Summary

A PALESTINIAN MAN IN TAMPA - RELEASED FROM PRISON AFTER SEVERAL YEARS - FINDS OUT HE CAN'T GO HOME...AND HE CAN'T STAY HERE IN THE U-S.

Source CONUS Archive
Record ID 208711
Story Slug Asylum Denied
Location Tampa
Format PKG
Date 07/20/2001
Archive Time 28:03
TRT 1:42
Supers Tampa, Florida Mazen Al-Najjar, Denied Asylum Amani Channel Reporting
Video Description SHOT OF MAN BEING HUGGED, SHOT OF MAN WALKING, CLS OF MAN, SKETCHES, SHOT OF FILE VO, SOT OF MAN, SHOT OF MAN AT PODIUM, SHOT OF PEOPLE AT STAND SHOT OF MAN WALKING WITH TALENT, SOT OF MAN, SHOT OF MAN HUGGING PEOPLE, SHOT OF MAN WALKING, STAND-UP WITH MAN
Description A PALESTINIAN MAN IN TAMPA - RELEASED FROM PRISON AFTER SEVERAL YEARS - FINDS OUT HE CAN'T GO HOME...AND HE CAN'T STAY HERE IN THE U-S.
Script LEAD: IN TAMPA, A PALESTINIAN MAN'S FIGHT TO STAY IN THE UNITED STATES LEAVES HIM A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY. FIRST MAZEN AL-NAJJAR FOUGHT ALLEGATIONS THAT HE HAD TIES TO TERRORISTS. NOW HE AND HIS WIFE ARE SEEKING ASYLUM IN THE UNITED STATES. BUT THE GOVERNMENT AND, MORE RECENTLY, AN APPEALS COURT SAYS NO! AMANI CHANNEL CAUGHT UP WITH AL-NAJJAR TO GET HIS REACTION ON HIS LATEST COURTROOM DEFEAT. (TAKE PKG) AL-NAJJAR WAS MET WITH KISSES FROM HIS FAMILY AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM JAIL LAST YEAR. THE FORMER U-S-F TEACHER SPENT THREE YEARS AND SEVEN MONTHS LOCKED UP AND SAYS HE STILL DOESN'T KNOW WHY. AL NAJJAR CALLS THE EXPERIENCE WORSE THAN ANY BAD DREAM. (SOT- "... nightmare is like three minutes you wake up and find out is was just a dream.. but that was one thousand three hundred and seven days..") THE U-S GOVERNMENTT CLAIMED TO HAVE SECRET EVIDENCE THAT LINKED NAJJAR - WHO IS PALESTINIAN TO MIDDLE EAST TERRORISTS. BUT HE WAS NEVER CHARGED WITH ANY CRIME. (SOT- "I believe there is no evidence...") NOW NAJJAR AND HIS WIFE ARE FIGHTING DEPORTATION. HE ASKED THE GOVERMENT FOR ASYLUM...THAT WAS REJECTED...AND HE WAS ORDERED DEPORTED. HE APPEALED ..AND WAS AGAIN DENIED. BUT AL NAJJAR SAYS HE IS A MAN WITH NOWHERE TO GO. (SOT- "...since i am not a national in any country like the arab emirates or egypt.. or saudi i have no national rights there they have no reason to repatriate me.") AND HE FEARS HE'LL BE SEPARATED FROM HIS FAMILY ONCE AGAIN. (SOT- "...my greatest fear is that the ins will exploit this decision and redetain me and make my life miserable again and make the life of my family miserable again.") FOR NOW AL NAJAAR TAKES EACH DAY AS IT COMES.. HOPING HE WON'T BE SEPARATED FROM HIS FAMILY EVER AGAIN. AL NAJJAR SAYS HIS LAWYER PLANS TO TAKE HIS CASE TO THE FULL CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS. AND IF NECESSARY THEY'LL TAKE THIS FIGHT TO THE US SUPREME COURT. THROUGH ALL OF THIS AL NAJJAR SAYS HE HAS NOT LOST FAITH IN THE AMERICAN JUSTICE SYSTEM. AMANI CHANNEL FOX 13 NEWS. RECAP
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