Former Guyana parliamentarian Abdul Kadir and another Guyanese Russell Defreitas today went on trial for their part in what the US government has described as a conspiracy to commit a terrorist act on the United States. But Kadir’s attorneys have filed a special motion with the court seeking the court’s interventions to have one of Kadir’s daughters testify on his behalf.
According to the attorney, Kadir’s daughter Sauda Kadir was listed as a witness on his behalf but was not granted a US visa. It was discovered the attorneys told the court that Sauda Kadir is on the US No Fly list although she is married to a US citizen and has an immigration petition currently before the US embassy. This is the first time that is has been discovered that a Guyanese national is on the U.S NO FLY LIST.
The attorneys believe that Kadir’s daughter has relevant information that is crucial to the case and her father defence. Since she is not able to fly to the US to testify, the attorneys want the court to allow her to testify from Guyana via the Skype internet video service. They point out that she is willing to travel to the US to testify or have her testimony done from Guyana. They want the court to either rule that she could be deposed in Guyana or that the US government explain how she made it onto a no fly list and for the US government to allow her to travel to the US since it is important and since denying her testimony could fly in the face of the US justice system.
The attorneys say her testimony is needed on two fronts. She would testify about her studies in Iran and the fact that her father’s ties to Iran and the institutions where she studied have nothing to do with terrorism and she would also testify about a photograph which the us government intends to offer as evidence. The photograph shows Kadir’s children holding what appear to be firearms. The daughter is expected to explain to the court that the weapons in the photographs are all toys and nothing more.
The defence attorneys have told the court that a failure of justice would occur if the testimony of Sauda Kadir is unavailable at the trial especially taking into consideration the seriousness of the charges and the fact that Kadir could face life in prison if convicted.
