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U.S. | Police State and PrisonsDespite no conviction, Sami al-Arian remains in US prison
Tuesday, August 5, 2008 : Nearly three years after the US government failed to convict Palestinian activist and former college professor Sami al-Arian of any charges in one of the most high-profile terrorism trials following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, he continues to be held in federal prison -- where, if convicted in an upcoming trial on criminal contempt charges, he faces the prospect of remaining for decades.
Al-Arian has been imprisoned since 20 February 2003, after then-attorney general John Ashcroft declared in a press conference that he and four others were in league with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, "one of the most violent terrorist organizations in the world."
According to the US government, al-Arian operated several front groups for the Damascus-based terrorist group during the 1990s, raising money to finance suicide bombings that killed more than 100 Israelis. At his trial, prosecutors played graphic videos of suicide bombings and invited Israeli citizens to testify about their experiences surviving terrorist attacks -- attacks the government suggested were the end result of al-Arian's actions. Prosecutors also showed jurors a 1991 video of a rally where al-Arian can be seen shouting, "death to Israel and victory to Islam" in Arabic. Al-Arian, a former professor at the University of South Florida, maintains that he has never condoned violence against civilians, but that he does support the right to resist a "brutal military occupation" of Palestinian lands. Read More
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Wednesday Aug 6th, 2008 6:10 PM
Here's what Judge James Moody said at the trial:
"Your only connection to orphans and widows is that you create them," Moody said.... "Dr Al-Arian, as usual, you speak eloquently,'' Moody said . "I find it interesting that here in public in front of everyone you praised this country ... but that's just evidence of how you operate. ... You are a master manipulator.'' Moody said Al-Arian lied about his leadership role with Palestinian Islamic Jihad and criticized him for calling the work "charity for widows and orphans." "This trial exposed that as a lie. ... The evidence was clear in this case that you were a leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. You were on the board of directors and an officer, the secretary,'' Moody said.... Echoing a paid government informant who testified at the trial, Moody told Al-Arian: "Your children attend the finest universities this country has to offer while you raise money to blow up the children of others.''... The judge concluded his words to Al-Arian by saying that "anyone with even the slightest bit of human compassion would be sickened'' by a double suicide bombing at Beit Lid, Israel, in January 1995 that killed 22 people. But, he said Al-Arian "saw it as an opportunity to solicit more money to carry out more bombings," and wrote a letter to a Kuwaiti legislator. Evidence at the trial suggested the letter, seized by the FBI from Al-Arian's home, was never sent. But Moody told Al-Arian it showed his "true attitude." At the time of the writing, the judge told Al-Arian, "you continue to lie to your friends and supporters, claiming to abhor violence." He concluded: "You are indeed a master manipulator.'' When the courtroom emptied, Moody signed an expedited order of removal for Al-Arian, which means he will be deported as soon as he completes his sentence. I, for one, hope he rots in jail. |