Former Florida professor deported from
U.S. over Palestinian terrorist ties
Send a link to a friend
[February 07, 2015]
By Letitia Stein
TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - A former Florida
university professor was deported this week, ending years of legal
battles over accusations that he aided a Palestinian terrorist
organization.
|
Sami Al-Arian left on Wednesday night on a commercial flight out
of Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
He was headed to Turkey, according to a blog post by his criminal
attorney, Jonathan Turley.
The case against Al-Arian, formerly a computer science professor at
the University of South Florida in Tampa, received international
attention as a test of U.S. government's powers under the Patriot
Act.
Al-Arian was arrested in 2003 on charges that he gave money and
support to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which has been designated
a terrorist organization by the United States.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Feb/07/images/ads/current/ldn_sda_062409.png) A jury later acquitted Al-Arian of eight of the 17 charges against
him, failing to reach a verdict on the remaining counts.
In 2006, Al-Arian pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to
provide services to the organization. He agreed to be deported after
serving his prison sentence.
Instead, he faced another legal battle, this time with U.S.
prosecutors in Virginia. In 2008, he was charged with two counts of
criminal contempt after refusing to testify in a separate
investigation. Those charges that were dropped in June.
"Dr. Al-Arian’s case raised troubling due process, academic freedom,
and free speech issues," Turley wrote on his blog.
[to top of second column] |
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Feb/07/images/ads/current/business_directory_lda.png)
He noted that Al-Arian likely would keep writing and lecturing from
Turkey, although it is unknown if he will teach.
Turley also posted a statement attributed to Al-Arian.
"Despite the long and arduous ordeal and hardships suffered by my
family, I leave with no bitterness or resentment in my heart
whatsoever," Al Arian wrote in the online post.
(Reporting by Letitia Stein)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Feb/07/images/ads/current/tourism_lda_121014.png) |