Dec. 14, 2005
St. Petersburg Times, Letters to the Editor
Re: The Al-Arian verdict.
I commend and thank the jury for their responsible and courageous application of the principles of American justice. These American citizens acted responsibly and courageously. They helped to reaffirm the judicial branch’s role to check the abusive power and irresponsible behavior of our executive branch in our system of separation of powers. It spent millions of taxpayer dollars to convict Palestinian Muslims of terrorism without the necessary evidence.

It would be another miscarriage of justice if the Bush administration deports Dr. Al-Arian or refuses to allow Sameeh Hammoudeh to obtain his doctoral degree (two months away) before his deportation.

Dr. Al-Arian has earned his right to be a citizen of this country. He believes in the American Constitution and Bill of Rights. As a leader of the Islamic Community of Tampa, he guided our community to love this country and to work actively to promote education, social justice and civil rights. Our mosque joined H.O.P.E (Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality) along with other local churches. He promoted interfaith dialogue with Christians and Jews, locally and nationally. He became prominent as a national leader in the civil rights’ struggle to prohibit the government’s use of secret evidence to imprison people.

In his 30 years here, he has built many bridges between Muslims and non-Muslims. He is a man committed to justice for all, Americans, Palestinians, Jews, and the oppressed. America needs a man like this to help promote peace and understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims here and in the world.

— Pilar Saad, Tampa