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FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Card, Or....

Bump and Update: A big thanks to the Wall St. Journal which has agreed to put the full article online for free. You can read it here.

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Original Post

Stories like these make me so angry. The Wall St. Journal (subscription only) reports:

Last November, when Yassine Ouassif crossed into Champlain, N.Y., from Canada, border agents questioned him for several hours. Then they took away his green card and sent him home to San Francisco by bus, with strict instructions: As soon as he got there, he was to call a man named Dan.

Ouassif met with Dan, who of course was an FBI agent, and Dan (Fliflet) told him:

Mr. Fliflet told the 24-year-old Moroccan that he'd been monitoring his friends and him for many months, Mr. Ouassif recalls. Mr. Fliflet made him an offer: Become an informant and regularly report to the FBI on what his Muslim friends in San Francisco were saying and doing. In exchange, he would get back his green card. He could resume his education, bring his Moroccan wife to America, and pursue his dream of buying a car, moving to Sacramento and becoming an engineer.

If he refused? asked Mr. Ouassif. "I will work hard to deport you to Morocco as soon as possible," Mr. Fliflet responded, according to an account written by Mr. Ouassif soon after the meeting. "I want you to know something important," the FBI agent added, according to Mr. Ouassif. "America is just like a bus, and you have a choice to make: Either you board the bus or you leave."

DOJ isn't too happy with what happened in Ouassif's case:

Another federal official familiar with Mr. Ouassif's case says government lawyers have become much more discerning about the treatment of Muslim immigrants since the years immediately following 9/11. "We know the FBI is desperate for human assets, for feet on the ground, but the worst thing we could possibly do is threaten and blackmail people and treat them with disrespect," this official says.

The FBI claims to be learning from its mistakes. As for Ouassif, who has been vindicated and is now working as a security guard at electrical power plants in California, he says:

It's OK to ask me or anyone else, 'If you see a dangerous person, an extremist, will you call us?' " he says. "Of course I will. But I don't want to live a secret life."

The article is long, and Ouassif's case is fascinating. Here's one more nugget:

Mr. Fliflet gave Mr. Ouassif one week to consider the FBI's offer to become an informant in exchange for his green card, according to Mr. Ouassif. If he didn't hear from him, the FBI agent said, he'd assume Mr. Ouassif "prefers to help extremists" instead of America, according to Mr. Ouassif. Mr. Fliflet warned him the FBI had ample evidence to prove he was an extremist, Mr. Ouassif says. Mr. Fliflet told him not to tell anyone about their meeting, including any lawyer.

Accepting the offer, says Mr. Ouassif, would have fulfilled his dream to bring his wife to America. But he feared that doing so would be sinful. According to the Quran, he says, the lowest depths of hell are reserved for munafiqun -- hypocrites who act as Muslims while plotting against them. Mr. Ouassif says he also worried that working with the FBI was a lifelong commitment -- easy to start, impossible to stop.

I am not arguing that the FBI should not use informants to weed out terror cells. But forcing them to do so by threatening them with criminal charges or deportation when they haven't done anything wrong and when it violates their moral and religious code is just wrong. Not to mention, the warrantless electronic surveillance of American mosques is wrong.

As Walid Mustafa, another Muslim who underwent a similar experience said,

"As Muslims, we're obligated to protect this country. We don't need to get paid. I told him, 'You're not going to solve the problem by hiring snitches in mosques. Get involved. Get to know people. Become part of the community.' "

As an aside, the Wall St. Journal is the only newspaper besides the Denver Post I pay to subscribe to, and it's not for financial information, it's for their coverage of war, politics, crime and injustices to the accused. It always amazes me that their news articles can be so great while their editorials and commentary are so bad. I love the way so many of their articles start out not with the j-school stock in trade "who, what, when, where and why" but with a personal story that grabs you and then leads into the j-school stuff.

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    Can you expand on this a bit for us non-subscribers? How did this come to light?

    I've asked them to make the article free for bloggers....let's give them a few hours and see if they do.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#3)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 01:30:25 PM EST
    Actually what he said:
    According to the Quran, he says, the lowest depths of hell are reserved for munafiqun -- hypocrites who act as Muslims while plotting against them.
    I don't see acting as an informant as "plotting."

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#4)
    by kdog on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 01:48:27 PM EST
    Praying with somebody, befriending them, then ratting on them to the Feds certainly qualifies as plotting in my book. I don't need no holy book to tell me that paid informants are as low as they come. Whether paid in cash or favors.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#5)
    by Dadler on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 01:48:43 PM EST
    Jim, Doesn't matter what you think or feel, but what THIS man felt. He was threatened, told to be a spy in his own house, that's not the way to win anything in this community.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#6)
    by squeaky on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 02:16:17 PM EST
    yes ppj seems to be unable to imagine a lot of things when they do not directly affect him or it is not laid out for him in the echo chamber daily brief. Empathy deficient to say the least. A good attribute for a soldier, no feeling for others and wired to follow orders.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#7)
    by rdandrea on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 02:33:23 PM EST
    I believe under the new immigrant laws that passed yesterday in the Colorado legislature, that practice might now be illegal in Colorado. According to SB-4, it's now illegal to use immigration status as a basis for extortion. Would be worth a look.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#8)
    by squeaky on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 02:37:55 PM EST
    rdandrea
    it's now illegal to use immigration status as a basis for extortion.
    But is it still called extortion when the FBI or other government agencies do it?

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#9)
    by rdandrea on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 02:52:51 PM EST
    Good question.

    What the H word is wrong with those FBI guys? I mean they're acting like they want to WIN. How foolish is that? /sarcasm off.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#11)
    by roy on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 03:57:33 PM EST
    What the H word is wrong with those FBI guys? I mean they're acting like they want to WIN.
    They're acting like they want to win at any cost.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#12)
    by Al on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 04:42:33 PM EST
    skip: Define "win".

    Squeaky, "A good attribute for a soldier, no feeling for others and wired to follow orders." That, my friend, from personal experience, would be the worst soldier one could have. and Roy, "They're acting like they want to win at any cost." You will _never_ win, at any cost, by perverting the laws of your own land. Once you lose your spirit, by perverting your own laws, you will _always_ lose. I watched it happen in Vietnam. The Doritos keyboarders have no idea what spirit is. They really need to ask themselves why _all_ those vets (thousands) tossed their medals over the White House fence (not just Kerry). Those vets understood.

    What the H word is wrong with those FBI guys? I mean they're acting like they want to WIN. How foolish is that? /sarcasm off.
    This has to be one of the more frightening post I've seen. But actually sums up pretty well how our government has started to behave. B

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#15)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 07:00:46 PM EST
    Dadler writes:
    but what THIS man felt.
    I have often felt that I should be rich, but that didn't make it true. His comment is incorrect, but demonstrates something you should consider. If he considers informing "plotting" against another Moslem if he is doing at the behest of the government, why do you think he will inform at any time? Now, you don't specify what community your are speaking of, so it is difficult to comment. If I assume that you are speaking of the Moslem community, I would ask where you get power to speak for them. Sky-Ho - It breaks my fingers to type this, but you are correct. Good military people are team players who care. They are not wired and they don't blindly follow orders. It is the lack of miliatry experience by the typical Leftie that leads them to this misconception.

    Nothing unique in this treatment of foreigners. My client, a wealthy Arab who controls a U.S. public company that owns solar cell technolgy patents for products used by our military was detained at the Houston airport by U.S. Immigration inspectors, told that he and his Saudi friends were being watched while in Las Vegas,interrogated for hours, told he had to spy on his wealthy Saudi friends and when he refused, they took away his L-1A work visa and barred from the U.S. for three years on frivolous grounds, His company is moving to Europe. Wonder why rich Arabs give money to extremists? As for those dorfus comments about this frightening government behavior , see John Dean's new book Conservatives Without Conscience About 22% of Americans approve of authoritarian behavior of any sort and may need it in order to have a structure for their lives. Scary but great for Bush and the theocrats

    I have often felt that I should be rich, but that didn't make it true. PPJ, this fellow felt that way because of the way he was treated, it wasn't just something that popped in out of nowhere, as with your witless comment about feeling rich.
    If he considers informing "plotting" against another Moslem if he is doing at the behest of the government, why do you think he will inform at any time?
    Because he's afraid that he'd get kicked out of the country if he didn't, given what he was told earlier when he was 'recruited'?
    It is the lack of miliatry experience by the typical Leftie that leads them to this misconception.
    Sorry, PPJ, there are plenty of Lefties who have military experience or know those family, friends, etc., who were in the military. My own experience of my clients who are or were in the military is that they have a self-discipline that many couldn't have achieved on their own in many cases, and that they aren't mindless robots who would carry out orders without thinking. Of course, you never miss an opportunity to demonize the Left, I think you should accept the fact that they're no longer sleeping under your bed, I suggest you check for yourself tonight, you have the courage to do so I assume.............

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#18)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 08:35:41 PM EST
    liberlapatriot writes:
    Wonder why rich Arabs give money to extremists?
    So, are you saying that a dispute with the government justifies giving money to terrorists? Somehow, I don't think you are, but that is implied. You might want to rethink that statement. Dark Avenger writes:
    or know those family, friends
    Second hand experiences?? You might as well go see Patton. Shorter. It isn't the same. Quit living through someone else's experiences. Re the young man in question. He is a guest in this country. If he doesn't like the request to be of service he can certainly leave at any time. In fact, I am hopeful he will become so outraged at the thought of having to help out he will just leave. Perhaps we can establish a PayPal link to collect money for an airline ticket.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#20)
    by Che's Lounge on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 09:45:27 PM EST
    Skip, On an earlier thread you wrote: You people believe that fighting terror causes terror. This type of entrapment tactic, causing otherwise peaceful persons to resent us, is the best recruiting tool the opposition has, compliments of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This is exactly what we are talking about.

    "America is just like a bus, and you have a choice to make: Either you board the bus or you leave."
    What a sign of these utterly godforsaken times. Let's inscribe that on Lady Liberty. That, and "I think there ought to be limits to freedom." - G.W. Bush Sad thing is, the average Bush voter wouldn't see anything wrong with it. (Probably because they don't even know what's written on there currently.)

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#22)
    by Al on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 10:49:06 PM EST
    PPJ, can you for once give a straight answer: Do you think the FBI were right to confiscate a Muslim's green card, and threaten to deport him unless he reported on what his friends were saying and doing? Is this right, or is this wrong, in PPJ's world?

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#23)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Jul 12, 2006 at 05:28:48 AM EST
    Al - Can you ask a straight question? The fact that he is a Muslim has nothing to do with it. He was asked to act as an informant on a group of people inside the US. Most of whom, I would bet, are non-citizens. On that basis. Yes. Absolutely. You bet. Yeah. Always. Just do it. For sure. Everytime. Go for it. I like it. Love to. Plain enough, Al? Got the picture? No doubt in your mind?

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#24)
    by kdog on Wed Jul 12, 2006 at 05:55:59 AM EST
    PPJ...Amarillo Slim never informed on nobody...not even those that bound and robbed him at gunpoint. You should read his book....a stand up guy don't work for the FBI.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#25)
    by jen on Wed Jul 12, 2006 at 06:02:40 AM EST
    How utterly odd. I could have sworn I heard the republican candidates and voters claiming they were the party of Values. I must be remembering wrong. 'cause I don't remember blackmail being a good value - Or poor hospitality either.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#26)
    by Sailor on Wed Jul 12, 2006 at 07:24:52 AM EST
    The fact that he is a Muslim has nothing to do with it.
    they wouldn't have asked him if he wasn't muslim.

    Second hand experiences?? You might as well go see Patton.

    Shorter. It isn't the same. Quit living through someone else's experiences.

    Then I take it your wife only went to women doctors who had been pregnant when she was in the same state, since for a doctor who hadn't given birth, pregnancy would obviously be a 'second-hand' experience, n'est ce pas? And obviously a woman doctor couldn't prescribe Viagra, because she would only be capable of a second-hand experience as far as understanding how it works, right? I was talking about my observations and first-hand experiences with the folks in question, not relaying my impressions of what they told me of their training, etc., which would be a 'second-hand experience', by definition. Of course, you 'know' what experiences everyone who posts here has or hasn't had, as when you told Sky-Ho the other day that he was lying about himself here because.........? Your feeble attempts to redefine folks or dismiss their views and experiences is both risible and sad, especially when one looks through the archives to see that it's never worked for you in the past and it doesn't work now, FWIW.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#28)
    by Al on Wed Jul 12, 2006 at 08:02:40 AM EST
    Crystal clear, PPJ. You agree then that holding the victim's green card to force him to do something that he did not want to do is perfectly kosher in your view.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#29)
    by Che's Lounge on Wed Jul 12, 2006 at 08:49:59 AM EST
    Jim would you approve of this for all citizens?

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#30)
    by Che's Lounge on Wed Jul 12, 2006 at 08:51:36 AM EST
    Let me clarify. Jim, would you approve the government revoking someone's citizenship if they did not cooperate in a similar situation?

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#31)
    by Edger on Wed Jul 12, 2006 at 09:37:13 AM EST
    Befriending people, deceiving them and acting as a secret informant certainly is not "plotting" against them... ...if your ethical system and professed moral beliefs are nothing but lip service with no real foundation or meaning behind them, and is something as meaningful, duplicitous, deceitful and self serving as becoming, for example, "born again" simply because you think being honest and truthful are only means to prosperity or acceptance.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#32)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Jul 12, 2006 at 11:42:14 AM EST
    kdog - Slim's an interesting guy and a great poker player. But I don't think I would choose him as a role model. Che - What a dumb question. There is, my admirer of Cuban terrorists, a difference. You should remember that a citizen, and a FBI agent, of the Moslem faith refused to do undercover work because he didn't want to spy on his fellow Moslems. As far as I know he is still a citizen and a FBI agent. I just hope his post is in Nome, AK. A question for you. Do you see the connection? Both men refused to "spy" on fellow Moslems, a strong indication that they have a conflict between being a citizen and a Moslem. Al - Are you really that slow? You didn't understand? Yes, as long as what he is doing is not illegal and his option is to return to his native country. Dark Avenger - Nice try at changing the context, but you didn't get there. We're not speaking of technical expertise and/or learned specific knowledge that requires demonstration of and licensing of same. We are speaking of a life experiences, transmitted verbally with no text books, tests, etc. As for my comment to Sky-Ho I was very specific as to why I didn't believe him. Sailor - Correct. But the point was that it is the current actions of a very small minority of Moslems that has drawn this attention. edger - Correct, it is not. Glad to see you understand that observing and reporting is not plotting.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#33)
    by Johnny on Wed Jul 12, 2006 at 12:31:00 PM EST
    conflict between being a citizen and a Moslem.
    Are the two mutally exclusive? Perhaps his conflict is the assumption that he must know what the "bad" brown people are up to, because he, too, is brown. If the FBI is not assuming he will know what the bad guys are up to, then why bother? This whole thing sounds to me like a simple, legal way to discourage brown people from coming here. Now I know that old, white men usually clap their hands when they hear that, but this is just wrong.

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#34)
    by Johnny on Wed Jul 12, 2006 at 12:32:42 PM EST
    In addition, does being a "citizen" automatically mean reporting on your neighbors/friends/colleagues movements? Does not running to the FBI everytime a person acts suspicious mean you are a bad citizen?

    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#35)
    by Johnny on Wed Jul 12, 2006 at 12:35:48 PM EST
    Also, have Moroccan Muslims been flying airplanes into buildings? Exploding mass transit in India? Driving cars into checkpoints in Iraq?

    Nice try at changing the context, but you didn't get there. Yes, we all know what a fair, impartial, open-minded fellow you are when it comes to someone you disagree with, so your comment and 1.65$ will get you a cuppa joe at your nearest Starbucks. So Sorry. We are speaking of a life experiences, transmitted verbally with no text books, tests, etc. As I said before, I've seen the results of that training on our young folks, and that you won't allow for my ability to take my first-hand experience and draw certain conclusions from it is typical. As for your 'specificity' on why you didn't believe Sky-ho:
    Oh, really? I served a little over ten years in Naval Aviation. Did you serve? And if so, in what branch?

    Sky-Ho, sweetie. Baby. You like to talk tough but after reading some of your claims, I don't buy'em.

    Link and this:
    Sky-Ho - I had some of that myself, and the training was also years ago, so it was focused on nation state military instead of terrorists.

    I suspect your training was much the same. That is, if you had any.

    As for your continual reference to your mythical training, I again ask that you explain yourself.

    That you cannot, and are very likely bluffing is demonstrated by the fact that you always throw in some personal attack calling those who disagree with you cowards

    Link Really convincing, PPJ, you sure got the goods on him! Actually, I'm convinced that Sky-ho was in the military, as they'd be more likely to recognize a coward than the average civilian, along with the mere fact that his appraisal was correct :>) Nothing like an illustration of what the Great Emancipator was talking about here:
    Better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.


    Re: FBI to Muslims: Snitch and Keep Your Green Car (none / 0) (#37)
    by Al on Wed Jul 12, 2006 at 06:29:35 PM EST
    PPJ, you can't complain about the Castro regime in Cuba, where people are constantly monitored by government informers, and applaud the Bush regime in the US, where people are constantly monitored by government informers. If you had a rational neuron left in your brain, your head would explode.

    Dark Avenger - Please, do you actually think I give a flip what you think? As Sailor says, can't you stay on topic? Al - Fighting a war such as the one we are now engaged in is difficult. If you assume that the US is bad, then I see your position. Since I assume the US is good, then I see mine. But I doubt if you are open minded enough to see mine. Johnny - What? No comparsions to OK City? The Religious Right? The Pope? Going soft in your teen years? BTW - He isn't a citizen. The FBI agent was. Now since the man in questions quotes the Koran and uses that as his basis for not acting as an informant, then yes, there is a conflict. It goes back to the old Pope issue.. Remember that JFK, a native born citizen and WWII hero had to assure the country that he was an American first and a Catholic second. The Moslems need to start doing the same thing. If they are unwilling, the country has every right to reject them.

    Going soft in your teen years?
    LMAO, if your acumen at judging immigrants intents is the same as judging people's age, then you are even less astute than I gave you credit for. So, can you answer the questions or not? Or, are you just going to pull your typical dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge routine?
    The Moslems need to start doing the same thing. If they are unwilling, the country has every right to reject them.
    Once again, is being a muslim and citizenship mutally exlusive? Do you really think so? If so, I suggest you go back and re-read the first amendment. You are bending over backwards (a not inconsiderable feat for a man of advancing years I might add) to avoid answering some pretty straightforward questions here. His motives seem pretty simple: education, then a job. What a devious character, oh what evil lurks in his heart.

    Time to change the world, eh what? All those in favor please stand up.

    This thread has degenerated and been hijacked, comments are closing.