TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Judge Drops Al-Arian's Contempt Charge

ADVERTISEMENT

By THOMAS W. KRAUSE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 14, 2007

Updated: 12/14/2007 12:13 am

TAMPA - Sami Al-Arian is no longer in contempt of court, a federal judge in Virginia ruled Thursday, paving the way for the former University of South Florida professor to complete his prison sentence and depart for Egypt.

In February 2003, Al-Arian was accused of acting as a fundraiser for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

In December 2005, a federal jury in Tampa acquitted him on eight charges and deadlocked on nine others. In an agreement with federal prosecutors, Al-Arian avoided a new trial by pleading guilty to a charge he conspired to aid the Islamic Jihad.

Al-Arian was sentenced to nearly five years in prison, after which he was to leave the country. He was given credit for the time he served while awaiting trial and was expected to finish the sentence eight months ago.

That didn't happen.

On Thursday, Al-Arian's attorney, Jonathan Turley of Alexandria, Va., released a statement on his Web site saying Al-Arian only entered the plea agreement with the understanding that he would not cooperate "in destroying the lives of other people."

Prosecutors in Virginia subpoenaed Al-Arian anyway, the statement says, to testify about Palestinian charities before a grand jury. When he refused, he was held in contempt of court. Under federal rules, time spent jailed on contempt charges is not credited toward other sentences. Therefore Al-Arian's five-year sentence has been on hold since his contempt status began in October 2006.

Under terms of the plea agreement, Al-Arian was to be deported after finishing his sentence. He is expected to join his family in Egypt.

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT