demanding Yousef's signature, the FBI agents questioned him for several hours. During this interrogation, Yousef recognized the voice of one of the agents as the same man with No.3 in the Pakistani desert who (now) identified himself as an FBI agent. Yousef was then turned over to Pakistani intelligence officers who videotaped their interrogation of Yousef. At some point during this interrogation, Yousef informed the Pakistani officials that he wanted an attorney, and he was told that 'it was not a matter for them to decide.' "

"Later that evening, Yousef met with a man identifying himself as a judicial officer appointed by the Pakistani Minister of the Interior. The judicial officer read to Yousef the charges pending against him in the United States. Following each charge, the officer asked Yousef if he had committed the named offense, to which Yousef responded 'No' or 'That is not true.' Yousef was then informed that due to his Pakistani citizenship, he would first stand trial in Pakistan,and if the validity of the charges were confirmed, he would be turned over to the custody of the United States.' "

Later still Yousef was taken to a military base and put on board a plane with FBI agents. During this trip, he was interrogated and the FBI claims he "confessed."
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Ramzy Yousef is being held in a sound proof room in Florence, Colorado. Your help is needed to set up a committee to educate the public about this great injustice. At the least, we can help to ameliorate his prison conditions. Contact us by email.
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2001-05-10 Thu 06:39ct