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September 2, 2008
Sami Al-Arian Is Out of Jail for First Time in 5 Years
Sami Al-Arian, the former University of South Florida professor once accused of being a leading Palestinian terrorist, was released from custody today for the first time in more than five years, the Associated Press reported.
Mr. Al-Arian had been jailed while awaiting trial on contempt charges for refusing to testify before a grand jury about Muslim organizations in the United States. He had been in federal custody since February 2003, when he was arrested on charges that accused him of being a leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
In a mixed verdict in 2005, a jury acquitted him of some of the original charges but deadlocked on others. In a plea agreement, he later admitted to a single count of conspiracy and was sentenced to 57 months in prison, with credit for time served. He also agreed to be deported after serving the remaining year and a half.
Since completing that sentence, however, he has been held on contempt charges for refusing to testify. He will be on home detention at his daughter’s residence in Virginia while awaiting trial on those charges. —Charles Huckabee
Posted on Tuesday September 2, 2008 | Permalink |Comments
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Sounds like a deal to get him into protective custody. They must have turned him. Good!
— Jack Sep 3, 09:17 AM #
Send him “home,” Jeff? Where exactly would “home” be for a Palestinian?
I suspect you have no idea how chilling, in the current legal climate, responses like that are for those of us in academia who are not US-born.
— NP Sep 3, 09:30 AM #
Our judicial rules, based on the Constitution, are critical to American liberties. This appears that this is a misuse of the justice system. How many other individuals have been held this long on contempt charges?
— L Nielsen Sep 3, 09:42 AM #
NP,
I am from that part of the world, but I love this country, served it proadly for over 10 years in the Air Force, and agree with what Jeff had to say. What I think he is trying to say, is get him out of our country, period.
— Non-US Born Sep 3, 09:44 AM #
He was criminalized for essentially first amendment activities. He even campaigned for Bush in 2000. His mistake was being an outspoken Palestinian Muslim. Had he been an Israel supporter, he would be getting tax breaks for donations to settlements (via US non-profits).
The “love it or leave it”/get-him-out-of-here logic is senseless and frankly anti-Arab and un-American.
Those who forget his US citizen children and are calling to break up his family are either ignorant or just hateful. No one seems to care that he survived criminal charges and years of prosecution. Some faith in the justice system you proud Americans have.
Is that real American talk?
— Will Sep 3, 11:02 AM #
Will,
Are you saying he is 100 percent innocent? If he is innocent of any wrong doing, then why is he in contempt of court? Why doesn’t he work with authorities to help keep this country safe?
I am an Arab-American. I love this country and earned my citizenship here. Why didn’t he? Those that don’t love it need to leave it. I am sick of other Arab-Americans slamming this country and the freedom they take advantage of. If he didn’t like our policies, then he should get his citizenship, vote in the elections, right to his representative, and respect the laws of this country. Those laws include abiding by the judge’s orders.
— Non-US Born Sep 3, 11:21 AM #
America is for AMERICANS – if you don’t like this country just leave to another part of the world.
— Bubba Sep 3, 11:29 AM #
Yet another case of the administration unleashed by ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ in the White House. God, how soon will this idiocy be over with?!?!
— Jim Seeber Sep 3, 11:41 AM #
So, Will says, “he even campaigned for Bush in 2000.” That settles it for me. Punish, then deport him. He, 50,456,002 voters, and five Supreme Court justices destroyed the country. Forget the first amendment; it has no relevance now, eight years later.
— Dave Sep 3, 01:51 PM #
Jeff (#1), Jack (#2), and Non-US born (#5) have it absolutely right. Get ‘im outta here. Jordan has a good record of how to deal with Palestinian terrorists, and I’m sure they’d be happy to inquire about some of his friends and associates. Sorry if that is too chilling, NP (#3)—maybe its time for you to head on home.
— Publius Sep 3, 04:03 PM #
Sami Al-Arian is not innocent, nor was he jailed simply for “first-amendment activities.” Why don’t you specify for us, Dave, exactly how these people on your list have “destroyed the country,” and tell us, exactly, how it is that the First Amendment “has no relevance now.”
The country appears to me to be doing just fine, and the First Amendment seems to be as relevant as ever—especially since we are able to apprehend and punish such flagrant anti-American subversives as Al-Arian.
He has been treated much better than he deserves. Don’t waste your sympathy on him or his family. They hate America and everything it stands for.
— Timothy Sep 3, 04:32 PM #
Timothy, do you really want me to go into a litany about the transgressions of this administration—including its assaults on speech, privacy and due process leaving the Constitution in tatters—that have made President Bush the most reviled president since the advent of modern polling and led the vast majority of Americans to conclude that their country is headed in the wrong direction?
— Dave Sep 3, 06:28 PM #
Dave,
You watch too much of that BS media spin. Can you still walk down the street you used to walk down years ago? You are still free to write on this topic. Our government is working hard to catch the bad guys. That is all. If you are not a bad guy, then what are you worried about? I hope it never happens, but God forbid if a bad guy strikes again in this country, I will be the first to tell you I told you so. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live worried about these people trying to kill me in my own home land. Wake up, Man. This is a free country. Even if you don’t think so.
— Disappointed Sep 3, 11:08 PM #
Sami Al-Arian, the former University of South Florida professor once accused of being a leading Palestinian terrorist, was released from custody today for the first time in more than five years. In a free country like the United States, these terrorists get away with murder. He should be prosecuted and jailed. If you send him back to his country, he will be engaged in terroristic activities against the United States and other democracies. His supporters in the United States should be investigated and prosecuted.
— kvc Sep 4, 04:34 PM #
hmmmm….ACCUSED of being – so what happened to innocent until proven guilty? or doesn’t that apply in the rePUCKican United States?
IF you want a FREE U.S, then you need to allow the principles this country was built upon to be applied to ALL individuals.
— Gary Sep 4, 05:23 PM #