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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us May 20, 2005 Questions about Seda worth asking By Bill Hartley Medford After I read David Zaslow’s statements concerning Pete Seda, the thought crossed my mind that I read similar comments concerning Mike Hawash. Many residents of Ashland find it hard to believe that Seda could be involved in anything sinister. The many friends of Hawash found it hard to believe that the soft-spoken Intel engineer and a happily married father of three could be involved in anything sinister. His friends set up a Web site and created a legal defense fund on his behalf. The prosecutors could not talk about or even acknowledge that Hawash was arrested until he was indicted. Mike made no effort to clarify why he was being held. Those that believed in Mike viewed him as a victim of the Patriot Act— that the government was infringing on civil liberties. Similar statements arise in Seda’s case. Ashland resident Paul Copeland stated: “They run [Seda] out of the country and take his property under provisions in the Patriot Act.” Has Pete Seda made an effort to clarify to his friends the issue concerning the transfer of $130,000 in American Express traveler’s checks and a $21,000 cashier’s check intended for aid to Muslims in Chechnya? What happened to the money? The IRS affidavit states that Seda tried to mislead the IRS about where the money went. Did the money go to feed terrorists? The Patriot Act gives Homeland Security the same tools that are used against drug traffickers. Search warrants are used to track down both drug dealers and those who feed terrorists though charities. After a judge approved the 47-page federal search warrant, the FBI and IRS seized financial records, other documents and computers belonging to Seda. The necessary permission granted by a judge gave a check and balance to the search. A judge will not allow an unfounded fishing expedition. Also, Homeland Security will not be wasting money on unfounded fishing expeditions. The federal government investigated Hawash for about a year. Then Hawash was sentenced to seven years in a federal prison. He confessed to taking part in a conspiracy to aid the Taliban. In his first public statements after confessing, Hawash stated that aiding the Taliban was “completely out of my character.” That probably explains why his friends could not believe that Hawash could be involved in anything sinister. Seda has friends in Ashland who cannot believe he could be involved with anything sinister. Zaslow stated, “He’s been an outspoken spokesman against violence and terrorism, and he has earned my respect.” Do I know that Seda knowingly aided terrorists? No. Do Pete’s friends know that he did not knowingly aided terrorists? No. Since Seda left the country about two years ago, we may never find answers to the above questions. Maybe he will return. Even if arrested, he might not be indicted by a grand jury. A grand jury is a check and balance. If indicted, he would be treated fairly. Our justice system bends over backwards to protect the rights of the accused. Hawash praised federal prosecutors for their “fair and professional” treatment. Using Google, I searched the Web for Pete Seda: his Ashland home was the U.S. headquarters for the charity, the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation. After raids of Al-Haramain offices in Bosnia, the commander of the NATO led forces, Lt. Gen. John Sylvester stated: “We detected a pattern here — for terrorist cells and those who aid and harbor them to operate behind the shield of legitimate humanitarian ‘organizations.’ They were preaching good, and sometimes doing good, while plotting evil.” Marriage deserves support on many levels By Bob Morse South Mountain Friends Meeting The court decision to ban same-sex marriages in Oregon has a very personal face for Southern Oregon’s Quakers. Two months ago a lesbian couple was married under the care of South Mountain Friends Meeting. While we realize that this couple’s wedding a year ago in Multnomah County has been voided by the state, we fail to see any reduction in the love that they share for each other or in their commitment to their faith community. Quakers recognize that the joining of two people in a covenant relationship such as marriage is not the work of humans, but of Spirit. We are mere witnesses. Marriage is extremely challenging, yet it offers an opportunity for the spirit in each of us to grow to meet its challenge. When a couple undertakes this commitment, it is in the best interest of their spiritual community, the larger culture, and the state to support them. One avenue for such support would be the passage of SB 1000, a comprehensive bill currently being debated in our state legislature which creates civil unions for committed same-sex couples that provides them and their families the benefits, protections, and responsibilities generally afforded through marriage. 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