This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1247
November 8, 2005
MIM: Al Turki 'coincidentally has the same last name as many members of the Saudi royal family. It is also interesting that he seems to be so well known to the Saudi governement (he runs a publishing house) that they paid his bail. In addition to the charges of kidnapping, enslaving and sexually abusing a woman - Al Turki is now suspected being tied to terrorism. This tie was obvious since his company was closely aligned with the Islamic Assembly of North America, whose members have been jailed on terrroism charges. Another intriquing possibliity is that Al Turki is related to Saudi officials who make up the Saudi ruling family.
Apropriatedly one of the books Al Turki's book company sells is Islamic Extremism - written by Jamal Zarabozo a well known Islamist whose work was considered too extreme even by fellow Muslims !
http://www.al-basheer.com/viewBook.asp?itemNum=1012
Description of Item: The definition of extremism and its parameters from a Shareeah perspective, The place and importance of the hijrah The ruling for the hijrah under different circumstance The definition of taqleed and the limits of its acceptability, The concept of the jamaah and the question of making an oath of allegiance to a group's leader, The ruling of taking a governmental post under a tyrant Muslim ruler, The Shareeah conditions and parameters for declaring another Muslim a disbeliever.
For more on the case see:
http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/741
http://cbs4denver.com/crime/local_story_295124217.html
http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/676
Seperated at birth or somewhere along the line ?
http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/867
The Saudi government's springing for Al Turki's bail begs the question as to how Al Turki could afford a maid and to sustain a large publishing house while studying at the same time.Unless of course tomes like the one above entitled 'Religous Extremism' by Jamal Zarabozo, a classic example of 'it takes one to know one' are on the top ten Jihad best seller list .
Homaidan Al-Turki
CBS4) AURORA, Colo. A Saudi man living in Aurora has been under investigation for possible links to terrorism, according to his attorneys.
Homaidan Al-Turki was already facing state and federal charges for enslaving and sexually assaulting an Indonesian maid.
Al-Turki, 37, is a graduate student at the University of Colorado, studying linguistics. He's been in the United States since 1995. That's when his lawyers said the investigation started.
Al-Turki recently talked with CBS4 at a local mosque. He was free on bond paid by the government of Saudi Arabia.
Al-Turki was at the mosque, attending a Ramadan dinner hosted by Denver's Sunni Muslim community.
"Just having the favor between my brothers and sisters, my Muslim brothers and sisters here is by itself something that has a good impact on myself, especially after all of this trouble I have gone through," Al-Turki said.
Federal Court documents filed by Al-Turki's attorneys detail the investigation against him. The documents claim the Denver Joint Terrorism Task Force has had Al-Turki under a "full fledge investigation" suspecting "he is closely aligned to terrorists and may be providing material support to terrorism."
Al-Turki's lawyers said the government has been looking into the proceeds from Al-Turki's Albasheer Islamic bookstore in Aurora.
"This is very sad, but we Muslims basically after 9-11, have been profiled," Al-Turki said. "And everything that is happening to us or every single Muslim in the community basically because we are guilty, no matter what."
Al-Turki's attorneys want to know more about an incident in Illinois last April.
Al-Turki was stopped by state police there on Interstate 80 near LaSalle. A message on the national crime information computer warned the officers "terrorist organization member-caution, do not alert this individual to this notice.
Al-Turki was only given a warning for having an "obstructed view." His lawyers claim school documents in his car were copied and a 38-page fax was sent by the Illinois State Police to the FBI in Denver.
"Do you think this is happening to you because of your religion," CBS4 asked.
"I am Saudi, I am a Muslim, and I think that's an attraction to law enforcement by itself," Al-Turki responded.
Al-Turki's attorneys said it was while under investigation for possible links to terrorism, he and his wife, Sahah Khonaizan, were arrested by state and federal authorities in June.
They were accused of virtually enslaving their Indonesian maid who authorities claimed lived on a mattress in the basement of their Aurora home. Authorities accuse Al-Turki of using the maid for sex.
Al-Turki told CBS4 he's innocent.
"There's no doubt about it," Al-Turki said.
Al-Turki's defense, in part, will be that Muslim religious and cultural norms are alien to most Westerners. Court documents filed by his lawyers add "there are Saudi Arabian customs regarding a host family's retention of funds for their domestic servant until she leaves their service."
"How have members of your community reacted to these charges against you," CBS4 asked.
"Everybody knows me and they know who I am and they know my character and they know everything about me and I am a leader in the community so everybody knows me," Al-Turki answered.
Al-Turki wants to know what federal authorities know about him. His lawyers said he "adamantly and vehemently denies any links to terrorism." They add he looks forward to being vindicated of the charges against him in court.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said the terrorism investigation has nothing to do with the current charges regarding his maid.
Prosecutors said Al-Turki is not being investigated because of his religion. They also point out that the alleged victim in the first case, the maid, is Muslim as well.
Al-Turki's attorneys are asking for a change of venue in the federal case.
They said he was subjected to double publicity because there are charges in Arapahoe County District Court as well.
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http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/co/0609b05Frame1Source1.htm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2005
HOMAIDAN AL-TURKI AND SARAH KHOAIZAN INDICTED FOR FORCED LABOR, DOCUMENT SERVITUDE, AND HARBORING
DENVER – Bill Leone, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado, James Casey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Denver Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Jeffrey Copp, Special Agent in Charge of the Denver office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), announced that HOMAIDAN AL-TURKI, age 36, and his wife SARAH KHONAIZAN, age 35, both of Aurora, were indicted today by a federal grand jury in Denver on charges of forced labor, document servitude and harboring an illegal alien. AL-TURKI and KHONAIZAN are being held in Arapahoe County on related state charges.
According to the indictment, starting on September 10, 2000 and ending on November 18, 2004, AL-TURKI and KHONAIZAN allegedly obtained and aided and abetted obtaining the continued labor services of an Indonesian woman by creating a climate of fear and intimidation through aggravated sexual abuse and other means, which was intended to cause the victim to believe that had she not performed the services, including cooking, cleaning, child care and other domestic labor, that she would suffer serious harm. The defendants also allegedly threatened the victim with abuse of law and the legal process. During that same time frame, the defendants allegedly confiscated and concealed the victim's Indonesian passport and United States visa, and harbored her for the purpose of obtaining domestic services for little or no wages or pay, knowing that she was illegally in the United States.
AL-TURKI faces sexual assault charges in Arapahoe County in relation to his conduct with the victim in this case.
The indictment includes a forfeiture allegation, stating that the victim is entitled to $92,700, which represents a conservative estimate of the gross proceeds she would have been entitled to had she been paid lawfully.
Both defendants face: One count of forced labor including aggravated sexual abuse, which carries a penalty of up to life in federal prison, and/or a $250,000 fine; one count of document servitude, which carries a penalty of not more than 5 years in federal prison, and/or a $250,000 fine; and one count of harboring an alien, which carries a penalty of not more than 10 years in federal prison, and/or a $250,000 fine. The defendants' actual prison sentence will be determined by a U.S. District Court Judge in Denver.
"In a free country such as ours, during these modern times, it is unconscionable that individuals would take such tremendous advantage of another," said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge James Casey. "In this case the victim came into the United States legally, only to have her freedom taken away. That conduct is criminal, and there can and will be consequences."
"Few crimes are more repugnant to our society that enslaving other human beings," said Jeffrey Copp, special agent in charge of the Denver Office of Investigations for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "It's hard for many people to believe that forced labor still exists in this country. Anyone who suspects such crimes are occurring should call the ICE hotline at: 866-DHS-2ICE."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenda Taylor.
These charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.
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Man gets bail in 'sex slave' case
A federal judge set bail at $400,000 for a Saudi Arabian man who has been held on charges that he enslaved and sexually assaulted an Indonesian woman at his suburban Aurora home. A federal magistrate judge earlier this month had refused to grant bail to Homaidan Al-Turki, 36, who faces state and federal charges including forced labor, false imprisonment and rape for allegedly keeping the woman captive for four years.
His wife, Sarah Khonaizan, 35, is free on $25,000 bail on federal charges of forced labor, document servitude and harboring an illegal immigrant. Al-Turki and his wife also face state charges including false imprisonment and extortion. Al-Turki, who also is charged with rape in Arapahoe County District Court, is scheduled to appear there for a preliminary hearing Sept. 9. The judge in that case had earlier set bail at $400,000.
If convicted, Al-Turki could face multiple life sentences in state and federal prison.
The Saudi government has sent $400,000 to Al-Turki's lawyers for them to post in state court if he is released from federal custody and from the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Al-Turki's lawyers said it was unclear whether his family could post the $400,000 bond granted by US District Judge Walker Miller, and said they expected an additional $50,000 bond to be ordered by an immigration judge.
Dozens of members of the Denver-area Muslim community, including Al-Turki's family and the spiritual leader of the state's largest mosque, packed the courtroom. Many had written to the judge expressing support for Al-Turki. Other letters of support came from Al-Turki's academic colleagues at the University of Colorado, where he is studying linguistics.
Prosecutor James Allison argued there was no way to guarantee that Al-Turki, who has family in Saudi Arabia and Canada, would not leave the country, especially when he is facing a possible life sentence.
Defense attorneys said Al-Turki, who is in the United States on a student visa, is a respected doctoral candidate at the University of Colorado, and has a wife and four children and other strong ties to the Denver area, including his business.
Defense attorney John Richilano said there is evidence that on several occasions without Al-Turki present, the Indonesian woman had denied to authorities that he had raped her, and passed up opportunities to report a crime. He also said the woman had called Al-Turki and his wife after she had been taken to a safe house and that Al-Turki was trying to find her an immigration attorney. The judge said he believed Al-Turki would not present a danger to the community if released on bail, and said he did not believe Al-Turki would leave the country.
"It's a comparatively close call given the nature of the charges and the reality that he is a foreign national and could flee," Miller said.
But he said the evidence presented so far - an arrest affidavit from an FBI agent - was not enough to convince him that Al-Turki should be held without bail.
The affidavit said the Indonesian woman told investigators she baby-sat, cooked and cleaned for Al-Turki's family and other families for seven days a week with no regular days off from 2000 to 2004. When she was not working, the woman was confined to an unheated basement where she slept on a mattress on the concrete floor and was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Al-Turki, the affidavit said.
The affidavit said she was compensated less than $2 per day for her work, but Richilano said under her agreement with Al-Turki's family, she was to be paid in full at the end of her service.
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This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1247
