Media Advisory: Ashqar/Salah Verdict Delivery in 1.5 Hours

(Chicago, IL 02/01/2007) – The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) as a member of the Coalition to Protect People’s Rights, an alliance of over 20 organizations and individuals united to protect citizens from civil liberties and human rights abuses, is announcing a press conference in response to the Salah / Ashqar verdict today. The Judge just announced moments ago that the verdict will be delivered at in one hour at 2:30 PM. The Press Conference will begin 30 minutes after the verdict reading ends.

Selected Coalition members of those in attendance will speak on the Constitutional and Human Rights violations of Mr. Salah and the verdict. Speakers include the defense attorneys and members of the Arab, Palestinian, Christian, Muslim, Human Rights and Civil Rights communities of Chicago.

EXPECTED IN ATTENDANCE: Michael Deutsch, Attorney, Muhammad Salah Defense Team Bill Moffit, Attorney, Abdelhaleem Al-Ashqar Defense Team Dr. Zaher Sahloul, President, Mosque Foundation Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director, Council on American Islamic Relations – Chicago (CAIR) Abdul Malik Mujahid, Chairman, Council of Islamic Organization of Greater Chicago (CIOGC) Dr. Shafic Budron, President, American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee – Chicago Dori Dinsmore, Regional Director, Midwest Region Amnesty International-USA Miryam Rashid, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Steven Saltzman, Attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights Jeff Frank, National Lawyer’s Guild (NLG) Dorothy Pagosa, 8th Day Center for Justice Rafeeq Jaber, Civil Rights Education Center (CREC)

WHAT: Press Conference, Reaction to Anticipated Salah / Ashqar verdict

WHEN: 30 minutes after Verdict is Delivered (Verdict Delivery starts at 2:30 PM)

WHERE: Lobby of the Dirksen Federal Building – Dearborn and Adams

CONTACTS: Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago (847) 971-3963 director@cairchicago.org; Dr. Zaher Sahloul, Mosque Foundation, sahloul@hotmail.com

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