Al-Arian Acquitted in Terrorism Case

December 7, 2005

Source: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/06/AR2005120601012_pf.html

On December 7, 2005 The Washington Post reported, "A federal jury acquitted former Florida professor Sami al-Arian yesterday of conspiring to aid a Palestinian group in killing Israelis through suicide bombings, dealing the U.S. government a setback in its efforts to use secretly gathered intelligence in criminal cases against terrorism suspects. The trial was a crucial test of government power under the USA Patriot Act, which lowered barriers that had prevented intelligence agencies from sharing secretly monitored communications with prosecutors... The Tampa jury deliberated 13 days before rejecting arguments laid out over five months by prosecutors that the former University of South Florida computer engineer and three co-defendants conspired with leaders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad -- which the United States has designated a terrorist group -- providing it money, strategy and advice. The accusations were based on 20,000 hours of phone conversations and hundreds of faxes secretly monitored beginning in 1993. Al-Arian, 47, was found not guilty on eight of 17 counts, including conspiracy to maim or murder. Jurors deadlocked on the rest of the charges, including ones that he aided terrorists. Al-Arian wept and was hugged by attorney Linda Moreno after the verdict, according to news accounts, before returning to jail, where he will wait as prosecutors decide whether to retry him on the counts that resulted in deadlock."