Secret Hearing Not OK for Immigrant Held for Forgery

A New Jersey judge erred in holding a secret hearing to consider evidence against an Egyptian immigrant accused of selling phony IDs used by two of the Sept. 11 hijackers, and for excluding the suspect and his lawyer, a state appeals court ruled Tuesday. The appeals panel found that the proper federal authorities were never asked whether national security was at stake, and ordered the judge to hold the hearing again in public.

X

Thank you for sharing!

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided.
A judge erred in holding a secret hearing in November to consider evidence against an Egyptian immigrant accused of forgery, and for excluding the suspect and his lawyer, a New Jersey state appeals court ruled Tuesday. After the hearing, Superior Court Judge Marilyn Clark doubled bail to $500,000 for Mohamed el-Atriss, who is accused of selling phony driver’s licenses used by two of the Sept. 11 hijackers. The judge had allowed Passaic County, N.J., prosecutors to present witnesses in secret for fear the case involved national security. But the appeals panel found that the proper federal authorities were never asked whether national security was at stake, and ordered Clark to hold the hearing again in public by the end of the month. “We’re very happy,” said Miles Feinstein, the lawyer for el-Atriss, who has been jailed for five months. “This is a victory for somebody who is innocent of such charges, and in fact, it’s a victory for constitutional rights.” Phone calls placed after normal business hours to several county prosecutors were not immediately returned. There is no allegation that el-Atriss knew of the Sept. 11 plot, but his case gained wide notice when police raided his home and business in July. El-Atriss was in Egypt at the time. He was arrested several weeks later after returning home. Whether federal officials are still monitoring the case was unclear. “At one time, he was a person of interest to us,” said FBI Special Agent Steve Koda, spokesman for the Newark, N.J., office. “I cannot confirm or deny any part that we have in it.” Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free ALM Digital Reader.

Benefits of a Digital Membership:

  • Free access to 3 articles* every 30 days
  • Access to the entire ALM network of websites
  • Unlimited access to the ALM suite of newsletters
  • Build custom alerts on any search topic of your choosing
  • Search by a wide range of topics

*May exclude premium content
Already have an account?

Trending Stories

 

Featured Product

Global Briefing

A weekly, curated selection of our international content from around the globe, across the business of law, in-house, regulatory, technology and more, with expert insights from our senior editors.

Learn More

More from ALM

 

ALM Legal Publication Newsletters

Sign Up Today and Never Miss Another Story.

As part of your digital membership, you can sign up for an unlimited number of a wide range of complimentary newsletters. Visit your My Account page to make your selections. Get the timely legal news and critical analysis you cannot afford to miss. Tailored just for you. In your inbox. Every day.

Privacy Policy

About Us / Contact Us / Site Map / Advertise With Us/ Customer Service / Terms of Service/ FAQ / Privacy Policy

Publications

Law Topics

Rankings

More

Law.com

Copyright © 2020 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All Rights Reserved.