trial de novo and Judge Abed

7. In December 2005, US Consul Russel Brown met with each member of the Appeals Court which was conducting a trial de novo. These included: Chief Judge Ismail Abed, Chief Religious Judge Saheeb Noor, Second Deputy Judge Latif, Senior Religious Judge Azzizullah, and several others. Brown requested that each judge show their allegiance and support for Ambassador Khalilzad, President Karzai and "America" by upholding the first court's guilty verdict. Initially each and every judge refused and in the first phase of the trial de novo and entered a verdict finding all Afghans not guilty, resulting in an order for thr elease of four Afghan citizens. Realizing the implications, US Consul Russel Brown met with each of the judges again. This time the judges refused again, except for Judge Abed, who resisted but was open for "suggestions". Judge Abed agreed to assist the US Ambassador if he could visit the United States. Abed also requested a cash incentive.

What a nice way of putting it. The old-fashioned term for this is a 'bribe'.

8. In February 2005, Abed was sent to the United States on a three-week all expense paid junket by the US Department of State and Department of Justice. This occurred DURING the trial de novo, and therefore Judge Abed was absent for that trial. Abed toured Durham, Washington, Fairfax, Reno, Los Angeles and other cities. During his first stop in Raleigh, North Carolina, Abed met with Master Sergeant Thomas R. Bumback, a retired Special Forces Intelligence officer who holds a Top Secret security clearance. Abed told Bumback that Jack Idema and the others were "completely innocent" and would be released in a few weeks. Over the next few days, Abed called Afghanistan and spoke to Jack Idema and the Court. Abed stated that he had already concluded they were innocent and requested they conclude the trial as fast as possible and release Idema and the others before his return and before pressure could be put on him to change his decision and the decision of the court.

Amazing. Abed accepted his all-expense paid trip, but also let Jack know what could happen upon his return.

9. Over the next few weeks, the US Consul Russel Brown, and other US government employees, contacted the Afghan Appeals Court and requested delays so that the Consul could attend the trial. Although he was given repeated delays, the Consul never did attend, instead sending an Afghan aide named Bashir Mamoon to be present. The US Embassy also requested the Court wait for the return of Chief Judge Ismail Abed. Just two days before Abed's return, the Appeals Court declared all men innocent and directed a press conference to convene upon Abed's return. However, when Abed returned he stated that although the men were innocent, they could not be released.

Must have been practicing Taqiyya in the previous paragraph, what? Abed is now a bat on a sticky wicket indeed.

This concatenation of events must end.

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