An Open Letter regarding Dr. Sami al-Arian, Justice, Civil Liberties
and Human Rights.
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), North Central Florida Chapter

Aug 21, 2003
Contact: Charles Willett
352-378-6763

Gainesville, FL–
From: American Civil Liberties Union
North Central Florida Chapter

Today, with the controversy surrounding reasons given for war in
Iraq, we are being reminded that a political agenda can subvert
truth, freedom and democracy. When conclusions are made before the
facts are examined we cannot hope that justice will prevail. We must
not let the war on terrorism provide the state an opportunity to deny
justice in the name of security.

Dr. Sami Al-Arian was born in Kuwait of Palestinian parents. After
moving to Egypt with his family he came to the United States to
continue his education in the mid 1970’s. He was hired as a tenure
track Professor at the University of South Florida in 1986. Over the
years Dr. Al-Arian has been an activist for the Palestinian and
Muslim community, being involved in many educational and charitable
organizations. At least one of his organizations had been
investigated by the State of Florida and had been receiving grants
until June of 2003.

Tabloid newspaper and television reporters have seen Dr. Al-Arian as
a convenient target for accusations of terrorism. At one point he
was accused of being responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing–
apparently because he is a visible, outspoken and opinionated Muslim
and Palestinian. After 9-11 the accusations increased in number and
volume while Dr. Al-Arian refused to lay low. He was subsequently
fired from USF after a highly publicized period during which he
worked resolutely to retain his job. During this time he was an
outspoken critic of Israel and Bush’s foreign policy, speaking at
several national rallies and demonstrations.

The justice system and the state of Florida had investigated Dr. Al-
Arian and his relatives and associates repeatedly without finding
cause for indictment, until the USA Patriot Act was passed. At the
height of preparations for war in Iraq, in February 2003, a federal
grand jury accused Dr. Al-Arian and others with secret and
undisclosed evidence derived from foreign surveillance and other
formerly illegal sources. He has not been accused of overtly or
directly being responsible for any violent crime, yet he is being
treated as if he had been found guilty in a court of law. He is
inflicted with prison procedures usually reserved for the most
violent, bad-actors in the penal system.

Dr. Sami Al Arian has been denied justice. He is in solitary
confinement with severely restricted use of telephones, access to
papers relating to his case, family and friends. Even access to a
clock has been denied. He has endured repeated strip searches. He
is presumably an innocent man who is being punished before his day in
court. And he can look forward to many more months of punishment
before his case is heard in the year 2005. These punishing and
restrictive conditions prevent Dr. Al-Arian from effectively
preparing a defense.

The Gainesville Area ACLU Chapter must demand that Dr. Al-Arian be
presumed to be innocent until he is given the chance to meet his
accusor, present his defense and hear a judgement from his peers.
The conditions under which he is held are effectively denying him due
process of law. He must be freed from the excessive limitations of
Coleman Prison and returned to the Tampa area to prepare for his
defense. This would remove any perception that this case has been
used for political reasons in the war on terrorism plus obviously
advancing justice. It would seem that Dr. Al-Arian is being treated
more severely because he is a Muslim, a Palestinian, and most
importantly an outspoken political activist at odds with the ideology
of his accusors.

He must be given free access to meet with legal representatives and
documents. He must be treated humanely rather than being punished
for the crime of being accused.

We ask our fellow citizens, the judges and lawyers involved, the
management of the Coleman Prison to consider the following:

Due Process Rights
Inhumane Treatment.
Why he can’t be moved closer to family and lawyers.
Limited access to the law library
Lack of needed reference documents
Why he is in solitary confinement
Why he is denied more than occasional use of the phone.
Why he cannot obtain pencils.
If he is not convicted of a crime, should he be in Coleman?