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Thursday
April 4, 2002
Webber focused on winning, not indictment
By Steve Jackson
Daily Sports Writer
AUBURN HILLS - Former Michigan bas-
ketball star Chris Webber
said he has never run away
from an issue before. But
that didn't stop him from
delaying his comments on
the Ed Martin scandal yes-
terday.
"I came to play a game
today. My focus is on win-
ning a championship,"
Webber said before his
Sacramento Kings beat the Webber
Detroit Pistons 107-86 last night. "So I'm not
going to entertain all the negative things that
I've been hearing and seeing in the paper."
According to a federal indictment, Martin,
a former Michigan basketball booster,
loaned $280,000 to Webber before the for-
mer Michigan star became a professional.
The loans were allegedly used as a means for
Martin to launder money from his illegal gam-
bling ring in Detroit-area auto plants.
"I'm trying to win a championship, not an
election. This isn't a popularity contest," Web-
ber said. "I'm not going to address this or try to
make anybody like me. I'm not going to let this
become a distraction."
Martin and his wife were arrested on
March 21 on charges of money laundering,
running an illegal gambling ring and con-
spiracy. They pleaded innocent and were
released on bail.
Webber acknowledged the significance, of
the allegations, but nonetheless referred to
the situation and the media attention as
"funny."
"It doesn't hurt," Webber said of the scandal.
"Because I talk to the real people in the streets,
and they don't care about this stuff."
Despite his unwillingness to discuss the situ-
ation last night, Webber said he would tell his
side of the story at another time.
"What we're going to do is, at a designat-
ed time when we aren't in the middle of a
championship run or a long road trip, I will
sit down and discuss most of these issues,"
Webber said.
His attorney, Fallasha Erwin, said an
exclusive interview with the Sacramento
Bee is in the works "so that Chris can
answer all the questions that people have
about this issue."
On ESPN Classic this past weekend, Webber
said "I didn't take anything" from Martin. But
last night, Webber admitted to being caught off
guard by the question.
"Sometimes you allow yourself to be naive,
Webber said. "You allow yourself to believe the
fact that people say that this issue won't be dis-
cussed."
Erwin has also had his share of problems
with the media. In yesterday's edition of the
Ann Arbor News, Erwin was quoted as saying
that Webber did, in fact, take gifts and money
from Martin.
Erwin said the words were either misquoted
or taken out of context.
"Can I say definitively that Chris didn't
take anything from Ed Martin? No, there is
a possibility," Erwin said. "Do I have any
personal knowledge of this situation? No, I
don't. I don't speak for Chris. But I can tell
you that .I saw no indication that he received
$280,000."
Erwin, who has represented Webber since
the Martin saga began in 1996, went on to say
that Webber fully complied with Michigan's
investigations.
"The outside law firm gave us some ques-
tions, and all those questions were answered,"
Erwin safd. "There were other players that did-
n't cooperate at all"
University General Counsel Marvin Krislov
questioned these claims. According to Krislov,
Webber repeatedly "declined to comment" to
the University.
"Neither Webber nor anyone who spoke for
Webber ever said anything about him getting
any funds," Krislov said.
--Daily Staff Reporter Shannon Pettypiece
contributed to this report.
Offensive
moves into
seventh day
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) - Israeli tanks rolled
into the West Bank's largest city, Nablus, on yesterday and
other troops laid siege to a refugee camp in Jenin, battling
Palestinians who barricaded entrances and fought back with
bombs and guns. Soldiers also encircled hundreds of Pales-
tinian gunmen holed up in the church marking Jesus' birth-
place.
Twelve Palestinians and an Israeli soldier were killed on
the sixth day of Israel's offensive aimed at crushing Palestin-
ian militias and stopping terror attacks on Israeli civilians.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon convened Cabinet
ministers to approve the next stage of the open-ended
"Operation Protective Wall." Only two major West Bank
towns - Hebron and Jericho - were still under Palestinian
control late yesterday.
President Bush repeated his support for the Israeli assault.
"He understands and respects Israel's right to defend her-
self," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.
Secretary of State Colin Powell said he was weighing a
meeting with Israeli and Arab leaders during a trip to
Europe next week.
"My mind is open," Powell told reporters at the State
Department. "We are examining all possibilities. I would not
rule out meeting with anybody where it would serve a useful
purpose."
U.S. special envoy Anthony Zinni remains in the region
striving to implement a truce plan authored last June by CIA
chief George Tenet. The U.S. Embassy hasn't released any
information on his activities in recent days, and no meetings
were scheduled with either Israelis or Palestinians.
But daily anti-Israeli protests in the Arab world grew
more- violent. Thousands of Lebanese and Palestinians
clashed with security forces yesterday outside the U.S.
Embassy in Beirut, with at least 25 reported injured as pro-
testers threw stones and security forces used tear gas and
water cannons.
Under pressure to cut off ties completely with Israel,
Egypt took a more limited step yesterday, announcing it
would suspend all diplomatic contacts with Israel except
those aimed at helping the Palestinians.
See FIGHTING, Page 7A
Mitchell
discusses
possibility.
of peace
Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader
George Mitchell (D-Maine), who spon-
sored peace negotiations in Northern
Ireland and has
been instrumental
in orchestrating
peace efforts in the°
Middle East, will be
on campus today
y discussing global
I security in the face
of the recent terror-
ist attacks.
Mitchell'sMicel r
attempts to reach Mitchell
peace in Northern Ireland culminated
in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
He has also been active in trying to
resolve the conflict between Israelis
and Palestinians. Since Sept. 11, he has
helped coordinate disaster relief efforts
in the U.S.
.lk l l _ -1 . 11 . . 4.1_t* ,A 'T
Judge rules
Haddad's trial
must be open
By Louie Meizlish
Daily Staff Reporter
In a move that possibly sets the stage
for a high profile court challenge, a
federal judge ruled against the U.S.
government yesterday, ordering that
the immigration violation hearings of
jailed Ann Arbor Muslim leader Rabih
Haddad be opened to the press and
public.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds
of the Eastern District of Michigan not
only ruled that Haddad's case be open
to the press and public, but also that all
cases classified by the Justice Depart-
ment's chief immigration judge as
"special interest" must be open. The
"special interest" determination is
made by the office of Chief Immigra-
tion Judge Michael Creppy, and is
made when the Justice Department
feels an open hearing could jeopardize
national security in post-Sept. 11
investigation cases.
The government is seeking Haddad's
deportation for overstaying a six-
month tourist visa which the Lebanese
native was granted in 1998. Haddad is
also a co-founder of the Global Relief
Foundation, a charity whose. assets
were seized by the government for
allegedly funneling money to terrorist
organizations. The GRF's offices in
Illinois were raided on Dec. 14 of last
year, the same day Haddad was
detained.
The American Civil Liberties Union,
the Ann Arbor News, The Detroit
News, the Metro Times and U.S. Rep.
John Conyers (D-Detroit) sued the
government - specifically Attorney
General John Ashcroft, Creppy and
Detroit-based U.S. Immigration Judge
Elizabeth Hacker - claiming Had-
dad's closed removal proceedings vio-
late the constitution.
The case is a classic example of the
conflict between national security and
the need to have transparent justice,
said Richard Rossman, a former U.S.
See HEARING, Page 2A
JONATHON TRIEST/Daiy
Kelly Martin-Crawford, an LSA sophomore, and members of Alpha Phi, Theta Chi and Kappa Sigma
perform at Greek Week's closing event, Sing and Variety, at Hill Auditorium last night.
Preparationsbegin
for next Greek Wee
By Jordan Schrader
Daily Staff Reporter
Greek Week came to a close with last night's
Sing and Variety, as fraternity and sorority mem-
bers sang and danced on the Hill Auditorium
stage. Pi Beta Phi Sorority, Beta Theta Pi Frater-
nity and Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity were declared
champions. But organizers are already planning
an expansion of the event for next year.
The event raised about $44,000 for charity this
year, LSA senior and Greek Week spokesman Dan
Fanton said. Camp Heartland, a Minnesota-based
camping and outreach program for children whose
lives have been affected by AIDS, will receive
$36,000. Remaining money will be divided
between the Coach Carr Cancer Fund, the New
York Firefighters 9-11 Fund, the Boys and Girls
Club of America and Students Promoting Eating
Disorder Awareness and Knowledge. Greek Week
also collected 285 pints of blood for the American
See GREEK WEEK, Page 2A
Profiled Prof
JANICE JENKINS
Walking through the halls between her ofice
and lab, Prof Janice Jenkins explains how she has
just bought the perfect condominium on Chicago's
lakefont. "It's perfect. I'm on the 29th floor and I
have a perfect view of the harbor"
On sabbatical in Chicago for the year; Jenkins
travels to the University's Electrical Engineering
and Computer Science Building afew times a
month to oversee her medical computing laborato-
LASTINATHREE ry and digital design
laboratory. It is clear
PART SERIES, that Jenkins is equally
" O as enthusiastic about
her work as she is
about her new "baby" on Lake Michigan.
Recognized as an Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers Fellow and an American
College of Cardiology Fellow, Jenkins latest work
is a combination of her expertise in engineering
and cardiology. Currently, she is focused on the
design of computer algorhythms for detecting
abnormal heart rhythms, specifically for
implantable cardioverter/defibrillators or ICDs.
These devises reverse sudden cardiac death by
automatic shocks directly to the heart. While
abnormal heart rhythms used to be treated with
drugs, researchers discovered these drugs had
adverse affects. In the past few years ICD has
become the major therapeutic treatment for abnor-
mal heart rhythms. Well over 150,000 ICDs have
h,,n imnnnft'rI in theI.S at a cost nfover
An SSA sophomore who wished to remain anonymous stares Intently at his
computer screen as he participates in an online blackjack game.
Gambling simple
for U'
By Tyler Boersen
Daily Staff Reporter
students
The gambler sits staring at the
computer screen, adrenaline racing
through his body, hoping to win back
the thousands of dollars he lost the
night before. His pulse races as he
loses and places another bet larger
than the last.
With casinos developing in Detroit
and websites making it possible to
win and lose in pajamas from the
comfort of home. ambling has
games, bet on sports or lay down
money on the Internet.
A University student, who wished
to remain anonymous, enjoys visiting
casinos and often plays poker with
friends. He said when he has gained
money he tends to continue gambling
because he wants to earn more. When
he is down, the urge increases to earn
his money back.
A recent study conducted by Uni-
versity psychologists William
Gehring and Adrian Willoughby
found proof that a loss increases the
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