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Colorado AG Explains Conviction to Saudis
YJCMTSUThe (Colorado) state's attorney general traveled to Saudi Arabia this week to assure officials that a Saudi man convicted in Colorado of sexually abusing and virtually enslaving his housekeeper was treated fairly. Attorney General John Suthers made the trip at the request of the State Department. He met with Saudi King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan and relatives of Homaidan Al-Turki, who was sentenced in state court in August to 28 years to life in prison, Deputy Attorney General Jason Dunn said Friday. "My understanding is their concerns are whether or not he was treated fairly in the judicial system," Dunn told The Associated Press. Just as they treat all guests workers fairly in the Majik Kingdom. Dunn said Suthers, who left Sunday and was expected back Saturday, explained that the state judicial system is independent from the federal government and that federal officials have no influence over it. I'll bet there are those in the State Department who think otherwise. Al-Turki, 37, was convicted of sexually assaulting an Indonesian housekeeper and keeping her as a virtual slave for four years. Last year, the Saudi government agreed to post $400,000 for his bail. Al-Turki has denied the charges and blamed anti-Muslim prejudice for the case against him. He said prosecutors persuaded the housekeeper to accuse him after they failed to build a case that he was a terrorist. His attorneys plan to appeal. Hey enslavement of kuffurs is allowed by the Quran. So you can take your laws and stick 'em. A State Department official with knowledge of the matter said the Al-Turki case has been a "thorn in our relations with the Saudis" and that Colorado was asked to send someone to help resolve it. He said similar trips have been made before, though they are uncommon. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he said he was not authorized to discuss the issue with the media.If you ain't authorixed to speak then STFU.
Al-Turki's wife, Sarah Khonaizan, pleaded guilty to a federal immigration charge and a state theft charge in the case and has returned to Saudi Arabia with the couple's five children, said her attorney, Forrest Lewis. She served home detention in the federal case and a two-month jail sentence in the state case and did not resist deportation. Keep an eye on this. The State Department is going to try to make their problem go away. Posted by: GK 2006-11-18 |
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