‘I know that it is all a lie’

Daughter of Ft. Dix 5 defendant speaks out

By Betsey Piette

In April the Fort Dix Five were given sentences of life plus 30 years for allegedly plotting to attack Fort Dix in New Jersey. These Muslim defendants were prosecuted and tried even when there was no crime, a practice known as pre-emptive prosecution. There are over 400 known miscarriages of justice by the FBI using pre-emptive prosecution and agents provocateurs–a practice that destroys innocent individuals. It also destroys their families.

Lejla Duka speaking. WW photo: Joseph Piette

Lejla Duka, the 11-year-old daughter of Fort Dix Five defendant Dritan Duka, has been a courageous spokesperson on her father’s and uncles’ behalf. Lejla and her grandmother, Zurata Duka, spoke with Workers World about the arrests and what they have meant to their family.

WW: Can you talk about your father’s and uncles’ arrests?

Lejla Duka: I was 8 when my father and his brothers were arrested. I’m the oldest with four sisters and brothers at home. I help take care of them.

When my uncle Elijivar Duka was arrested we had just come home from getting ice cream. The FBI pulled him out of the car and said, “Get down, get down.” They threw him down with handcuffs on. They had huge dogs sniffing around him and a gun pointed at his head.

They also took my uncle Burim Duka. They just threw him like nothing, like he was paper. That action made me really sad. They had SWAT team cars and everything. This was by my old house. My sisters and brothers were there. They were all very young when this happened, and didn’t really understand. Now they are really sad and cry a lot.

WW: What is your understanding of the case?

LD: I know that it is all a lie. The judge said they were plotting to attack a military base and that they kept saying jihad. He said they were training in the Poconos. They really weren’t. They were there doing guy things with their friends. They were just there to have fun.

The judge was Robert Kugler, a Republican and a Bush appointee. All the judge talked about the entire trial was money, and how they spent millions on this case. The jurors were from the army. I read the handbook from the court that said jurors were not allowed to have anything to do with the case, but they were all from Fort Dix.

Zurata Duka: The judge was questioning witnesses who were there to support my sons. We had a witness from Iraq to support our sons and tell the truth about what was going on. The judge asked this witness, “How come you came to defend them, when we pay you $10,000?”

On the tapes, the informant was pushing my sons to say jihad, but my sons never said jihad. They would say, “Allahu Akbar” (God is great). The informer was saying, “Let’s go kill some army people” but my sons were saying, “No, we can’t do that, they are good people, human beings like us.” The judge would not let the jury listen to this. He kept evidence from the jury.

At sentencing, the judge said that even though things weren’t said on the tapes, he knew a conspiracy was going on, even if he didn’t hear it in the evidence. From the first, the judge had decided for life in jail. It did not matter what the witnesses said. What kind of justice is this, to put innocent people in jail for nothing?

Before the verdict was announced, my aunt and I witnessed the judge tell guards, “Go call the FBI, I have to talk with them.” We saw government guys going in without the lawyers.

WW: What about the FBI?

LD: The FBI set them up and tried to destroy good people and tear apart a family. The FBI would pretend they were fixing the roof in our apartment, but they were really putting cameras and stuff to listen to what we were saying. They did this for over a year.

When I walk to school a black van

follows me, with the license plate covered. I used to run quick, but now I go

by car. It’s really scary, like they are going to kidnap me, or kill me. The FBI is sneaking in our back yard. Last week my brother saw them.

ZD: They continue to harass us. They have cars at both ends of our block. They follow my youngest son Burim everywhere he goes. When we go to the park, we have people following us. They’ve threatened to arrest all the family.

They have talked to everyone from news people to my family, telling them not to help us. My husband had a lot of roofing jobs with the fire department and school. They went to the school and told them not to give his company a job.

They are still terrorizing us. We are scared to sleep. I’m finding small magnets [bugs] in the house, all over, in the couches, in the refrigerator. I hope there are people who understand ... that I want justice, to stop these criminal things.

LD:We got kicked out of our apartment. There were so many complaints that we were terrorists. They gave us three days’ notice. We had to move back in with my grandparents.

WW: Has this changed your relationships with friends?

LD:No. My friends are still on my side. So are my teachers. My friends really like my father.

WW: You’ve spoken at meetings and rallies. What’s that been like?

LD: I’m actually feeling proud. I’m trying to get the word out, and I know that people are listening, and they really want to help. I write my own talks. It makes me feel like I’m being helpful.

I want people to know the truth. I know my father and uncles are really good people. I really miss them. I’m still going to try fighting for what I believe in and try to set them free so they can come home.

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