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A Prisoner of Global Impact
Vietnamese immigrant Thong Nguyen "Cuc" Foshee, 58, of Orlando has been held in a Vietnamese prison for more than a year on terrorism suspicions.
(By Elizabeth Mccausland)
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McCausland said her mother "was very vocal about her wish that Vietnam become a democracy." She said Foshee demonstrated in Washington during Bush's meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in June 2005, and a photograph of her holding a sign demanding religious freedom in Vietnam was printed in newspapers. But she scoffs at the idea that her mother -- who she said is barely over five feet tall, has high blood pressure and was overweight when arrested -- knew anything about radio equipment or taking over radio stations.
"It's entirely ridiculous," McCausland said. "I truly believe what she is being punished for is her speaking out for democracy here in the United States."
In another recent case, the family of Cong Thanh Do, a San Jose resident, was surprised to learn that he secretly oversaw a network of anti-communist dissidents from his laptop. His activities came to light after he was arrested on a trip to Vietnam with his wife and 9-year-old son in mid-August. He was released after being held for 38 days.
Foshee, who owns a landscaping business, served as Asian coalition regional chairman for the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004 and contributed $2,000 to the Republican National Committee in 2001, campaign records show. She also contributed $10,000 in 2000 to the successful Senate campaign of Democrat Bill Nelson, who as a House member helped bring her brother to the United States.
U.S. officials declined to discuss details of the case. Frederick Jones, spokesman for Bush's National Security Council, said the White House is aware of Foshee's detention and Martinez's action. "We have urged the government of Vietnam to abide by international legal standards and not to hold her indefinitely without due process," Jones said.
The case is "an obstacle to getting the trade package forward," said a senior State Department official. Rice has received assurances from Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem that he understands how important the case is and will work to resolve it, the official said.
Martinez declined to comment. Spokeswoman Kerry Feehery would only say that Martinez "is doing everything in his power as a U.S. senator to get Mrs. Foshee home to Florida."
The Vietnamese Embassy did not return phone calls.
