ACLU urges no retrial for Islamic Jihad Leader, Sami Al-Arian
Posted on January 24, 2006
Sami Al-Arian was the North American operative for Palestinian Islamic Jihad. An ACLU-led campaign to exclude incriminating evidence seized by the FBI in the 1990s evidently played a decisive role in Al-Arian’s surprising acquittal this December.
The FBI raided the WISE headquarters and seized 500 videotapes of Al-Arian’s “conferences” where funds were raised to aid terrorism efforts overseas. A federal grand jury indicted Al-Arian and six others in Tampa, Florida who were believed to be fellow leaders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. A 50-count indictment named Al-Arian as the North American leader of the terrorist organization. Connections to Hamas were also charged.
It was further shown that Al-Arian had organized the Islamic Committee for Palestine (ICP), which brought international terrorists to the United States and openly solicited funds for Islamic Jihad and Hamas. Al-Arian was also shown to have connections to the blind sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, who masterminded the first World Trade Center attack in 1993; to Hamas official Mohammed Sakr; to the high-ranking Sudanese terrorist Hassan Turbai; and to Islamic Jihad co-founder Abdel Aziz-Odeh.
Though the FBI has eight years of wiretaps and intercepted faxes to back up its case against Al-Arian, the former USF professor claimed he was a victim of anti-Muslim persecution.Source
The ACLU are now urging no re-trial for Islamic Jihad leader and founder Sami Al-Arian.
In a letter to federal authorities, the director of the Florida ACLU wrote: “In light of the jury’s acquittal … on the most serious charges and in light of reportedly spending millions of dollars in a trial that led to no convictions, a decision to retry (Dr. Al-Arian) would appear to be pointless and vindictive.”
The letter marked the first time in three years that the ACLU has taken a position on the charges against Al-Arian.
Howard Simon of the ACLU sent the letter to Paul Perez, U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida; and to his boss, Alice Fisher, chief of the criminal division at the U.S. Department of Justice.
Al-Arian and three co-defendants had been charged with raising money to further the violent acts of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Israel and the Occupied Territories.
» Filed Under ACLU, News, War On Terror
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7 Responses to “ACLU urges no retrial for Islamic Jihad Leader, Sami Al-Arian”
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Syndicate Me
Umm…he was found innocent of the major charges against him. If you look at the “evidence” (burp), you’ll see that it’s nothing more than a loose-knit mountain of papers. Nothing more. It was as if the prosecution was simply trying to overwhelm the jury with volume, not content.
btw…his name is Sami. Just a note for those great copy editors you have working here.
I don’t believe I said anything to the contrary. As a matter of fact, I gave no opinion on this. I just reported it. The Jury made their decision.
Is there a source with regarding the evidence? I want to make my own judgement rather than assume it was loose knit.
How can you claim that this is an ACLU-led campaign to exclude incriminating evidence in the trial, and that this played a decisive role in Al-Arian’s acquittal – when this is the first time since Al-Arian’s arrest that the ACLU has taken a position in the charges? Haven’t we spent enough tax money on this case? If 450 000 intercepted phone calls made over 9 years and thousands of pages of seized documents, videos and books did not show any evidence that a crime took place it might be time to somewhere else for the real crooks. Abramoff was a good start. Try the White House next.
Hi Jay,
Not reporting that the Jury aquitted Al-Arian on the most serious charges IS giving an opinion.
Hi Alex, learn to read.
In a letter to federal authorities, the director of the Florida ACLU wrote: “In light of the jury’s acquittal … on the most serious charges….
“Try the White House next.”
*sigh* Here we go again. Have you some proof that Congress doesn’t that someone in the White House stole something from you? Did Bush break a law? If so, please give your evidence to the proper authorities so they can prosecute.