A Portland, Oregon family is in shock after their the FBI prevented their husband and father, a United States naturalized citizen and human rights worker, from re-entry into the United States when returning home from a humanitarian mission in Libya. He was placed on a no-fly list.
"I very strongly believe the FBI violated my constitutional rights as an American citizen," said human rights defender Jamal Tarhuni.
"I just don't think anyone should be subject to this. Especially not my dad." Lina Tarhuni, Jamal’s daughter said.
Jamal Tarhuni, 55, is a Tigard businessman and naturalized U.S. citizen. He was refused re-entry into the United States when he went to board his flight home from an airport in Tunisia on January 17.
Tarhuni was later interrogated by the FBI. He claims that he was asked to sign a paper without reading it before taking a lie detector test, and that when he did see it, it appeared to waive some of his constitutional rights.
He refused to take the test or sign the waiver. Mr. Tarhuni denied that he had ever been involved with any terrorist groups or acted against the interests of the United States.
He traveled to Libya three months ago to deliver much needed medical supplies donated by Medical Teams International (MTI), a Christian nonprofit for which Tarhuni volunteers. MTI had sent him on the supply mission to Libya to prevent the goods from going into the wrong hands.
Tarhuni is forced to stay with extended family in Tripoli while under investigation. He is only able to communicate with his wife and four children via Skype.
Senator Ron Wyden said he has contacted the FBI on Tarhuni's behalf to encourage the agency to treat him fairly.
Last month, NATO reportedly cut all communications in the oil-rich nation, Libya. The Green Resistance has been showing victories against NATO in what U.S. Rep. Kucinich and others have said is clearly another U.S.-led illegal war that Barack Obama started without Congressional approval.
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