: Over 1,000 Muslim Detainees Released; None Charged With Terror

Only 74 detainees remain in custody after the Department of Justice announced that the rest of more than 1,100 Muslim detainees, mainly immigrants from countries where Al-Qaida is known to operate, have been either released or deported to their home countries with little more than visa violations. This follows the deportation earlier of 131 Pakistani nationals from the detention pool. Muslim organizations protested the detentions vigorously, saying that they were not an effective way to fight terrorism. “These numbers speak for themselves,” said Sohail Mohammed, a lawyer representing dozens of detainees. “Ninety-five percent have been released, and not a single one has been charged.” The ACLU is suing the government over the whole affair. “Obviously they’re not terrorists because you don’t deport terrorists,” said Deborah Jacobs, executive director of the Newark, NJ ACLU branch.

Shahed Amanullah is editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com.