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Riad Hamad: A Death in Austin
by C. L. Cook
This week, Lebanese immigrant to the United States, and founder of the Palestinian Children's Welfare Fund was found dead in Austin's Lady Bird Lake.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008, the Austin Police Department announced Riad Hamad's death as a 'suicide,' despite his body being discovered gagged and bound with duct tape. Hamad had claimed he was being targeted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement.
Last February, while Riad Hamad was readying himself for another school day, the technology instructor's small Austin, Texas apartment was raided by more than a dozen FBI agents and police. The police were searching for something to implicate the founder of the Palestinian Children's Welfare Fund in: "wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering."
In an article for The People's Voice, colleague and friend Eileen Fleming expresses skepticism in the official story, and relates an e:mail she and other friends of Riad's received shortly before his death:
- "Please DO NOT respond to this email as it is for your information only... besides the government harassment, the hateful environment from some students at school because I am an Arab and a Muslim... and their racist comments, I have been getting phone calls around midnight by some one saying "where is your camel?" ... and last... a car was vandalized about two years ago... last night around 1 30 in the morning... someone rang the bell and ran away.... and you could hear all the dogs in the neighborhood barking when the person who rang the bell ran away... A real loving environment towards Arabs and Muslims.... and it makes wonder... what have I done wrong?"
Despite the bindings around Hamad's hands and face, the Austin Police Department deemed the death not suspicious, with spokesperson Sergeant Joseph Chacon contending it was possible Riad had bound himself, saying:
- "Right now, the indications are that this was not, there was not foul play involved. The bindings, although I can't go into them extensively, I can tell you that it is possible that he could have done this to himself."
The APD reported Hamad's family had told them he "had stressors in his life," and had talked of suicide.
Riad Hamad is survived by his long-time partner and their two children.
Friend and fellow activist David Rovics remembers Riad Hamad, saying:
- "[R]est in peace Riad Hamad, 1952-2008. He was a hard-working activist for the Palestinian people in Austin, Texas, a school teacher and a fixture of the Austin community. He formed the Palestine Children's Welfare Fund, sold my CD's among many other things to raise money for the cause, and endured regular harassment by the authorities. He was found dead two days ago by Lady Bird Lake, gagged and bound. The police are calling it a suicide.
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written by Not This Time, April 19, 2008
His family called the police to report he was suicidal, and this was before his body was discovered. He was cleared by the FBI after they determined his charity was legitimate. He was a popular teacher at the Austin middle school where he taught. This is not a conspiracy as the tone of the article suggests.
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written by Paul Larudee, April 19, 2008
Riad Hamad, 1952-2008
"Hi, Riad." I knew it was him from the caller ID, even though the phone had never been in his own name.
"Hey, Bolos. How you doin'?" He used the Arabic translation of my name.
"I'm good. How about you?"
"I'm OK." His voice didn't have the usual energy, but perhaps he was in a place where he couldn't speak loudly. "I sent you a couple of email messages."
"Yes, I saw them." The messages were about my role in helping with his charitable work on behalf of Palestinians. There were a few things I didn't understand about the messages, so Riad cleared them up for me. "Now it makes sense," I said.
"OK. Well, that's all I wanted to tell you." Typical Riad. Always in a hurry to get off the phone.
"Wait, I've got some good news!"
"Oh yeah? What is it?" He sounded surprised.
"We're finally getting donations here. A check for a thousand came in today." I had set up a nonprofit account to receive donations for Riad's work.
"Was it from __________?"
"Hang on a second."
"Well, it doesn't matter." Still anxious to get off the phone.
"What do you mean it doesn't matter? I've got the name right here. No, it's from ____________ ."
"That's nice. Well, gotta go."
"OK. Take care of yourself."
"You, too, Boulos."
Those were apparently Riad's last words, spoken from his car near Ladybird Lake in Austin, Texas. At the time I had thought it slightly odd that Riad was repeating what he had already told me by email. I think he just wanted to hear a familiar voice. The police found the phone and car keys on the seat of the unlocked car. Typical Riad. He was thinking of the person who would find the car.
I wish I had told him that the person who sent the check had also written a letter thanking him for the gifts of handmade Palestinian crafts and other items that Riad had sent as a thankyou for a previous donation. He had also included handmade thankyou cards from his two young daughters. The older daughter, age 11 had written, "Live in peace on the world. Everybody should LOVE! I am sad because people should be nice to you, but they are not." The younger, age 8, had written, "I hope you start to live in peace."
I would have read them to him over the phone if he hadn't been so anxious to end the conversation, but I decided to send them for him to read later, and enjoy the children's drawings. The father's letter was longer and more specific in his praise for Riad's tireless efforts on behalf of Palestinians and their rights.
"I have included 2 checks for the needs of Palestinian children. It is my hope that you will use it to create hope for those oppressed. As we both see the dollar's value sink, the value of life especially in the eyes of the Creator never loses value. I extend this help to you and these children as if they were my own. We have the misfortune in living in very dark times, but in that darkness hope, love, and peace shine like the sun. To those that plant hope, they shall harvest peace."
Harvest peace, Riad.
SHUKRAN for your work and support
Salamat
Paul Larudee
Treasurer and Grants Administrator
The Palestine Children's Welfare Fund
Riad's legacy, the Palestine Children's Welfare Fund lives on, providing food, medicine, jobs and education to Palestinians and their children. Tax-exempt donations may be made to:
PCWF
405 Vista Heights Road
El Cerrito, CA 94530
"Hi, Riad." I knew it was him from the caller ID, even though the phone had never been in his own name.
"Hey, Bolos. How you doin'?" He used the Arabic translation of my name.
"I'm good. How about you?"
"I'm OK." His voice didn't have the usual energy, but perhaps he was in a place where he couldn't speak loudly. "I sent you a couple of email messages."
"Yes, I saw them." The messages were about my role in helping with his charitable work on behalf of Palestinians. There were a few things I didn't understand about the messages, so Riad cleared them up for me. "Now it makes sense," I said.
"OK. Well, that's all I wanted to tell you." Typical Riad. Always in a hurry to get off the phone.
"Wait, I've got some good news!"
"Oh yeah? What is it?" He sounded surprised.
"We're finally getting donations here. A check for a thousand came in today." I had set up a nonprofit account to receive donations for Riad's work.
"Was it from __________?"
"Hang on a second."
"Well, it doesn't matter." Still anxious to get off the phone.
"What do you mean it doesn't matter? I've got the name right here. No, it's from ____________ ."
"That's nice. Well, gotta go."
"OK. Take care of yourself."
"You, too, Boulos."
Those were apparently Riad's last words, spoken from his car near Ladybird Lake in Austin, Texas. At the time I had thought it slightly odd that Riad was repeating what he had already told me by email. I think he just wanted to hear a familiar voice. The police found the phone and car keys on the seat of the unlocked car. Typical Riad. He was thinking of the person who would find the car.
I wish I had told him that the person who sent the check had also written a letter thanking him for the gifts of handmade Palestinian crafts and other items that Riad had sent as a thankyou for a previous donation. He had also included handmade thankyou cards from his two young daughters. The older daughter, age 11 had written, "Live in peace on the world. Everybody should LOVE! I am sad because people should be nice to you, but they are not." The younger, age 8, had written, "I hope you start to live in peace."
I would have read them to him over the phone if he hadn't been so anxious to end the conversation, but I decided to send them for him to read later, and enjoy the children's drawings. The father's letter was longer and more specific in his praise for Riad's tireless efforts on behalf of Palestinians and their rights.
"I have included 2 checks for the needs of Palestinian children. It is my hope that you will use it to create hope for those oppressed. As we both see the dollar's value sink, the value of life especially in the eyes of the Creator never loses value. I extend this help to you and these children as if they were my own. We have the misfortune in living in very dark times, but in that darkness hope, love, and peace shine like the sun. To those that plant hope, they shall harvest peace."
Harvest peace, Riad.
SHUKRAN for your work and support
Salamat
Paul Larudee
Treasurer and Grants Administrator
The Palestine Children's Welfare Fund
Riad's legacy, the Palestine Children's Welfare Fund lives on, providing food, medicine, jobs and education to Palestinians and their children. Tax-exempt donations may be made to:
PCWF
405 Vista Heights Road
El Cerrito, CA 94530
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written by Martin Timothy, April 20, 2008
Riad Hamad's death in the heart of his home town, should give renowned truth seeker Alex Jones something other than guns and ammo to talk about.
Is Alex gonna pick the story up and run with it... it could be the tip of the same iceberg of Israeli terrorism that exists as far as new Mexico at least.
Jones regular columnist Kurt Nimmo says juvenile Israeli thugs threatened him, in response to him revealing the extent of Israeli infiltration of the US political and defense establishments, that included collusion in both the planning and execution of the 911 attacks, and on the subsequent cover up.
Alex is keeping some pretty heady company with the Scott Makufka / Christopher Thorn double as his on air guest, Makufka / Thorn is likely Mossad and just as likely to have knowledge of Hamad's death.
Is Alex gonna pick the story up and run with it... it could be the tip of the same iceberg of Israeli terrorism that exists as far as new Mexico at least.
Jones regular columnist Kurt Nimmo says juvenile Israeli thugs threatened him, in response to him revealing the extent of Israeli infiltration of the US political and defense establishments, that included collusion in both the planning and execution of the 911 attacks, and on the subsequent cover up.
Alex is keeping some pretty heady company with the Scott Makufka / Christopher Thorn double as his on air guest, Makufka / Thorn is likely Mossad and just as likely to have knowledge of Hamad's death.
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written by I Dream of Apocalypse, April 20, 2008
How will I face my fake suicide?
Will they come to me deep in the night?
Will they make me write a letter
saying why I chose this end,
before giving me a bullet
and putting the gun in my wrong hand?
How will I face my unfortunate demise?
Will I even know it at the time?
Or will they cut the brakes or crash the plane
or mug me on the street
or hire a doctor to lock me away
to die mysteriously one day?
We who dare call it conspiracy
we see macro and order within the chaos
we understand that the convergence of coincidence
is part of a bigger plan
The masses need simplicity
and disconnect as an existential crutch
they can’t comprehend
the depths of man’s treachery
in magic bullets they believe
I know too much
I saw too much
I must pack my suitcase then
shoot myself in the back of the head
I must jump out of this tall window
a day before testifying in court
I’ll slit my wrists and take some pills
and not interfere with the war plans.
It’s a paranoid paradox
twitch of fear every time the door knocks.
A paranoid—paradox
digging deeper into Pandora’s box.
Paranoid—paradox
’tis a dubious honor
being on a hit list
But if no one’s trying to kill you
then you don’t know s***!
Inventors
whose creations hurt oil companies
Soldiers
who speak out against corruption
Scientists
whose cures hurt the drug industry
Authors
whose words inspire action
Journalists
who expose human trafficking
We are the mausoleum of convenient deaths
Embrace cognitive dissonance
and run the gauntlet in your mind
when you break the matrix’s spell
lies form a pattern
fake news makes sense
and now you are a spy
amongst the zombies and slaves
Countless ways to
make a man to die,
Car crash, botched mugging
the many forms of suicide.
But there are too many of us now
Armed by the internet
we’re millions strong
The only way to silence us all
is a nuclear bomb!
Will they come to me deep in the night?
Will they make me write a letter
saying why I chose this end,
before giving me a bullet
and putting the gun in my wrong hand?
How will I face my unfortunate demise?
Will I even know it at the time?
Or will they cut the brakes or crash the plane
or mug me on the street
or hire a doctor to lock me away
to die mysteriously one day?
We who dare call it conspiracy
we see macro and order within the chaos
we understand that the convergence of coincidence
is part of a bigger plan
The masses need simplicity
and disconnect as an existential crutch
they can’t comprehend
the depths of man’s treachery
in magic bullets they believe
I know too much
I saw too much
I must pack my suitcase then
shoot myself in the back of the head
I must jump out of this tall window
a day before testifying in court
I’ll slit my wrists and take some pills
and not interfere with the war plans.
It’s a paranoid paradox
twitch of fear every time the door knocks.
A paranoid—paradox
digging deeper into Pandora’s box.
Paranoid—paradox
’tis a dubious honor
being on a hit list
But if no one’s trying to kill you
then you don’t know s***!
Inventors
whose creations hurt oil companies
Soldiers
who speak out against corruption
Scientists
whose cures hurt the drug industry
Authors
whose words inspire action
Journalists
who expose human trafficking
We are the mausoleum of convenient deaths
Embrace cognitive dissonance
and run the gauntlet in your mind
when you break the matrix’s spell
lies form a pattern
fake news makes sense
and now you are a spy
amongst the zombies and slaves
Countless ways to
make a man to die,
Car crash, botched mugging
the many forms of suicide.
But there are too many of us now
Armed by the internet
we’re millions strong
The only way to silence us all
is a nuclear bomb!
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Votes: +2
written by missouri gal, April 20, 2008
Martin Timothy's suggestion regarding racist/zionist infiltration of our agencies (FBI and Air Force military {pilots}) he's right on. Our Air Force is highly populated with murderous pilots who like nothing better than bombing innocents from a safe position and the FBI is synonamous with the ADL.
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written by AJ, April 22, 2008
The US will let Israeli agents kill Americans on American Soil, read this story from a couple years ago http://www.commondreams.org/he...116-10.htm
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