November 6, 2001	Tuesday	Shaba’an 19, 1422

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LOS ANGELES, Nov 5: A new draconian law on terrorism carries a potential of becoming a source of massive violations of civil liberties in future.

This was observed by both Americans and South Asian settlers in the US.

“We lost sight of justice. Justice is pursuing those who have committed wrong and not persecuting everyone, said Xavier Becerra, a Cngressman from California and also a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee of the House.

Becerra was speaking at a seminar on “Changing Faces of America: Liberty and Vigilance,” organized by Nexus Forums on Sunday. He said the legislation was actually passed in extraordinary times, which demanded “extraordinary measures.”

However, he indirectly acknowledged that the law might become a problem for everyone in future.

The new legislation allows police and law enforcement agencies to arrest immigrants initially for seven days on simple suspicion of their involvement in terrorist activities and the periof of arrest can even be indefinite. All that is needed is an attorney-general’s approval.

Bacerra, a Democrat, regretted that the US government had given the entire tragic incident “an Islamic signature”, adding:” We passed the judgment, some accurately, some based on evidence but most of it is based on pure emotions.”

The seminar was also addressed by eminent US civil liberty activists, Arab, Indian and Pakistani scholars as well the Director for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Hate Crimes Task Force. An expert on Afghanistan affairs, Mir Hekmat Sadat, was also invited.

Frank Wilkinson, founder of the First American Foundation, said the US history was replete with violations of civil rights and liberties, adding that during 1960-1976 FBI’s investigations regarding subversive activities had covered one million Americans, but only a few individuals were actually charged.

“The new law has repealed First Amendment protections,” Wilkinson said.

Clearence Augustus Martin, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Administration at California State University and expert on terrorism and extremism, said the US was again arming one group against another in Afghanistan which might be a blownback for America in future.

Sadat said that Osama bin Laden and Taliban did not represent 20 million people of Afghanistan, adding that, on Sept 11, Americans realized why Afghans had left their homeland in search of peace through exile.

“Basically, nuclear-capable neighbour (Pakistan), drug cartels, antique smugglers, religious and linguistic warlords and terrorists have hijacked Afghanistan,” he said.

Sadat said America should not make Afghanistan part of its Great Game in Central Asia for oil companies nor should it install an unrepresentative government as it did in Kuwait after the Gulf War.

He said the success lay in setting up a democratically elected government in Afghanistan.

Earlier, Brandon Shamim, Founder and President of Nexus Forums, introduced the speakers to a large audience at the West Los Angeles College, the venue of the seminar.