Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace

June 9, 2005

Dr. Al-Arian’s Trial Begins
Tampa—

Dr. Sami Al-Arian’s trial began on Monday, June 6, 2005. A lunch-time rally was held in his support outside of the federal court house in Tampa. The sponsor of the rally, Friends of Human Rights, held a large banner that read “Everyone Deserves a Fair Trial.”

“We believe that this case has nothing to do with the security of the American people and everything to do with fear and prejudice. We continue to call for a fair trial. With a fair trial, the people of our area and in other countries will know that the defendants truly are innocent or guilty.

…Of equal importance, the people will know that their government has conducted this investigation and prosecution in a manner that seeks above all else to determine the actual innocence or guilt of those accused,” the group wrote in a statement to the press.

The Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace would like to thank everyone who sent letters of support this week; we received many beautiful messages from around the world. We are confident that Dr. Al-Arian will be vindicated, and this case will soon be exposed for what it really is: a politically-motivated campaign launched by a foreign government to silence voices in the U.S. speaking on behalf of oppressed Palestinians.

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Below is selected media coverage of the last three days of court:

June 6

“The trial is expected to last at least six months and the prosecution has called hundreds of witnesses, many from Israel. U.S. marshals placed barriers around the federal courthouse in Tampa and armed police stood on the steps. U.S. District Judge James Moody told jurors the extra security was standard practice across the country for high-profile trials and was not to be held against the defendants. Al-Arian had asked the trial be moved out of Tampa because of extensive news coverage about the case and fears of bias against Arabs and Muslims, but Moody refused.

Outside the courthouse, al-Arian’s wife, Nahla, told reporters: “There is no question Sami is innocent. He is a good man.” She spoke as about a dozen supporters of the defendants demonstrated on the sidewalk. -Reuters

“…[S]upporters and lawyers for the Kuwait-born professor claim that it is not a straightforward case of terrorist funding. Instead, they say it raises serious issues about anti-Muslim bias in the US post-September 11, freedom of speech and what they see as a blatant attempt by Israel to silence a powerful Palestinian voice in America.

William Moffitt, a veteran civil rights lawyer who is representing Dr Arian, believes that his client is in the dock because of the cause he represents rather than any crimes he has committed. “He is an effective political operator. The idea that here is this guy who is speaking to the highest echelons of the US government, I imagine, makes him a threat in [Israeli] minds.”

He continued: “I do find it very offensive that the Israelis would reach out here to try to silence an advocate of the other side in the US.” -The Guardian (of London)

June 7

“A lawyer for an ex-university professor facing charges that he supported and helped finance a terrorist group in the Middle East tore into the government’s case Monday, claiming that Sami Al-Arian was being prosecuted not for any illegal deeds but for expressing pro-Palestinian views.

‘This case will be about Dr. Al-Arian’s right to speak, your right to hear him and the attempt of the powerful to silence him,’ defense lawyer William Moffitt told jurors in his opening statement.

…Providing a preview of Al-Arian’s defense, Moffitt argued that U.S. law did not bar people from belonging to a terrorist organization or espousing such a group’s cause as long as the individuals did not engage in illegal actions. He promised jurors that during the trial, which could last six months to a year, ‘there will be no evidence any violent act took place, and no violent act was ever planned to take place in the United States.’

‘The outstanding feature of this case is freedom of speech,’ Moffitt said. He noted that the government planned to call numerous witnesses from Israel, and predicted jurors would conclude that ‘the Israelis are here to silence Dr. Al-Arian.'” -Los Angeles Times

“…In his opening statement, Al-Arian’s defense attorney William Moffitt raised this very issue. He told jurors that they would have to decide if there was ‘any existing agreement between the people who received the money and violent intent.'”

He said that the prosecution would not be able to show there was any connection.

‘Do the people who are relatives have a right to receive charity? It is not against the law,’ Moffitt said.

He characterized the case as being about unpopular ideas and the right to express them, rather than conspiracy to provide material aid to terrorists. He asked the jury: ‘Are we going to remain true to our heritage so that everybody’s ideas and beliefs have a free shot?’ ” -St. Petersburg Times

“…Defense attorney William Moffitt called Al-Arian a victim of people who oppose his pro-Palestinian views — and said there was no proof that he had helped plan or knew in advance of any terror attacks. If Al-Arian, a computer engineering professor, were such a threat, Moffitt asked jurors Monday during his opening statement, then why didn’t police arrest him and how did he get access to the White House during the decade he has been under investigation by the FBI?” -Miami Herald

June 8

“In opening statements Tuesday, lawyers for the three men being tried along with Al-Arian painted them as family men who supported the Middle East peace process and were dedicated to providing legitimate charity to the needy in Palestinian territories.

Al-Arian’s attorneys and prosecutors had presented their opening statements Monday.

Defense lawyers maintain prosecutors will be able to provide no evidence directly tying the men to the terrorist group or any criminal activity. And they said there are reasonable explanations for evidence offered by prosecutors, including the wiretapped phone calls.” -Associated Press