Monday, October 1, 2001

Professor, Once the Subject of Terrorist Investigation, Is Placed on Leave After He Receives Threats By DANA MULHAUSER The University of South Florida has placed Sami Al-Arian, a professor of computer science, on a paid leave following a television interview that drew connections between him and terrorist groups. "Clearly, the presence of Dr. Al-Arian on the campus at this time adversely affects the operation of the university," Judy Genshaft, the university's president, said on Friday at an emergency meeting of South Florida's Board of Trustees. "As a result of Dr. Al-Arian's national television appearance on Wednesday, we have been bombarded with telephone calls and e-mail from people who are concerned about the possibility of terrorist activity" at South Florida, Ms. Genshaft said. At least one of the callers threatened Mr. Al-Arian's life and forced the evacuation of his department. In response, the university has increased police patrols on campus and is considering other security measures. Mr. Al-Arian was investigated in 1995 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation but not charged on accusations that he had provided funds to terrorist organizations and helped terrorists obtain American visas. At the time, he was the head of World and Islam Studies Enterprises, a research organization, now defunct, that was connected with the university. In a heated discussion on FOX News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor on Wednesday night, Mr. Al-Arian said that he was "shocked" that two former colleagues from WISE were involved in terrorist activities. Ramadan Abdulah Shallah, a former top official at WISE, became the head of the terrorist group Islamic Jihad, and another colleague, Tariq Hamdi, is listed by the FBI as a suspected terrorist with connections to Osama bin Laden. The FBI in affidavits accused World and Islam Studies Enterprises of raising money for terrorist organizations and shut it down in 1995. Mr. Al-Arian was placed on paid leave from 1996 to 1998 while the FBI investigated whether he was connected to terrorist organizations in the Middle East. He was never charged in the matter, and the university's own investigation turned up no evidence of wrongdoing. In the FOX program on Wednesday, Mr. Al-Arian also defended a 1988 speech in which he said, "Death to Israel." He told the host, Bill O'Reilly, "When you say 'Death to Israel,' you mean death to occupation, death to apartheid, death to oppression," but not death to any human being. Mr. Al-Arian did not respond to telephone calls or e-mail messages for this article. According to Ms. Genshaft, the university has told Mr. Al-Arian that, when he speaks about the Middle East, he should make clear that his views are not representative of the university. When Mr. Al-Arian appeared on The O'Reilly Factor, he made no such disclaimer, and the university's name was displayed. Ms. Genshaft made clear, however, that his leave of absence was for security reasons, not disciplinary ones. Some of his fellow professors believe that the university put Mr. Al-Arian on leave to avoid controversy, at least partly. "I think the university may just be kind of distancing itself from the publicity," said Nancy Taylor, a past president of the Faculty Senate. "I'm concerned as a fellow faculty member that his rights not be trampled on." Michael Gibbons, a professor of government and international affairs, blamed Mr. O'Reilly for creating controversy over Mr. Al-Arian three years after the FBI and the university had cleared him. "It's not really a news show," Mr. Gibbons said. "It's more like Jerry Springer, when you get down to it." Background articles from The Chronicle: Professor Suspected of Terrorism Ties Returns to U. of South Florida Classroom (9/11/1998) Report on Terrorist Flap at U. of South Fla. Finds Few Flaws (6/7/1996) Faculty Ties to Islamic Jihad Questioned at U. of S. Florida (5/24/1996) Easy-to-print version E-mail this article

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