Jun 21, 2006
Senator Barbara Boxer
United States Senate
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-0001
Dear Senator Boxer,
As your constituent, I strongly urge you to stand up for American
values, accountability, and the rule of law by voting for the Durbin
No Return to Torture Amendment to the Defense Department authorization
bill.
The amendment reinforces the longstanding ban against the federal
government's practice of kidnapping people and sending them to foreign
countries where they are in danger of being tortured. It also brings
the United States in line with federal law and the Convention Against
Torture, which the Senate ratified at the request of President Reagan.
In one highly publicized kidnapping, federal agents seized a Canadian
citizen while he was changing planes at John F. Kennedy Airport in New
York. The federal government held him in solitary confinement for nine
days without charges or access to an attorney, and then flew him
through Jordan to Syria.
The federal government looked the other way while the Syrian
government agents brutally tortured the Canadian. He was tortured
repeatedly, including suffering repeated whippings with a two-inch
thick electrical cable before being released by Syria ten months
later. The Syrian government said that they found no connection
whatsoever between the Canadian citizen and any terrorist or criminal
organization or activity.
The United States has condemned many countries for torturing and
abusing their own citizens. We should not be kidnapping people and
sending them to those same foreign countries where they are tortured.
Again, I strongly urge you to stop illegal kidnapping and torture by
supporting the Durbin No Rendition to Torture Amendment.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this important matter. If
America allows torture, Americans will surely be tortured, in return.
Sincerely,
Mr. Russell "Ace" Hoffman
Carlsbad, CA