The former Imam of the Islamic Center for Cleveland was deported Thursday to the Palestinian Territories where he was born. But his wife Nasreen says she doesn't know what happened to him.
Nasreen Damra: Neither I nor anyone to my knowledge has heard from him in over six days. As of now I've been completely unable to confirm his location.
Nasreen Damra fears he will be tortured by the Israelis. Fawaz Damra was deported for lying on his immigration papers about his financial support for a terrorist group called the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. His brother Nabil, who is in the West Bank, and the Israel security agency Shin Bet, have both said he was taken into Israeli custody. His American attorney, Mo Abdrabboh, said Damra was working out his own deportation to get back to his hometown of Nablus.
Mo Abdrabboh: Fawaz was to self-deport himself - what that means is he agreed to find his way on his own to remove himself to another country. He was unsuccessful.
Damra apparently tried to cross the Allenby Bridge from Jordan to the West Bank but was grabbed by Israelis. Shin Bet says he was arrested because of his ties a terrorist organization. His supporters in Cleveland are now crying foul.
Mo Abdrabboh: What we in effect had was an extradition under the guise of a deportation. And the reason that's problematic was that he was never advised that he was being extradited and never had an opportunity to challenge that extradition.
A spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Greg Palmore, told the Associated Press that they expected Israelis to let him cross into the West Bank. Julia Shearson of the Council on American-Islamic Relations says Palmore misrepresented what would happen.
Julia Shearson: He said I just spoke with an agent who physically handed him to the Palestinian Authority. That's pretty clear. Then the government back pedaled and now we think they are admitting publicly that they have transferred him to Israel.
Shearson refers to the handover as an extraordinary rendition - the term used when American authorities have captured terrorist suspects in Europe and without extradition proceedings, spirited them away to so-called "black sites." Although the U.S. has an extradition treaty with Israel, the Palestinian territories are not recognized as an independent country. Cleveland Immigration Attorney David Leopold says that makes the deportation an oddity.
David Leopold: If someone's going to be removed to a jurisdiction, then the government or authority of that jurisdiction will be the receiving authority. I know of no prohibition against removing someone to the Palestine Authority.
Ray Nakely of the Arab American Community Center in Youngstown said Americans could have transferred Damra to Gaza, where Israeli police no longer venture.
Ray Nakely: I'm sure this was calculated, probably with a file and a tape - 'here's who you have. Do what you will.' And what's the deal? That wasn't the deal. How is that fair?
People of many faiths gathered at the Islamic Center yesterday to show support for Damra and denounce the government's actions. Damra's attorney Mo Abdrabboh questioned whether the American government was trampling rights.
Mo Abdrabboh: Democracy dies behind closed doors and whatever is done in secret and not done up front we need to question. We need to have all Americans of all faiths understand what happened here, be concerned about it because it may be some in your family tomorrow or next week.
Abdrabboh said they will pursue legal help for Fawaz Damra in Israel when they get more information.