Protesters holding Odeh’s pictures.

DETROIT — Palestinian activists are planning to rally outside of the federal courthouse in Detroit during the trial of a Palestinian American community organizer who was indicted for allegedly lying on her citizenship application about a conviction in an Israeli military court decades ago.

Rasmea Odeh, 66, was found guilty of “membership of an illegal organization” in Israel in 1970. She was convicted for being a member of the Popular Front of Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and participating in three bombings claimed by the organization, one of which targeted a marketplace.

Odeh served 10 years in Israeli prisons before being released in a prisoner-exchange deal between Israel and the PFLP.

She immigrated to the United States 20 years ago and has been living in Chicago, where she became a known advocate for immigrant and women’s rights. Federal officers arrested her at her Chicago home on Oct. 22.

On June 10, Odeh’s trial begins in Detroit, where she filed her citizenship application. Her friends and supporters in Chicago, along with local activists, are looking to fill the courtroom and rally outside the courthouse in her support.

If convicted, Odeh could be stripped of her citizenship and face up to 10 years in prison. The offices of Barbara L. McQuade, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan will take charge of the prosecution.

Hatem Abudayyeh, the executive director of the Arab American Action Network, which Odeh helped establish, said the group is starting a media and protest campaign for Odeh.

“The bulk of our work will be getting people to Detroit. We are organizing to make sure the courtroom is packed with Rasmea’s supporters every single day. We also want rallies and supporters with leaflets outside to educate people on the case,” he said.

Abudayyeh described the charges against Odeh as a “political witch hunt.” He said the immigration charge is “nothing but a pretext” to deal a blow to Palestinian activism.

“The reason we say that is because she did not apply [for immigration] last year and they’re now going through this application now. She applied 20 years ago, and she’s been a citizen for 10 years,” he explained. “Why would you go after a 66-year-old woman who has been a model citizen? The only explanation is that the government wants to instill fear and intimidation among activists who have been organizing for Arab and Muslim causes, specifically on behalf of Palestine.”

Abudayyeh said Odeh’s trial is a response to the recent success achieved by Palestinian activism and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS).

“For the first time in our history, we are starting to see material gains for the Palestinian cause in the United States,” he said. “Historically, the law enforcement arm comes heavy after any community that is making an impact and doing effective work to change things, not only Arabs and Muslims.”

He added that black nationalist movements, women’s rights groups and environmentalists have faced legal scrutiny when they were trying to “make a dent” in the status quo.

Abudayyeh said Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Jonas, who headed a federal investigation against anti-war activists four years ago, was present at Odeh’s bond hearing. In 2010, the FBI raided the homes of 23 activists, including Abudayyeh. The activists were not formally charged with any crime.

He added that numerous civil rights organizations have come to Odeh’s defense.

“Massive support to Rasmea and to us came from the First Amendment supporters and civil libertarians from outside of our community, who see this as an attempt to criminalize dissent,” he said. “It is a part of what we’ve seen on the national level of warrantless wiretapping and NSA scandals. It is helpful to get that support from people who do not naturally support our community but are standing with us on principled grounds.”

Odeh is currently free on bail, and, according to Abudayyeh, she has shown greater strength than most of her supporters.

“She spent 10 years in an Israeli prison where she was brutally tortured. She dealt with difficult circumstances. She knows truth and justice are on her side,” he said. “We have the moral high ground against the Israeli occupation and the American support to it.”

In an interview with the Electronic Intifada last year, Odeh’s attorney, Jim Fennerty, questioned the legitimacy of the Israeli conviction.

“She’s always denied the allegations, but how do you get a fair trial in an Israeli military court?” he said.

Political science professor Abdelhamid Siyam, who writes for the Arabic daily al-Quds al-Arabi and teaches at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said Odeh’s arrest is a part of the crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists in the post 9/11 era. 

“After 9/11, the government started targeting Arab and Muslim activists by opening their old and new files and looking for tax and immigration issues,” he said.

He described Odeh as a “principled woman, advocate for justice and a respected leader.” 

“Even if there were a mistake [on the citizenship application], why open it now,” he said.

Siyam added that Odeh’s case could have an impact on Palestinian activism in the United States by instilling fear in activists.

“Palestinian activism has decreased since 9/11 because people were scared,” he said. “There has been a revival for activism after Barack Obama’s election. But Odeh’s arrest sends a dangerous message. They’re telling us that nobody is protected. Nobody can escape surveillance. We are all targeted.”

Siyam called for the community to come out in support of Odeh and “make ourselves heard.”

“We must send a message that targeting our leaders is not an easy task. We object to be treated as second-degree citizens,” added Siyam. 

Community activist Mohammad Abd-Elsalam said Palestinians in Michigan will come out in Odeh’s support as individuals, in the absence of strong organizations in the Palestinian community. 

 Abd-Elsalam echoed Siyam’s comments on the political goal of the trial. “It’s the same old issue of intelligence agency using immigration and tax violation to scare our community,” he said. “They know political work is granted and protected by the First Amendment, so they try to go after us on other issues. They have done this since the Nixon Administration.”

He added that Odeh’s arrest was an attempt by the Obama Administration to “show good faith to Israel.”

Dawud Walid, the executive director of the Council of American Islamic Relations in Michigan (CAIR-MI), voiced concerns about the nature of the charges against Odeh.

“It appears to be that this isn’t just a regular immigration violation. But there are some political considerations that were most likely taken in terms of her detainment,” he said. “Some of the filings on her case makes it seem like it’s a national security case when it’s really an immigration case. We are monitoring the situation, and we will be involved in the community action taking place at the court in Downtown Detroit next month.”