Abdul Ameer Yousef Habeeb
Encyclopedia
Abdul Ameer Yousef Habeeb is an Iraq
i-born journalist
living, with refugee
status, in the United States
.
Habeeb's brother Abdallah was executed in 1982 by Saddam Hussein
's Iraqi regime, and he himself was imprisoned twice in Iraq, most recently in 1997; his hands and face were scarred by torture
in Iraqi prisons. His father, a monarchist
and a leader of the Rabia
tribe, died in a suspicious car crash in 1999. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees determined that he had a well-founded fear of political persecution in Iraq; in July 2002 he settled in Kent, Washington
(slightly south of Seattle) with refugee status.
On April 1, 2003, while en route by train from Seattle to Washington, DC to begin a new job with an Arabic-language
newspaper, Habeeb was arrested in Havre
, Montana
by two U.S. Customs and Border Protection
officers, Thomas Castloo and Darryl Esting. The basis for the arrest was that he had not registered in the Special Registration
program that the United States had initiated in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks
, although as a refugee, he was exempt from this program.
Habeeb was questioned by other customs and FBI
agents, and detained. Deportation
proceedings were initiated. He spent three nights in Hill County Jail in Montana
, where, by according the account given by the American Civil Liberties Union
(ACLU), "he was forced to strip naked in front of a government agent and was humiliated by other detainees who called him 'Saddam'". He was transported—in handcuffs—to Seattle and detained four more nights. The deporatation proceedings were formally dropped May 16, 2003.
With the assistance of lawyers from the Washington and Montana chapters of the ACLU, Habeeb is currently bringing a lawsuit against the two federal agents who detained him in Havre.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i-born journalist
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
living, with refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
status, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Habeeb's brother Abdallah was executed in 1982 by Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's Iraqi regime, and he himself was imprisoned twice in Iraq, most recently in 1997; his hands and face were scarred by torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
in Iraqi prisons. His father, a monarchist
Monarchism
Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment, preservation, or restoration of a monarchy as a form of government in a nation. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government out of principle, independent from the person, the Monarch.In this system, the Monarch may be the...
and a leader of the Rabia
Rabia
Rabia may refer to* The Rabi`ah, an Arab tribe* An Arabic female name meaning "Springtime"* An Arabic female name meaning "Fourth Female". It may refer to:** Rabia al-Adawiyya, the first female Sufi saint** Rabia Kazan, Turkish journalist...
tribe, died in a suspicious car crash in 1999. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees determined that he had a well-founded fear of political persecution in Iraq; in July 2002 he settled in Kent, Washington
Kent, Washington
Kent is a city located in King County, Washington, United States, and is the third largest city in King County and the sixth largest in the state. An outlying suburb of Seattle, Kent is also the corporate home for companies such as REI and Oberto Sausage...
(slightly south of Seattle) with refugee status.
On April 1, 2003, while en route by train from Seattle to Washington, DC to begin a new job with an Arabic-language
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
newspaper, Habeeb was arrested in Havre
Havre, Montana
Havre is a city in, and the county seat of, Hill County, Montana, United States. It is said to be named after the city of Le Havre in France. The population was 9,621 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
by two U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs and immigration. CBP is the...
officers, Thomas Castloo and Darryl Esting. The basis for the arrest was that he had not registered in the Special Registration
Special Registration
The National Security Entry-Exit Registration System is a system for registration of certain non-citizens within the United States, initiated in September 2002 as part of the War on Terrorism and terminated as of April 27th, 2011 . This system has two separate portions: port-of-entry registration...
program that the United States had initiated in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, although as a refugee, he was exempt from this program.
Habeeb was questioned by other customs and FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
agents, and detained. Deportation
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
proceedings were initiated. He spent three nights in Hill County Jail in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, where, by according the account given by the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
(ACLU), "he was forced to strip naked in front of a government agent and was humiliated by other detainees who called him 'Saddam'". He was transported—in handcuffs—to Seattle and detained four more nights. The deporatation proceedings were formally dropped May 16, 2003.
With the assistance of lawyers from the Washington and Montana chapters of the ACLU, Habeeb is currently bringing a lawsuit against the two federal agents who detained him in Havre.