Feral Jundi

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Legal News: Charges Dismissed Against Nicholas Moody In UAE Weapons Case!

    Excellent news and thanks to everyone out there that applied the necessary pressure on our US Embassy in the UAE, and for your support in this case. This will certainly be a wonderful holiday gift to Nicholas and his friends and family. –Matt

Charges dismissed against American in UAE weapons case

December 14, 2010

The charges against an American soldier who had been detained for more than two months in the United Arab Emirates have been dismissed, authorities said.

Cpl. Nicholas Moody, from Nevada, was arrested September 29 during an 18-hour layover in Abu Dhabi while heading back from his job as a private security contractor in Iraq.

Moody was charged with possession of weapons accessories — parts that could accompany a gun, though no firearm itself — which is illegal in the UAE.

Charges against Moody, were dismissed Monday said Melhem Sharrouf, one of Moody’s attorneys.

Moody, who has served in Iraq and then Afghanistan as part of the California and then Nevada National guards, had been released from jail on bail, but it was uncertain when he would be allowed to leave the United Arab Emirates.

Moody’s visa expired while he was in jail and his passport was being held by the government, his attorneys said. He would need to renew his visa before he could leave.

Those who created a support website on Facebook rejoiced about the development in the case. More than 2,500 people have expressed support to the “Help Bring Nick Moody Back Home” site on Facebook.

“NICK’S CASE WAS DISMISSED!!!!!!!!!! The paperwork will take a couple days, then travel arrangements will be made for Nick to come home! THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE LOVE, LETTERS, SUPPORT, PRAYERS AND POSITIVE ENERGY!” the site said.

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Saturday, November 20, 2010

Call To Action: Support The Release Of Security Contractor Nicholas Moody From UAE Detention

     This is another one of those deals where the legal system of another country has completely gone overboard with the application of their laws on foreign citizens. How many thousands of contractors have transited through their airport over the course of this war, all spending money in their shops or even staying at local hotels, and this is how you treat them? Last I checked, the UAE and the US were still friendly towards one another, and this is how they treat a citizen of the US?

     Nicholas Moody served his country in the National Guard during the war, and he was serving his country again as a security contractor, and this is no way to treat a veteran like this. Especially imprisoning the guy over something as stupid as carrying a weapons cleaning kit and a forward grip, or whatever minor parts he needed to do his job. The US Embassy in the UAE should be all over this one.

     Now if he had an RPG or AK 47 in his bag, I might see the logic with the UAE detaining him. But for something as petty and as stupid as this, and for over seven weeks? Shame on the UAE.  Commonsense should dictate here, and I highly recommend everyone to friend request the Facebook Page for freeing Nicholas Moody and write the US Embassy in the UAE, and do what you can to support his release. –Matt

Security contractor from Nevada locked up in UAE for 7 weeks

By Greg Botelho

A security contractor from Nevada has been locked up for seven weeks in the United Arab Emirates, his mother said Thursday, as his family seeks answers about what landed him in prison and how long he’ll remain there.

Having served in Iraq and then Afghanistan as part of the California and then Nevada National Guards, Nicholas Moody, 23, was working for a private security contractor when he stopped over in Abu Dhabi, his mother Lorina Moody told CNN. He was arrested on September 29, during an 18-hour layover while heading back from Iraq, for carrying firearms accessories — parts that could accompany a gun, though no firearm itself — which is illegal in the United Arab Emirates, his mother said.

“Our son is the type of individual who would not have willingly broken the law,” said Moody, of Susanville, California. “Now, we’re caught in a situation where we don’t [know] where to turn to. We don’t really have any way of knowing what’s going to happen to him.”

The U.S. State Department confirmed that Nicholas Moody has been detained, saying that U.S. consular officers visited him on September 30, October 6 and November 10.

“During those visits, he conveyed he was being treated fairly,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement. “We will continue to monitor the case.”

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