Thread by @JustWorldEd

Starting in just a few minutes! Miko Peled is joined by Laila Al-Arian to discuss the case of the Holy Land Foundation Five #freehlf5 #hlf5

@mikopeled @LailaAlarian @Sueudry of @RightsDissent now introducing award winning journalist @LailaAlarian moderating tonight’s event #CivilLiberties #Islamophobia #Palestine

Laila Al-Arian introducing @mikopeled now on the case of the Holy Land Foundation Five and criminalizing humanitarian aid after 9/11

Miko Peled: the story of the #HLF5 is a story of the American prison system

.@mikopeled: In 2004 the homes of each of the #HLF5 and their families were raided in the early morning by 15-20 heavily armed federal agents and police

.@mikopeled: There was no valid evidence against the men. The prosecution relied on misleading documents and anonymous testimony supplied by #Israel gov’t

.@mikopeled: The only place in the world where the #palestinian #zakat commitees were considered #terrorist organizations was in a courtroom in Texas during the #HLF5 trial.

.@mikopeled: The former U.S. Consul General in #Jerusalem, E. Abington, defended the #zakat committees as doing great #humanitarian work.

.@mikopeled: In the 2nd trial the judge was even more lenient with the prosecution and allowed dubious evidence that never should have been permitted in a courtroom.

.@LailaAlarian: the public release of a list of “un-indicted co-conspirators” of the #HLF was an unheard of practice by the government