Holding Their Breath

Sami Al-Arian's children wait for the jury to decide his fate

The day before the first real cold snap hit New York in November, Laila Al-Arian was running through the 13th floor of the Manhattan Criminal Courts Building, her black-and-hot-pink hijab a flash of color on the crowded main corridor.

She was there working on her final project for a course at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. The assignment was to find the court records of a recently adjudicated

Digital or Print Subscription

Already have an account? Log In Now.