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Tag Archives: Muslim Matters

Tariq Mehanna: January 4, 2011

Reading through the IA comments on Shehata, I’m quite surprised that people are still debating my guilt/innocence of the govt’s allegations against me. I’ve been sitting here for 15 months now in solitary confinement, reading through all of the “evidence” the government has regarding me, and I have yet to receive a single shred of it regarding any so-called plot to do anything to anyone at any time. I haven’t even been told exactly what/where/to whom I planned anything. I don’t even know until now exactly what I did that constitutes terrorism under American Law. So, the debate of my guilt or innocence – after 15 months without any evidence of a “plot” put forth even to my attorneys – should be buried and dead.

What it seems I am guilty of, and what this case is really about, is sympathizing with oppressed Muslims and those who are defending them worldwide. This entire case is about my loyalties – my wala & bara’, and that is why I was arrested, and that is why I’m being put on trial. Simple as that. Even former CIA agents who were interviewed about me stated to the media that my case is unprecedented in that I’m being prosecuted for my ideas, rather than anything I did. What I’ve been told is that the government is using me as a test case to see how far they can go with terrorism statutes – how far they can push the envelope. So, we’ll see how things turn out, and Allah is with the believers.

The second thing I wanted to say is in regards to the assertion that I have somehow “led people to destruction, shattered families, and brought harm to Muslims east and west.” The first thing that went through my mind when reading this line was that I could think of no better way to describe the US government that MM is so loyal to, but I snapped back to reality and the fact that only in the Twilight Zone would they ever use such language against the colonizers of their minds. It’s like Malcolm X said:

“No matter how fearless a dog is, you catch him out on the street, stamp your foot: he’ll run, because you’re only threatening him. His master has never trained him how to defend himself. But that same dog, if you walk through the master’s gate, will growl and bite. Why will he growl and bite over there and not growl and bite over here? Over there, he’s growling and biting for the defense of his master and the benefit of his master. But when his own interests are threatened, he has no growl.”

And history repeats itself before our eyes, unfortunately, Malcolm X’s analogy applies 100% to the Muslim house slaves of today.

Aside from my utter confusion as to who I’ve led to “destruction,” what family I’ve “shattered,” or which Muslims in the east or west I’ve brought “harm” to, I can tell you that my own family never speaks to me on the phone in prison without reiterating how proud they are of my stance, and that they would rather have me in jail because of my principles than have me “free” because of my betrayal of them. Clear enough, I think.”

-Tariq Mehanna
4th Jan 2011