bottomfeeder
Jul 28th, 2006, 05:41 PM
Should the Canadian government demand the release of Ghazi Falah?
Former U of T teacher held in Israeli prison
Suspected of spying for Hezbollah, Iran
CAROLYNNE WHEELER
Special to The Globe and Mail, with a report from Caroline Alphonso in Toronto
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060727.PRISONER27/TPStory/
Ghazi Falah, 53, has been in prison since July 8, when security officials arrested him for taking photos while touring near the Lebanese border in northern Israel, four days before the present conflict broke out. Israeli security officials say Dr. Falah is suspected of "spying for hostile sources, with the goal of harming state security." But after 18 days in detention and four closed court appearances, he has not yet been charged with a crime and was first allowed to speak to his lawyer only yesterday.
A publication ban on the case was lifted yesterday after the Israeli daily newspaper Ha'aretz appealed it in court.
Israeli officials say Dr. Falah was photographing a military antenna in the northern town of Rosh Hanikra and argued when they asked him to stop. They have also cited a recent trip to Lebanon, where he took photos in the south of the country, and a trip two years ago to Iran, local media reported. But Dr. Falah has maintained the photos were for his own research into Middle Eastern geography.
"I am a geographer and an academic researcher, and I have never made any connections secret or illegal with intelligence or terror sources," Dr. Falah said in a statement given by his lawyer, Hussein abu-Hussein.
Former U of T teacher held in Israeli prison
Suspected of spying for Hezbollah, Iran
CAROLYNNE WHEELER
Special to The Globe and Mail, with a report from Caroline Alphonso in Toronto
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060727.PRISONER27/TPStory/
Ghazi Falah, 53, has been in prison since July 8, when security officials arrested him for taking photos while touring near the Lebanese border in northern Israel, four days before the present conflict broke out. Israeli security officials say Dr. Falah is suspected of "spying for hostile sources, with the goal of harming state security." But after 18 days in detention and four closed court appearances, he has not yet been charged with a crime and was first allowed to speak to his lawyer only yesterday.
A publication ban on the case was lifted yesterday after the Israeli daily newspaper Ha'aretz appealed it in court.
Israeli officials say Dr. Falah was photographing a military antenna in the northern town of Rosh Hanikra and argued when they asked him to stop. They have also cited a recent trip to Lebanon, where he took photos in the south of the country, and a trip two years ago to Iran, local media reported. But Dr. Falah has maintained the photos were for his own research into Middle Eastern geography.
"I am a geographer and an academic researcher, and I have never made any connections secret or illegal with intelligence or terror sources," Dr. Falah said in a statement given by his lawyer, Hussein abu-Hussein.