Oregon Lawyer Held in Spain Attack Released

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=716&e=6&u=/ap/20040521/ap_on_re_us/spain_bombings_lawyer

PORTLAND, Ore. - An American lawyer who was arrested two weeks ago in connection with the terror attacks in Spain was set free Thursday after evidence pointed to another suspect in the deadly train bombings.


Brandon Mayfield, 37, was released soon after Spanish officials said fingerprints found on a bag near the bombing site were that of an Algerian. U.S. authorities had previously said the prints were Mayfield's. The bag contained detonators similar to those used in the March 11 blasts, which killed 191 people and injured 2,000 others.


"I want to thank my family and friends who were supporting me through what I will call a harrowing ordeal," Mayfield, a convert to Islam, said as he walked out the federal courthouse in Portland, grasping his wife's hand and holding a Quran and a Muslim prayer rug.


In Arabic and then in English, Mayfield recited the Muslim prayer: "God is great. There is no God but God."


His three children, ages 10, 12 and 15, rushed up behind him, and his wife's eyes filled with tears. The family has insisted Mayfield is innocent, saying he has not been out of the country for at least a decade.

moew

[Walt Starr]

1. I KNEW this claim about the lawyer was BOGUS!!!!

Fuckers went after him because he's Muslim.

Next step, hearings with questions like this:

"Mr. X, are you now or have you ever been a member of the Muslim faith?"

[Miss Authoritiva]

2. Well, this inspires confidence in the FBI's fingerprints division.

Isn't it an astonishing coincidence that the FBI misreads a set of fingerprints and the guy just happens to be a Muslim. Powerball odds, really.

[arwalden]

4. That Thought Crossed My Mind Too...

... I'm glad you mentioned it.

-- Allen

[arwalden]

3. Don't Hold Your Breath Waiting For Any Serious Cable News Coverage Of This

development. It's not going to happen. Perhaps as an afterthought in the closing segment of a program... but the final resolution of this story won't get the Kobe-like or Martha-like attention it had at the beginning. (Now that his reputation is ruined and his life has been disrupted, his job jeopardized, and his life shattered---our gestapo can't even manage more than a "whoops", there will be no apology forthcoming.)

But hey, at least he's still alive and didn't have embarrassing pictures taken of him.

-- Allen

[brainoverload]

6. one lucky break

It is horrible what the government has put this man and his family through; seems to me a similar warning shot fired against lawyers who would stand up for accused terrorists as was fired against Joe Wilson for speaking the truth about WMD.

The one lucky break for Mr. Mayfield is that he lives in the Portland metro area where the vast majority of residents see this Bushco. crap for the crap it is.

Small consolation, I know - I'm just saying that it could be worse.

[k in IA]

5. CNN's Newsnight had a story on this tonight. This is totally

laid on the doorstep of the FBI.

What is the deal? They can't "read" fingerprints anymore? Spain never said this guy did it. The fingerprints matched someone else.

They said the FBI and Justice Dept. had no response to the requests for comments about how this screw up happened.

He was held as a "material witness" so they may never respond or explain. They don't think they have to respond.

[arwalden]

7. Do The Labels "Material Witness" and "Person-Of-Interest" Allow The FBI To

deny those persons any rights that would otherwise be afforded to someone who was actually ARRESTED?

-- Allen

[k in IA]

8. Its amazing but YES. They can hold them indefinitely and

they don't have to give them access to an attorney, their family, anyone.

We have no idea how many people they are actually holding in this way right now.

The reporter said that since they did not hold a news conference or make any statements about this (how did we find out about it then? selective leaking?) they don't necessarily feel that they have to make a statement about it now.

Both Brown and the reporter seemed rather disgusted with the whole thing. (As they should be)

[ngGale]

11. Pretty sure this falls under 'Homeland Security' laws...

don't apply. My first impression when I heard he was arrested was, don't think so. Then when I found out he converted to Islam, I thought, of course they took him. My common sense told me that this man was innocent as the pure driven snow. How can we make it stop and how can we convince all that this country has lost her soul. Thought this was the moral administration. Puke!

[benddem]

9. Besides the fact that this is another

major overreach by the FBI and all of Ashcrofts thugs have done... the Air Force Chaplain a good example...I'd like to know why his jaw is so swollen. I hope that he just has a toothache...cause if they hurt him there will be hell to pay.
:mad:

[struggle4progress]

10. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=570202