Is Dr Sami al-Arian’s long ordeal finally over?

Crescent International

Sha'ban 30, 1435 2014-06-28

Daily News Analysis

by Crescent International

Although all charges against Dr Sami al-Arian, the former Florida professor, have finally been dropped, he still faces the threat of deportation. The US government should do the honorable thing and drop this charge as well immediately to prove it is based on the rule of law. His family has also suffered immensely all these years.

Washington DC,

2014-06-28, 15:44 DST

After facing an 11-year-long harrowing witch-hunt, US District Judge Anthony J. Trenga finally signed an order on Friday June 27 dismissing the indictment against Dr Sami al-Arian. The Florida professor had been hounded by Zionist media outlets that wrongfully accused him of being a supporter of terrorism in Palestine.

Bill O-Reilly, the notorious Islamophobe, used his perch on Fox News to accuse Dr Al-Arian of terrorism. Other zionists also joined the witch-hunt among them Steve Emerson who has gained notoriety for his Islamophobic rants.

As a consequence of this vicious campaign against him, Dr Al-Arian lost his tenured professorship and faced a laundry list of charges that were clearly politically motivated.

His family that has stood by him, was clearly relieved, indeed elated at the dismissal of charges against him. It released a statement following the dismissal of charges saying:

"We are glad that the government has finally decided to drop the charges against Sami Al-Arian. It has been a long and difficult 11 years for our family in what has ultimately been shown to be a political case. We are relieved that this ordeal finally appears to be at an end. We hope that today's events bring to a conclusion the government's pursuit of Dr. Al-Arian and that he can finally be able to resume his life with his family in freedom."

The US government, under pressure from the Zionist lobby, targeted Dr. Al-Arian for his political activities for more than a decade. In 2005, his trial in Florida ended in acquittals on eight counts and a hung jury on nine other counts, with 10 of 12 jurors voting to acquit Dr. Al-Arian of all counts.

Despite this, the government was not prepared to let go and was determined to pursue the case through a re-trial. In order to avoid a lengthy—not to mention extremely expensive—retrial, Dr Al-Arian pleaded guilty to one count, which also allowed for his deportation.

But before his deportation hearings, Dr Al-Arian was served with a subpoena calling him before a grand jury to testify about Muslim organizations in Virginia. Dr. Al-Arian said the subpoena violated his plea deal and constitutional rights. He refused to testify.

The government was relentless in its persecution of the former professor of computer science. In 2008, Dr Al-Arian was indicted on two counts of criminal contempt for refusing to testify. The case has been in limbo since that time, with Dr. Al-Arian under house arrest in a small apartment while his appeals were considered.

Muslim leaders in the US have faced harassment and intimidation including unsubstantiated charges that were amplified by the Zionist-controlled media for constitutionally protected activities that would be considered perfectly legitimate for others.

Legal experts are convinced that the government’s case was politically-motivated and pandered to Zionist blackmailers. Further, that the government was unable to secure conviction through a jury that dismissed almost all the charges against the professor, hence the slapping of contempt charges.

Muslim leaders in the US have faced harassment and intimidation including unsubstantiated charges that were amplified by the Zionist-controlled media for constitutionally protected activities that would be considered perfectly legitimate for others.

Unfortunately, Dr. Al-Arian still faces the threat of deportation. If the US government truly claims to be based on the rule of law, it should drop all deportation proceedings against Dr Al-Arian and apologize to him for the more than decade of harassment and intimidation that he has suffered.

His family has similarly suffered over all these years.

END