Federal court says U.S. Haitian policy illegal
as
NEW YORK
(AP) — A federal
■ ppeali court
Wednesday de
clared Illegal the Buah adminis
tration's policy of Intercepting
Haitian refugees al sea and re
turning them to Haiti without a
hearing.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals barred the Coast Guard
from turning back any Haitian
refugee "whoso life or freedom
would bo threatened."
A fedora) fudge in Brooklyn
upheld the policy in Juno, say
ing laws cltod by attorneys
fighting the Bush policy didn't
apply in international waters.
But the appeals court said:
"Tho plain language of the Im
migration and Nationality Act
cloarly states that tho United
States may not return aliens to
their persecutors, no matter
whom in the world those ac
tions are taken.”
The U.S. Coast Guard has in
tercepted more than 37.000
Haitian boat people since last
September's army ouster of
elected President Joan-Bertrand
Aristide.
President Bush initially de
creed that refugees would bo re
turned to Haiti after they had
been taken to the U.S. naval
base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,
and given a hearing on their
claims. The U.S. Supreme
Court upheld that policy in
February
On May 24. Bush changed
the policy, saying Coast Guard
cutters would intercept Hai
tians at sea and immediately re
turn them to their Caribbean
nation. Asylum requests wore
The government
cant stmpty tend
everybody back.
They have to give
protection to
people who are
refugee*
— Lucas Guttentag,
ACLU
to be made only through the
American conxulate in I’ort-au
f’rlnco, Haiti’* capital.
The boat traffic declined after
that Dush policy wont into ef
fect.
Lawyers for the Haitian*
hailed the ap|Mtuls court ruling
rejecting that policy.
Israel may help in GE investigation
WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of General
Electric apologized to Congress on Wednesday for
a $40 million defense-procurement scandal in
volving Israel.
A general in charge of the U.S. military assis
tance program that was bilked said there are Indi
cations Israel's new government will reverse Is
raeli refusal to cooperato with a U.S inquiry.
Some members of Congress have threatened to
suspend the $1.8 billion in annual military assis
tance to Israel if it doesn't allow U.S. investiga
tors to interview Israelis involved in the scandal,
which led to tho Jailing of Israeli Gen. Rami
Dotan. GE's guilty ploas and agreement last woek
to pay $69 million in fines, and tho firing, forced
resignation or demotion of several GE employees.
GE and defense officials testified under oath be
fore an investigative panel of the House Energy
and Commerco Committoe. The subcommittee
chairman, Rop. John Dingell, D-Mich.. pledged to
change a military assistance system ho said "af
fords enormous opportunity for rascals, both In
dividual and governmental, to rip off American
taxpayers."
A lawyer for the Defense Security Assistance
Agency. Jerome Silber, told the committee that a
half dozen American contractors may be involved
in the theft or misapplication of funds Intended
for the Israeli military. Silbor, in a memo obtained
by the committee, had said there was no way to
ensure that the fraud was not committed with the
approval of Israeli officials.
Lt. Gen. Teddy Allen, director of the assistance
agency, said he disagreed with his counsel that
the Israeli government could be involved. He said
the scandal appeared to bo perpetrated "with the
collusion of Dotan. people around him, (lb and
other companies."
Allen said that an Israeli delegation is sup
posed to discuss U S. access to Israelis, including
Dotan, who has been kept from talking with
American investigators for two years
The genoral told the committee there have boon
no audits of U S. companies’ contract sales with
Israel, which are then reimbursed by the U S.
government under military-assistance programs
Ho said officials tako Israel’s word for what is
done with the bulk of the money.
Dotan is serving a 13-year prison term for his
role in tho scandal.
"GE regrets what happened and accepts the lia
bility," said GE Chairman John F. Welch Jr.,
whose company agreed federal court in Cincin
nati last week to pay $59 5 million in civil dam
ages and $9.5 million In criminal penalties for its
role in the affair.
Clifford, partner charged in BCCI fraud
WASHINGTON (AP) —
Quintessential Washington In
sider Clark Clifford and his law
partner were charged Wednes
day with making millions in Il
legal profits from the BCC1 In
ternational banking scandal.
The charges in separate fed
eral and New York state indict
ments against former Defonse
Secretary Clifford and col
league Robert Altman ranged
from criminal conspiracy to ac
cepting bribes. Meanwhilo. the
Federal Reserve Board said it
has begun civil proceedings
that could bar them permanent
ly from U.S. banking.
Clifford. 85. and Altman. 45.
were accused of participating
in a massive criminal conspira
cy that officials said was de
signed to give the corrupt, for
elgn-owned Bank of Credit and
Commerce International secret
control of U.S. banks.
"We totally and categorically
deny all charges," Clifford and
Altman said in a joint state
ment. accusing overzealous
prosecutors and politicians of
using them as convenient tar
gets.
The charges are based on
"circumstantial evidence ...
mean-spirited suspicion and
unfounded speculation." they
said. "We shall fight to estab
lish our Innocence."
They pleaded innocent to the
New York State charges
Wednesday afternoon before
state Supreme Court Justice
John A. K. Bradley, who direct
od them to return to court next
Wednesday to discuss how to
proceed with the case
Bradley, at the request of the
New York law enforcement of
nctals, put a freeze on tho as
sets of Clifford and Altman as
part of a civil suit the state filed
against them. The suit socks the
more than $40 million the two
are accused of obtaining im
properly.
Clifford and Altman acted as
BCCI* principal lawyers in this
country They also were chair
man and president, respective
ly, of First Amorlcan Bank
shares. Washington s biggest
bank-holding company.
The ruling family of the Per
sian Culf emirate of Abu Dhabi
owned 77 percent of BCCI be
fore it collapsed last year amid
allegations of arms smuggling,
drug money laundering and fi
nancing of terrorists, it operat
ed in 70 countries
BCCI pleaded guilty In De
cember to federal chargee and
forfeited $550 million in assets,
the biggest forfeiture In U.S.
history. In a plea bargain. BCCI
conceded it illegally owned
First American and three other
U.S. banks.
In a boost for the prosecu
tion. two BCCI Insiders who
pleaded guilty Monday In Now
York to misdemeanor viola
tions of state banking laws are
cooperating with authorities,
federal and New York state offi
cials said Wednesday.
They are Sheik Kama!
Adham, a Saudi Arabia busi
nessman, and his accountant,
Sayod Juwhary Adham. a for
mor head of Saudi intelligence,
agreed to pay S10S million in
fines but avoided any )alt term.
For 45 years, Clifford has
boon an adviser to presidents, a
powerful figure in Democratic
politics and a witness to some
of major developments in the
latter half of the 20th Century.
He played poker with Win
ston Churchill; helped Harry
Truman win the presidency in
104H. advised President John p.
Kennedy after the disastrous
Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba;
and urged President Lyndon B.
Johnson to get out of Vlotnam.
The lesser-known Altman Is
a figure in Hollywood circles,
husband of "Wonder Woman"
actress Lynda Carter.
A three-count fnderal Indict
ment returned in Washington
accused Clifford and Altman of
enriching themselves through
secret "sweetheart" loans and
other deals in return for con
vincing federal regulators that
BCQ was not involved in U.S.
banking acquisitions.
It charged oach with one
count of criminal conspiracy
and two counts of Illegally con
cealing material facts from fed
eral regulators. Each count car
ries a maximum prison term of
five years and a S250.000 fine.
“Thai** the moil fundamen
tal principle of International
human rights: That a country
shall not return a refugee to a
plat* where they wttl be perse
cuted," said Lucas Cuttentag,
director of the Immigrants
Rights F’rojoct of the American
Civil Liberties Union
''The government tan'l sim
ply send everybody back," ho
said. "They have to glvo protec
tion to people who are refu
goes •'
"We stand on our current
policy." a White House official,
speaking on condition of ano
nymity, said Wednesday. “We
think it is the most humane and
effective way to deal with this
situation. Tho policy has saved
lives and it works
Officials will
cut deal for
bird’s return
NORRISTOWN. Pa (AIM
— A small Inwn zoo made
an urgent appeal to whoever
stole its beloved golden ea
gle Wednesday, promising
not to prosecute if the dis
abled. flightless bird was re
turned
If the appeol doesn't work.
Elmwood Park Zoo officials
are offering a SS(X) reward to
anyone who turns in the
birdnapper.
Someone apparently look
19-year-old Kansas either
late Monday or early Tues
day, zoo officials said. The
not over the bird's cage was
slashed
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