By: Sami A. Al-ArianThe Tampa Tribune Guest Column, Commentary August 18, 2002 By now, much of America has heard of my case. Pick up any newspaper, turn to any news channel or surf the internet and you’re sure to learn of the tenured University of South Florida engineering professor under[Read More…]
from The Chronicle of Higher Education http://chronicle.com/colloquylive/2002/02/alarian/ Wednesday, February 6, at 2 p.m., U.S. Eastern time Should Sami Al-Arian be dismissed from his tenured job at the University of South Florida? Since September 11, there have been numerous incidents in which faculty members have been criticized for their comments about[Read More…]
January 9, 2002 Senate President Dr. Paveza Madame President Dr. Genshaft Mr. Provost Dr. Stamps Senators Colleagues Students Ladies and Gentlemen Good Afternoon My attorney Bob McKee is in attendance willing to answer any questions by the senators. I hope that he will be recognized by the chair. Mr. President:[Read More…]
St. Petersburg Times April 23, 2009 By Meg Laughlin Link: Click here On Friday, a U.S. Circuit Court judge in Virginia will either dismiss the criminal contempt case against former University of South Florida professor Sami Al-Arian or set a trial date. If the judge’s comments in court are[Read More…]
St. Petersburg Times April 23, 2009 By Meg Laughlin Link: Click here On Friday, a U.S. Circuit Court judge in Virginia will either dismiss the criminal contempt case against former University of South Florida professor Sami Al-Arian or set a trial date. If the judge’s comments in court are any[Read More…]
By Meg Laughlin
ALEXANDIRA, Va. – A federal judge ruled Friday that Sami Al-Arian will stand trial in March for criminal contempt.
Al-Arian had requested that the charge be dismissed based on “selective prosecution.”
But, while U.S. District Court Judge Leonie Brinkema agreed with Al-Arian that such prosecutions are “rare” and that the facts of his case are “absolutely unique,” the judge said a jury would have to decide if Al-Arian committed a crime.
According to federal prosecutors in Virginia, the criminal contempt charge stems from Al-Arian’s refusal to testify before a grand jury about the actions of a Virginia think tank, the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT).
Over 16 years ago, the think tank gave $50,000 to WISE (World and Islam Studies Enterprise), a former think tank on Middle Eastern issues at the University of South Florida, run by Al-Arian. Federal prosecutors want Al-Arian to testify about the details of that transaction.
But, according to documents filed by Al-Arian’s attorneys, Al-Arian “did cooperate and answer questions on IIIT” for federal prosecutors, which shows, wrote the defense attorneys, that the Virginia prosecutors are “ultimately not interested in IIIT … but want to revisit the Tampa trial.”The Tampa trial ended in December 2005 when a jury acquitted Al-Arian of eight terrorism charges, some related to the finan cial transactions of WISE, and deadlocked on nine other charges, 10 to 2 in favor of acquittal.
ST. PETERSBURG TIMES March 6, 2009 By MEG LAUGHLIN For the first time, federal prosecutors in Alexandria, Va., have acknowledged that when Sami Al-Arian took a plea deal in early 2006, federal prosecutors in Tampa believed — as did Al-Arian — that it exempted him from testifying in other cases.[Read More…]
ASSOCIATED PRESS March 5, 2009 By MATTHEW BARAKAT McLEAN, Va. (AP) — Federal prosecutors have defied a judge’s order to turn over evidence of their internal The government’s decision raises the possibility that U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema will toss out a criminal contempt case against Sami al-Arian, who[Read More…]
ST. PETERSBURG TIMES March 6, 2009 By MEG LAUGHLIN Link: Click here For the first time, federal prosecutors in Alexandria, Va., have acknowledged that when Sami Al-Arian took a plea deal in early 2006, federal prosecutors in Tampa believed — as did Al-Arian — that it exempted him from testifying[Read More…]
ASSOCIATED PRESS March 5, 2009 By MATTHEW BARAKAT Link: Click here McLEAN, Va. (AP) — Federal prosecutors have defied a judge’s order to turn over evidence of their internal deliberations in coming to a plea agreement with a former professor once accused of being a top Palestinian terrorist.The government’s decision[Read More…]
Recent Comments