Introduction In the mainstream view, al-Qaeda did not play a role in the Syria conflict until Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi dispatched his deputy, Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, to Syria in August 2011 to establish a wing of the group there, called Jabhat al-Nusra, or the Nusra Front. Additionally, al-Qaeda allegedly did not carry out any military operations until December 2011 and did not announce its establishment until January 2012. However, there is evidence that al-Qaeda affiliated militants were involved in the Syrian conflict much earlier. Saudi intelligence...
prisoner
Libertarians, Other Decent People: Let Non-Violent Prisoners Out Due to Coronavirus: Govt.: Nope, We Rather Let Rapists Out Instead
NYC man released from Rikers Island over coronavirus arrested on new rape charge. A Brooklyn man was arrested Saturday for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman just 10 days after he was released from Rikers Island over concerns about the spread of the coronavirus behind bars, according to a report. Robert Pondexter, 57, was being held at the notorious New York City prison on a separate rape charge when he was released. He was charged Saturday with attempted rape and sexual assault among other offenses, the New York Post reported, citing anonymous police sources. ... The caller told...
Was Julian Assange Given a Death Sentence? guest Will Porter
On FPF #478, Will Porter returns to the show to discuss Julian Assange's perilous situation. A year ago, Assange was ripped from the Ecodurian embassy and thrown in UK top maximum-security prison. Over the year, Assange's health has declined. Adding to his health risk is a coronavirus outbreak at the prison he is caged in. Assange's legal team recently appealed to the judge in his extradition case to allow him to leave the prison under house arrest for the remainder of the coronavirus outbreak, something the UK is allowing 1,000s of other prisoners to do. However, Assange was denied the...
Saudis ‘Unaware’ Bombed Yemen Prison Held Prisoners
By Jason Ditz On Sunday, Saudi warplanes attacked and destroyed a prison in the Yemeni city of Dhamar, killing an estimated 130 prisoners. Saudi officials are now saying they had no idea that the prison held any prisoners, nor had they added the prison to the “no strike list.“ The Houthis reported that the prison was well known, and that the Red Cross had visited several times. The Red Cross has concurred, and was critical of the Saudis for attacking the site. The Houthis reported that the prison was used in large measure to hold fighters loyal to the pro-Saudi government. The Red Cross...
Rocky Myers Doesn’t Belong On Death Row
The case of Rocky Myers is a window into so much that’s wrong with the death penalty in this country. The 53-year-old, who has an intellectual disability, was saddled with an incompetent lawyer, convicted on the evidence from a key witness who has since recanted his testimony, and sentenced to death by a judge who imposed death sentence against the jury’s wishes. Now he’s one of 175 prisoners on death row in Alabama – despite all the faults in his case – and with absolutely no evidence tying him to the scene of the crime. Sign the ACLU petition urging Governor Ivey to grant clemency here...
Wrongful Use or Threat of Capital Prosecutions: Official misconduct by police and/or prosecutors is the leading cause
Official misconduct by police and prosecutors and perjured testimony (not errors) are the number one contributing factor to wrongful homicide convictions according to data from the The Death Penalty Information Center. The report summarizes data from the National Registry of Exonerations annual report on wrongful convictions. In 2018, they recorded a record 151 new exonerations across the United States, including 68 exonerations resulting from wrongful homicide convictions. Two of those exonerations freed death-row prisoners. A record number of the exonerations in 2018 were the product...
The Antiwar Comic: This is What He Wants
In many ways, it doesn't surprise me that Trump wants this. No skin off his back, right? Still, would've been nice of him to close it. For a few minutes during the campaign, I thought he might just to spite Obama. For more comics, visit The Webcomic...
5/3/17 Trita Parsi on Politico’s hit piece on the Iran nuclear deal
Trita Parsi, President of the National Iranian American Council, discusses the continued attacks by war hawks on the Iran nuclear deal and the whole idea of diplomatic give-and-take. Politico writer Josh Meyer's recent article makes a big deal about the American-Iranian prisoner swap that happened at the same time the nuclear deal was implemented, and implies that the Obama administration made undisclosed and excessive concessions to secure it. Check out my Patreon page...
Israeli Settlers Taunt Palestinian Hunger-strikers with Barbecue
Israeli settlers held a barbecue on Thursday outside a jail where Palestinian detainees are currently on hunger strike in an attempt to make their protest more arduous. Dozens of Israelis gathered outside the Ofer jail, near Ramallah, and began barbecuing chicken and other meats within close proximity of the Palestinian prisoners. The men said they hoped the smell of the grilled meat would increase the suffering of the detainees who launched a hunger strike this week, a reporter at the scene said. A number of Israeli soldiers also joined them to eat the feast. Over 1,600 Palestinian...
3/22/17 Andy Worthington on keeping up the fight to close Guantanamo
Andy Worthington, author of The Guantanamo Files, discusses former Obama administration Guantanamo envoy Paul Lewis's call on Donald Trump to close Guantanamo instead of adding new prisoners; and why existing federal prisons and courts are more than capable of incarcerating and trying terrorism suspects.
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