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Last week, we received this letter in the post:

My name is Ali, as an Arab American businessman post 9/11, I've been detained and remained in detention for five years now in country jails in America with false charges, no bail, no trial, and no sentencing. I know someday I'll make it out, so will you, stay strong, seek help with patient perseverance and prayrs (sic). It's a test, a difficult one, don't fail it, we'll make it ....It's a matter of time. Miss your tender voice that I only knew through the darkness of my cells. NOTE Sorry for writing in pencil, that's what's allowed. May be someday you'll cover my ordeal which remains a travisty to justice in the land of justice........I've been moved when I learned that Allen is still alive. May be, just maybe my above message to him will boost his endurance and keep him going. Thank you....... My main intention at this point is to deliver my message to Allen and to be amongst those whom posted their say on the air. Ali

We read the first part of this letter on the programme on Friday last week. Steve, who listens to World Have Your Say in the US, then sent this email:

Come on, please, someone in jail has access to the ´óÏó´«Ã½? And if the guy was being held on claims of terrorism or being connected to it, as he claims unfounded, why is he in a COUNTY jail????? Why did the ´óÏó´«Ã½ treat that comment as if it were somehow fact? Clearly it was an attack to try to make the US look bad, by someone who is antiamerican, and I have no doubt that his claim is completely false.

I sent Steve this reply:

Hi Steve Thanks for your message about the comment on Alan Johnston that we read on Friday. You can find more details about , maintained by one of his supporters. Mr Aladimi wrote us a letter which we received in London. Having checked out his identity, established that he was a real person, and had indeed written to us, we then decided to read out part of his letter making it clear we were quoting from it. I don't think that's the same thing as treating his comment as if it were fact. Clearly, you could argue that he stands to gain from having his case highlighted in this way, but equally the fact that someone in jail feels a parallel with Alan Johnston's situation and is moved to write a letter about it is also interesting regardless of the rights or wrongs of his case. Best wishes, David.

Steve wrote back:

So you would read anything on there???? From what I recall, he said he had been in jail, without charge, for years, in a local jail. He was trying to make out sound like he was some kind of political prisoner, like guantanamo. It states he was found in possession of stolen goods in his warehouse. He was earlier charged with having millions of tablets of pseudoephedrine, which is used to synthesize methamphetamine, a drug that we are having serious problems with in the US, and is incredibly harmful. For me, just to buy one box of pseudeophedrine, a legal product, I have to fill out a log book, to buy 10 tablets. He had MILLIONS of tablets. Gee, I wonder what he was planning to do with those....If you google Aladimi's name, you'll find posts defending him, someone claiming to be his lawyer, excused it as basically getting in over his head in business deals. Also, the FBI has been investigating the cigarettes issues, and while they haven't been able to convict anyone on using the funds to support terrorist organizations, they have been convicted on not reporting large deposits of $10k or more, which is required by federal law. If you have access to the National Geographic Channel, there is a show called FBI Takedown, that features my friend and a bust he made on that very topic. Aladimi wasn't truthful in his letter, because he said he hadn't even been charged, and has HAS been charged.

Steve His letter didn't deny he'd been charged, but said he'd been detained "with false charges". Here's a suggestion: how about I post our correspondence about this on our blog, together with the various links, and we'll let people see for themselves?

So, were we right to read out the letter? Let us know what you think.....