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Israelis Largest Single National Group Incarcerated In Terrorism Probe
Most Have Links To Israeli Intelligence; Jewish Leaders Howl
Anti-Semitism
11/28/2001 11:57:40 AM
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Washington, DC -- BEHIND THE HEADLINES
http://www.jta.org/story.asp?id=011127-jail
As Israelis languish in U.S. jails, Jewish activists wondering why
By Michael J. Jordan
NEW YORK, Nov. 27 (JTA) The revelation that dozens of Israelis have been
thrown in jail since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has some American
Jewish
leaders wondering if this is a new government attempt at "even-
handedness."
Most of the 50 or so Israelis reportedly jailed in Cleveland, St. Louis,
Kansas
City, Houston and San Diego are men in their 20s.
No one refutes the likelihood that they violated visa regulations, but
some
have been in jail for over a month for what normally would be considered
petty
infractions.
That leaves Jewish activists wondering if the U.S. Department of Justice
is
straining to show "even-handedness" in its investigation of the Sept. 11
attacks to appease Arabs concerned that Washington is targeting only Arab
and
Muslim suspects.
Several Arab states are vital partners in the U.S.-led coalition to hunt
down
the Sept. 11 perpetrators.
Nevertheless, Israeli officials say they do not believe Israelis have been
singled out, and are treating the incarcerations as a consular issue
rather
than a political one.
"Israelis who break the law must understand there will be consequences for
their actions," said Mark Regev, spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in
Washington. "America is justifiably looking much more closely at foreign
visitors, and Israelis who are here illegally or doing something in
contrast to
their visa specifications should not consider themselves immune just
because of
the friendly relations between the two countries."
Israeli officials say they sent advisories to their citizens in the United
States after Sept. 11, warning them to have their papers in order.
Still, that wasnīt enough to reassure some American Jewish leaders, who
note
that visa violations typically do not result in jail time.
U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft refuses to disclose the names of
detainees,
but Israelis are believed to be the largest single national group arrested
in a
nationwide crackdown that has netted at least 554 on visa violations and
55
charged with a direct link to the attacks since Sept. 11.
Reports of the arrests seems to have seeped out beginning two weeks ago,
and
some believed that as many as 150 Israelis had been arrested.
When he read about the Israelis in news reports last week, "I couldnīt see
the
connection. Why would Israelis even be suspected of terrorist activities
here?"
asked Leon Levy, president of the American Sephardi Federation and former
chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish
Organizations. "Itīs very confusing. I know Iīm only speculating, but it
may be
about giving a sense of balance between Arabs and Jews."
The Zionist Organization of America this week said it was crafting a
letter to
the Justice Department complaining that the large-scale arrests of
Israelis "play into the hands of anti-Semites" because of the canard that
Israel orchestrated the suicide attacks and that 4,000 Jews were warned
not to
come to their jobs at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.
"Why arenīt we also arresting people from Finland, Denmark or Sweden?
There is
no evidence, historically or presently, that anyone from Israel has ever
been
involved with terrorism against America," ZOA President Morton Klein
said. "Clearly, America is bending over backward to make it seem as if we
are
not targeting Middle Easterners, although the evidence shows clearly that
it
was Islamic militants who perpetrated this heinous crime."
Malcolm Hoenlein, the Conference of Presidentsī executive vice chairman,
urged
caution in reacting to the arrests.
"There could be a real problem here but we donīt know yet," Hoenlein said.
"In
situations like that, you have to be careful about the allegations you
make. We
and others are still looking into it, trying to ascertain the facts."
Ashcroft, in a news conference Tuesday, defended his actions.
"While I am aware of various charges being made by organizations and
individuals about the actions of the Justice Department, I have yet to be
informed of a single lawsuit filed against the government charging a
violation
of someoneīs civil rights as a result of this investigation," Ashcroft
said.
"I would hope that those who make allegations about something as serious
as a
violation of an individualīs civil rights would not do so lightly or
without
specificity or without facts. This does a disservice to our entire justice
system."
There actually have been two separate situations involving Israelis.
The first involved five Israeli men spotted clowning around Sept. 11 along
the
New Jersey riverfront, taking photographs against a backdrop of the
burning
World Trade Centers.
The men worked for a moving company and happened to have box cutters one
of
the weapons used on the hijacked flights in their truck.
The men were imprisoned in Brooklyn, where one reportedly failed a
polygraph
test when discussing his Israeli army service.
The men were never charged with a crime, but complained that they were
treated
like criminals and even intentionally placed with Arab inmates, who beat
them
up. After two months in jail, the five were quietly deported to Israel
last
week.
The Anti-Defamation League took the incident seriously, but not the
suggestion
that Israelis are being unfairly singled out.
"Thereīs a war, a change of scenery, and the fact that Semitic-looking
people
are caught in the web of ethnic profiling is an unfortunate consequence of
the
new reality," the national director of the ADL, Abraham Foxman, said. "My
only
concern is that once Israelis are arrested and detained, there needs to be
sensitivity not to put them together with Arabs or Muslims, because their
safety may be in danger."
Then there are the dozens of Israelis arrested nationwide, some of whom
apparently aroused suspicion because they worked for a company selling
trinkets
that may have hired other young men from the Middle East.
Regev, however, sought to put the events in perspective.
"Israelis, better than most, can understand the problems involved with
dealing
with terrorism, and I think Israelis can appreciate the enormous pressure
American authorities were under in the weeks following Sept. 11," he said.
While not commenting specifically on the Israelis, a spokesman for the
Justice
Department told The New York Times, "We are taking every step we can to
prevent
future terrorist attacks. We are conducting the largest investigation in
U.S.
history, and we are leaving no stone unturned."
Yet the secrecy surrounding the detaineesī identities and the refusal to
disclose the charges, if any, are fanning suspicion about the arrests.
Some
wonder if the Justice Department is arresting almost anyone just to create
the
semblance of progress in the Sept. 11 investigation.
Some Jewish activists say they are concerned not only about the Israeli
detainees, but with all those held.
"In Judaism, we donīt believe in collective guilt," said Rabbi Avi Weiss,
national president of AMCHA Coalition for Jewish Concerns. "If theyīve
overstayed a visa or some other infraction, deport them. But itīs un-
American
to hold people without charging them. Maybe a day or two, but weeks or a
month
or two? Itīs really unpardonable. Itīs contrary to what America stands
for."
Levy, too, was critical.
"If there is no evidence after a month of incarceration, there has to be
some
explaining to do," he said. "Weīre still a nation of laws."
Đ JTA. Reproduction of material without written permission is strictly
prohibited.
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