History
Trial news
Newspaper reports--2004
Newspaper reports--2003
Sanctions
Risky Business
Charges
Charges Against
Defense Files for Dismissal
Reply to Govt's response
Targeting
Operation Imminent Horizon
150 Muslim Familes ?'ed
Crusaders
Trial Date Zealotry
Denied Bail
Why Grant Bail
Bail Motion-Gov't Antics
Appeal of Bail Denied
Support
Rally For Rafil--2/28/2004
Letters to the Editor-2003
Letters to the Editor-2004
Testimonials
Was My Mom a Terrorist
Articles
Washington Post
The New Standard (TNS)
TNS-Follow-up
Fellowship of Reconciliation
MSNBC-Patriot Act Victim
Syracuse Peace Council 2-04
Syracuse Peace Council 9-04
Faith
Help the Needy(TBD)
Challenges
Witness Tampering(TBD)
Intimidation(TBD)
Rafil Speaks
Rafils's Statement from the November 14, 2003 8 city press conference.
Other
Witness-May 3, 2003
Jubilee Initiative
TBD=To Be Done
-------Dr. Rafil Dhafir-----
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On February 26, 2003 Dr. Rafil Dhafir of Manlius (a suburb of Syracuse) New York and 3 individuals involved with the charity Help the Needy were arrested and charged with breaking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (Iraqi Sanctions), and with 12 counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. For that very same act of compassion (providing humanitarian aid to Iraq) Dr. Dhafir was placed on Saddam's Hit list, marked for death should he ever go back to Iraq. As the recently filed (7/29/04) motion for dimissal states Dr.Dhafir is the only person to be arrested for breaking the sanctions.
Dr. Dhafir was instrumental in helping establish the Help the Needy (HTN) endowment to assist children and their families in Iraq ravaged by depleted uranium and sanctions. As our testimonials note his patients consider him a compassionate and caring doctor. He is a devout Muslim that helped with the construction of our local mosque and has served as the President of the Islamic Society of Central New York. He is a naturalized citizen of the USA of Iraqi descent.
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"For nearly nine years, Iraqi Americans have listened to the same nightmare fears, hearing the anguish of their loved ones and close friends who suffer through sanctions and bombing in Iraq, all in the face of worldwide, staggering apathy. We travel to Iraq with a pittance of medical relief, earnestly wanting to offer some kind of hope, but mainly able only to whisper, "We’re sorry. We’re so very sorry," as we sit, helpless, at bedsides of agonized children."
Children, Crime and Punishment: Reflections on recent travel to Iraq;Kathy Kelly,June 18, 1999Voices in the Wilderness
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As part of its raid upon Dr. Dhafir and HTN Federal agents interrogated up to 150 predominately Muslim families that had donated charity money to HTN. They were intimidated and asked inappropriate questions about their faith--questions having little to do with Dr. Dhafir and Help the Needy and more with information gathering about Muslims. It was the largest interrogation of Muslims ever conducted by Federal authorities at one time. Not only was this raid by Federal agents egregious and violate the principles our country was founded upon it indicates targeting by the Fed's. Arguably it was an act of intimidating potential character witnesses for Dr. Dhafir.
Dr. Dhafir has been denied bail four times while investigators have lodged numerous charges against him --Medicare fraud, tax evasion and using charitable funds for personal uses. Muslim chaplain Captain Yee of Quantanamo Bay has received similar treatment.
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"Dr. is a great guy. Soft spoken, kindest man we ever met. He has many patients that need him. My husband is one... He is so gentle and concerned. (He) always praised God for healing, never himself. We do need Dr. Dhafir to come back and save our love ones life..."Terry Martin
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Support for Rafil has been growing. The terror of war and the fear created by the Fed's on February 26th is dissipating. But as Noted in Bail Motion Filed December 22, 2003 (Bail Motion-Gov't Antics) Federal authorties are continuing their crusade to intimidate the Muslim community. Local Muslims have pledged over one million dollars for Rafil's bail. Unfortunately he has been denied bail four times.
Rafil is glad that the trial has begun so that he can free his name from the stain the government has placed upon it. We are all hopeful that justice will be served.
God Bless,
madis senner
315-463-5369
To read about the trial:
Coverage and Analysis of the Trial
Don't smear Dhafir--Post Standard's Scandalous coverage
Dr. Dhafir's lawyer Devereaux Cannick can be reached at: 718-426-0444
If you would like to become a supporting group or need to contact me please email me:
JOIN RAFIL'S LIST SERVE TO KEEP ABREAST OF DEVELOPMENTS!
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Supporting Groups
Fellowship of Reconciliation
Muslim Peace Fellowship
Actions
TRIAL
J. Hanley, Fed Bldg, Syr. NY
Mon to Thurs--8:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Join us in the court room while the jury deliberates!!!
JOIN US
Operation Free Dhafir
News
Letter from RafilGovernment that protects religion tramples mine
Court Denies Muslim practices
Judges Nixes Dismissal
Defense Replies to Govt response on Dismissal 8-31
Operation Free Dhafir Launched 8-11
Syracuse Post Standard Slams Gov. Pataki for smearing Rafil 8-09
Dvereaux chides NY governor Pataki 8-05
Defense Files For Dismissal 7-29
Syracuse's Captain Yee--Rafil hit with more charges
Defense team files an appeal of the decision to deny bail;Appeal of Bail Denied
Trial pushed back to Sept 27, 2004
RALLY FOR RAFIL
We heard powerful testimonials from patients, colleagues and friends as we bore witness to a great Humanitarian.
Details
Rafil denied Bail for the fourth time!Read
Bail Motion sheds light on how the prosecution has been misleading the defense. Click to read
New Report on Terrorism--The Real Numbers As the report notes there have been lots of arrests of "supposed" terrorists--but not many convictions!
Rafil Moved
On Monday November 24th (the last day of Ramadan) Rafil and several other inmates were moved from the Justice Center in downtown Syracuse to Jamesville Penitentiary outside the city limits. Was this a coincidence? Or an effort to circumvent a large post Eid rally we had planned (the next day) in support of the Muslim community and to send a message to Rafil's supporters. It was also a further itimidation of a person of deep faith to whom the day meant a lot. Remember Rafil has been in jail for 9 months and now they decide to move him.
Actions
"The U.S. attorney has ruined our Ramadan by refusing bail for our brother Rafil", read the banner. Over a hundred protesters, Muslims and non-Muslims gathered to protest the detention of Rafil Dhafir. Click here to read article
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