PALESTINIAN LONG HELD ON SECRET EVIDENCE SEEKS ASYLUM

Mazen Al-Najjar, formerly a professor at a Florida university, who was detained by the INS for more than three years until his release in December, will now fight INS efforts to deport him for overstaying his student visa.  Al-Najjar, who was never charged with a criminal offense, was held by the INS on the basis of secret evidence that was not revealed to him, is now going to seek asylum in the US.  According to Al-Najjar, the government’s detention of him has made him such a pariah that he will be subject to persecution anywhere else in the world.

The government is opposing his efforts, saying that he does not qualify for asylum because he was not persecuted in the United Arab Emirates, where he lived before he first came to the US, almost 20 years ago.  Al-Najjar counters with the argument that because of the actions of the US government, he will certainly be the victim of persecution now.  The government argued that he was a fundraiser for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Al-Najjar has already faced problems in trying to gain entry to other countries.  In 1998, he and his family were going to move to Guyana, but their visas were revoked when the Guyanese government learned of the terrorist allegations against him.  Egypt has also said that even though Al-Najjar has an Egyptian visa, it will deny him entry.  Saudi Arabia, which is where his wife is from, has also said that it will not allow him to enter, as has the United Arab Emirates.  Originally from Gaza, now part of Israeli territory, Al-Najjar will also be denied entry there.

Most of the other people the INS had detained on secret evidence but later released have been granted asylum.