Pakistan Court Proceedings of American Suspects Continues
- 14 years ago
Americans held in Pakistan on terrorism charges are seeking bail. Lawyers for the men say the prosecution lacks evidence to charge them.
The students, all in their 20s and from the U.S. state of Virginia, were detained in December in the central Pakistani town of Sargodha.
They have not been formally charged but could face lengthy prison terms if found guilty.
A defense lawyer for the five requested bail, saying allegations against them were (quote) "vague."
[Mohammad Shahid Kamal, Defense Attorney]:
"These youngsters have been illegally tortured by the law-enforcement agencies. Their fundamental right - the constitutional right given to every person, that grounds for arrest should be immediately provided upon arrest - has not been provided to them till today. I have requested the court that since their constitutional and legal rights have not been given to them by the law-enforcement agencies, bail should be granted to them with immediate effect, to make up for that lapse."
The five told the court earlier they only wanted to provide fellow Muslims in Afghanistan with medical and financial help.
They have accused the F.B.I. and Pakistani police of torturing them and trying to frame them.
Pakistani authorities have denied the accusations of mistreatment.
Two of the five are of Pakistani origin, one of Egyptian, one of Yemeni and one of Eritrean origin. They were arrested days after arriving in Pakistan.
Police have said emails showed they contacted Pakistani militants who had planned to use them for attacks in Pakistan, a front-line state in the U.S.-led war against militancy.
Pakistan is struggling against al Qaeda-linked militants and is under pressure from Washington to help stabilize neighboring Afghanistan, where a Taliban insurgency is raging.
The United States says Pakistan must crack down harder on militants who cross into Afghanistan and attack U.S.-led troops.
The students, all in their 20s and from the U.S. state of Virginia, were detained in December in the central Pakistani town of Sargodha.
They have not been formally charged but could face lengthy prison terms if found guilty.
A defense lawyer for the five requested bail, saying allegations against them were (quote) "vague."
[Mohammad Shahid Kamal, Defense Attorney]:
"These youngsters have been illegally tortured by the law-enforcement agencies. Their fundamental right - the constitutional right given to every person, that grounds for arrest should be immediately provided upon arrest - has not been provided to them till today. I have requested the court that since their constitutional and legal rights have not been given to them by the law-enforcement agencies, bail should be granted to them with immediate effect, to make up for that lapse."
The five told the court earlier they only wanted to provide fellow Muslims in Afghanistan with medical and financial help.
They have accused the F.B.I. and Pakistani police of torturing them and trying to frame them.
Pakistani authorities have denied the accusations of mistreatment.
Two of the five are of Pakistani origin, one of Egyptian, one of Yemeni and one of Eritrean origin. They were arrested days after arriving in Pakistan.
Police have said emails showed they contacted Pakistani militants who had planned to use them for attacks in Pakistan, a front-line state in the U.S.-led war against militancy.
Pakistan is struggling against al Qaeda-linked militants and is under pressure from Washington to help stabilize neighboring Afghanistan, where a Taliban insurgency is raging.
The United States says Pakistan must crack down harder on militants who cross into Afghanistan and attack U.S.-led troops.