"From Hate Crimes to Freedom: The Controversial Case of an Ex-Obama Adviser"
Former US diplomat Stuart Seldowitz, who was arrested for hate speech towards a Muslim cart vendor in New York City, referenced the Mukhabarat, the feared secret police in Egypt known for detaining and torturing citizens. The term Mukhabarat is also used to describe state intelligence and security services in other Arab countries. Journalist Sam Husseini highlighted the US government's use of the Mukhabarat in Egypt for torture, including the case of Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi, whose false confession about al-Qaeda working with Iraq was used as evidence to justify the invasion of Iraq. The Mukhabarat's role in the Iraq invasion raised questions about the reasons behind it. Seldowitz's reference to the Mukhabarat stems from its history of brutality and its connection to the US in conducting extraordinary renditions. Critics have long criticized the US for turning a blind eye to repressive Arab governments. Seldowitz's accurate reference to the Mukhabarat represents the controversial anti-terror investigation mechanism developed by US and Egyptian officials.