Posted on 11/22/2010 1:17:39 PM PST by Velveeta
Today I was contacted through the local Susanville Soaring Eagle Blue Star Mom's asking for help. Lorina Moody's son, Nicholas Moody who served as a Corporal in the Nevada Army National Guard and who is a Veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan has been arrested in Abu Dhabi airport. Moody was on his way home from Iraq, were he had been working for a private security company when he was arrested at the Abu Dhabi airport. According to his mother the charges against Moody are possession of accessories related to firearms. His mother says the items in his possession were pertinent to his job and not dangerous. Apparently the problem stems from a forced lay over Moody experienced while waiting for his return flight to the US. He was arrested when he attempted to board his plane home.
Moody's court date is November 29th.
Lawyers have assured Moody's Mother UAE government officials respond favorably to US officials concerns. Nicholas's case weigh heavily on getting US Representatives involved. The Moody family are asking for repeated, non-stop contact until this case is resolved. They are asking that you contact your State Representatives as well as Federal Agencies. Knowing the power of social media the family has started a facebook page you can join here. The family also encourages the word to be spread on facebook, twitter, email, and any other way you can think of.
Below is a sample letter you are free to copy and use as a guideline for your own letter. There is also the contact information for the top Federal Employees. To find your States Representatives visit http://www.contactingthecongress.org/ for phone, fax, and email contact information.
Sample Letter
Congressman XXXXXX
It has recently come to my attention that one of our own, Nicholas Moody, needs our immediate assistance. We need you to please look into this matter and ask questions.
On September 29th 2010, Nicholas Moody was returning from Iraq to the United States where he was working as a security guard with a private security company. Nicholas was arrested at the Abu Dhabi airport on charges of possession of accessories related to firearms. The items in his possession were pertinent to his job and not dangerous. This event occurred due to the layover time between flights. Mr. Moody had to stay overnight in Abu Dhabi in order to catch the connecting flight to the United States the following morning. When he went to catch his flight the next day he was arrested.
My concern is that this young man did nothing wrong. He is a veteran who is a corporal in the Nevada Army National Guard. Nicholas has served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has sacrificed for us and now desperately needs our support to get him out of this unfortunate situation.
It has come to my attention that the family has been informed that our government offers no assistance in regard to this situation. This is deplorable! Not just someone, but everyone involved in our global security should be concerned and asking questions about how this could have happened and how can we help resolve this situation and how we can keep this from happening again.
Our soldiers with our all-volunteer military deserve our support, whether they are on active duty or not. Nicholas Moody is an American citizen being detained in a foreign country due to a set of unfortunate events that he could not have foreseen or controlled. We need to get him home.
Nicholas has been sitting in Al Wathba Prison in Abu Dhabi for more than six weeks awaiting process of his case.
I am asking you as a taxpayer, as a voter and most importantly as a patriot of this great country, to involve yourself immediately. To ask questions and get answers about this case. Nicholas Moody has an Abu Dhabi court date of November 29th. We have heard that his case will be greatly impacted by United States interest. PLEASE WE NEED YOU TO ACT NOW! President Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Fax 202-456-2461 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
Vice President Biden The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Fax 202-456-2461 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520 Fax 202-647-1579 202-647-4000http://contact-us.state.gov/cgi-bin/state.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates U.S. Department of Defense 1400 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1400 Fax 703-571-8951 703-571-3343http://www.defense.gov/landing/siteform.aspx Janet Napolitano Secretary of Homeland Security U.S. Department of Homeland Security Washington, DC 20528 Operator Number: 202-282-8000 Comment Line: 202-282-8495http://www.dhs.gov/xutil/contactus.shtm
http://twitter.com/#!/milblogging
Would you please ping your lists? Thanks!
Pinging the pingerers.
Also, here's a link to the google page with other articles re Moody:
Thanks for the heads up, Velveeta!
Happened to one of my Arab translator clients on his way back from Iraq once. The contractor did virtually nothing to help him, its employee - in fact, it forced him to fly through UAE because it was cheaper, when it would have been much safer to go either of two other routes.
Colonel, USAFR
Thanks for pinging!
That’s terrible.
I feel so bad too for this young man and his family.
Someone with some juice should email this to the folk at Blackfive.net and thedonovan.com and any other milblogs they can think of.
Maybe shoot an email to this Marine:
http://castrapraetoria1.blogspot.com/
He’s the first shirt of the FAST unit in Bahrain. He may know of someone local to the area that can at least go get some info.
I’d do the emailing, but with my temper, I’m pretty sure I’m already on everyone’s banned email list.
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