CHICAGO (Finalcall.com)�Coming to America to set the record straight,
the legal team that fought to overturn Britain�s 15-year-old ban on
Minister Louis Farrakhan has sent sparks of international support flying
back across the Atlantic.
During a visit to Chicago Aug. 15-20, Minister Hilary Muhammad,
Nation of Islam UK representative, and three attorneys launched
intensified efforts to mobilize the U.S. public to petition the UK
government against appealing the July 31 High Court�s decision. The
history-making case resulted from legal brilliance and years of
sacrifice by Min. Hilary and NOI supporters, said team members.
Joining Min. Hilary were Sadiq Khan, a prominent UK solicitor;
Jeffery Muhammad, secretary of the UK study group; Tamara Muhammad, a
junior barrister; and Barrister Matthew Ryder, the initial legal
contact. In British law, two lawyers handle the job of one: solicitors
prepare the case while barristers argue in court.
Following a first-day briefing with the Minister, radio and
television interviews filled their daily schedule. Their visit was
highlighted by an Aug. 18 meeting at Rainbow/PUSH headquarters, where
Rev. Jesse Jackson expressed support during a live telecast; and a
Sunday visit to Mosque Maryam with Min. Farrakhan.
"Britain, in the name of being a democracy, could not lock someone
out of free speech whether they agreed with them or not. We think it is
a wonderful thing that the Minister is able to go to London, or anywhere
in the world," Rev. Jackson said after acknowledging the UK delegation
seated before him.
Hectic schedule
The team made their first public apppearance holding a press
conference Aug. 16 at the DuSable Museum, noted for chronicling the
freedom struggles of Blacks such as Paul Robeson, The Honorable Marcus
Garvey, The Honorable Elijah Muhammad and Sojourner Truth, among others.
The UK team declared the purpose of their visit and relayed thanks
from Blacks in the UK to those in the American public who supported
lifting the ban. Backing has begun to swell inside the UK borders,
despite "poisonous" and "vitriolic" media reports, Atty. Khan said
addressing the press.
"The challenge that we made was a very, very landmark challenge. What
we said, in effect, was that the Home Secretary was acting in a perverse
and irrational manner in maintaining the ban," Atty. Khan explained.
"We�re asking a court of law to say that there is no evidence, no basis
to exclude Min. Farrakhan," he continued. To beat this challenge, he
said, the Muslims had to surmont a huge mountain.
"We salute these lawyers. We thank them," Attorney Andre Grant,
president of the Cook County Bar Association, told the media. "We pledge
our support as Black lawyers in America for their continued fight for
freedom, justice and equality."
The group has agreed to be an amicus, or a friend, in the
case, allowing them to deliver written and oral testimony in the court,
Atty. Khan explained to The Final Call. Later that afternoon, the
bar association made the UK team honorary members.
"There are only 300 Black members of the bar," Atty. Tamara said to
the lawyers. "So, when we ask you for help and assistance, don�t take
for granted that you can�t assist because we are very new in our
struggle for recognition and we do need your support."
A critical juncture
On Oct. 1, Justice Michael Turner will give his reasons for lifting
the ban. The Home Secretary will then have 28 days to appeal, but only
based on a question of law used by the judge to overturn the ban.
The period from now until the end of October is a critical juncture,
said Min. Hilary, as the world awaits the British government�s decision.
"The real support begins now!" he said urging the public to rally their
U.S. and UK family to pressure prominent persons who may have access to
individuals of power in the U.K. "And keep us in your prayers," he
added.
A dedicated website will soon be set up for supporters to register
their names on a petition. Thus far, they have collected10,000
signatures, aspiring to gather 20,000 by Oct. 1.
Although Min. Hilary and others had been legally engaging the
government since 1997, Oct. 2000 marked a major shift in the legal
language. The newly elected democratic Labor Party incorporated the
European Convention of Human Rights into legislation, enabling the
lawyers to argue that Min. Farrakhan�s rights should be assessed by
international standards since he was an international figure.
According to Atty. Khan, this change superseded the presumption of
British civil liberties which is starkly different from the rights
protected under the American Constitution. As the Queen�s subjects,
everything is forbidden except for what one is given liberty to do, he
said, adding, that while Americans are appalled that a ban existed, the
British are shocked that it was overturned.
No one has ever successfully challenged a ban in UK courts, said
Atty. Ryder, so this case has set a legal precedent. "The engagement of
human rights discourse within this environment has never been successful
before," he added, "The argument in the case was that the human rights
of not only Min. Farrakhan but of the people in the UK were impacted by
preventing him from coming into the country."
Min. Farrakhan discovered that he was excluded when his flight to
Nigeria stopped in London. Officials tried but could not arrest him
since he was not officially entering the country but in transit.
Nevertheless, they detained him for hours in a holding room.
In 1998, the ban was maintained based on quotes attributed to the
Minister that the government felt represented a risk of public disorder,
said Atty. Khan. However, the government filed no evidence to support
those assertions, said Atty. Ryder.
"What we found during the course of the legal case is that certain
material that the government had been given and were relying on was not
accurate and did not reflect the Minister�s quotes," he added. "The
factual reality is that several of those statements were not made by
Min. Farrakhan at all."
"There is no evidence on the planet that Min. Farrakhan has caused
public disorder," Min. Hilary told The Final Call regarding the
Minister�s work in 47 years. "There is a certain work in the United
Kingdom that only he can do. This is why we want him to come. So, that
he can fulfill that which God has raised him up to do."
Min. Hilary spearheaded years of the "Lift the Ban" campaign, holding
rallies and raising funds. In 1999, Atty. Ryder became inspired to
commit to lifting the ban, and soon discovered that Min. Hilary had
already laid the groundwork with letters to the government. This
duty-bound correspondence sufficiently proved that the UK was given
every opportunity to change their position before litigation began.
Atty. Ryder later referred Min. Hilary to Sadiq Khan, who took charge
of preparing the court case. "Hilary distinguished himself as being
extremely professional, patient and careful in the way that he moved
forward in giving us information. The quality of the presentation we
make in court is entirely dependent on the client giving us what we
need. We couldn�t have asked for more."
Atty. Khan continued, "The discipline and restraint shown by the
Nation of Islam members in the UK has been an example to everyone
because there were clearly elephant traps laid for us. And we could have
acted in a hysterical, frenzied manner, but we didn�t ... it was a
testament to the leadership of Min. Hilary."
But Min. Hilary quickly praised Atty. Ryder: "We cannot overstate how
important it was for him coming to the case, with the enthusiasm, drive,
determination, conviction and the resolve. He had and has the expertise
to actually take the case where it needed to go so that we could
actually win. ... It wasn�t a fluke victory. Every step that was taken
was deeply thought about and heralded with precision."
The win is not just for Muslims, Atty. Khan pointed out, but for all
who believe in the freedoms of speech and association. He also stressed
that celebrating the success must not diminish efforts to garner
support.
Anticipation of the Minister�s visit
The anticipation is at a fever pitch, said Min. Hilary, as countless
thousands wait for the Minister�s visit while UK Muslims are eager to
embrace them with a spectacular commemoration of the Minister touching
down on the British tarmac in peace.
"What they (UK government) have effectively done is made me bigger
than I would have been if they had just left me alone. So, since they
didn�t leave me alone, my brother (Min. Hilary) saw it as an injustice,
the attorneys saw it as an injustice," Min. Farrakhan said Aug. 19 at
Mosque Maryam culminating the delegation�s visit.
"If his (Justice Turner) argument is airtight, as I believe it will
be, as a matter of law," said Minister Farrakhan, "then the government
probably will be forced to accept the decision."
Extending a general invitation to the Black community, Min. Farrakhan
said, "When I go, naturally, I would like you to come with me.
"There are about one million Muslims in London; 1.7 million Blacks
and five million people of color," he continued, "You really should see
the effect of the Minister�s work all over the world. And the love that
people have for me is just mind-boggling. All I can do is thank Almighty
God Allah for allowing people to love me, which puts on me a great
responsibility to strive to be worthy of that love."
Certainly, Min. Hilary is a witness of this love. He credits the
Minister with making him a decent UK citizen. After listening to one of
Min. Farrakhan�s audio tapes in 1987, he was inspired to establish the
first London study group. That effort has since expanded throughout the
UK and into Norway, Sweden, France and Ireland.
"It is very important to appreciate that if the Honorable Minister
Louis Farrakhan can have such a profound effect on the citizens of the
United Kingdom and now throughout Europe by video and audio cassette,
it�s very clear that his physical presence will allow us to be much
greater guided," Min. Hilary said.
Making a Biblical reference, Min. Hilary quoted: "If he be lifted up,
he will draw all men unto him."
Photo: (L-R): Atty. Matthew Ryder, Min. Hilary
Muhammad and attorney Tamara Muhammad share a delightful moment with
Min. Farrakhan (center) at Mosque Maryam.