Ex-Professor's Terror Trial Set to Begin

[steve2470]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TERRORISM_TRIAL?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=HOME


TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Ten years ago, American student Alisa Flatow boarded a bus headed to a Gaza Strip beach resort for a much needed break from her studies.

At the Israeli settlement of Kfar Darom, a young man sat in a van loaded with explosives. As the bus approached, he steered his rolling bomb at it with ferocious speed and slammed into the bus' side. Eight people - seven Israelis and Flatow - died in the April 9, 1995, terrorist attack.

Now her parents are looking for justice half a world away in Tampa, where a former computer science professor and three others are going on trial on charges they helped fund the terrorist group that carried out the bombing. Jury selection begins Monday.

Sami Al-Arian, a University of South Florida professor and nationally known Palestinian rights activist, was already secretly under investigation by FBI foreign intelligence agents at the time of the bombing.
<snip>

[autorank]

1. This guy worked for Bush. I hope he does time!

If you raise funds for a group that kills people, you are liable, in whatever part of the world it occurs.

[struggle4progress]

23. I'm really curious what the true story here is ... eom

[struggle4progress]

2. Sami Al-Arian and George W. Bush

<snip> Al-Arian Campaigned For Bush in 2000. Al-Arian campaigned in Florida with Bush during the 2000 presidential campaign and had his photo taken with Bush at the Florida Strawberry festival in Plant City. Bush gave Al-Arian’s son, Abdullah, the nickname, “Big Dude.” Al-Arian later boasted that he had delivered the margin of victory in Florida to Bush. According to Newsweek, “Al-Arian campaigned vigorously for the Republicans at mosques and Islamic cultural centers. ‘We certainly delivered him many more than 537 votes,’ he says, referring to Bush's margin of victory in the election." Al-Arian said later, “I wanted to talk about the last elections because I think I personally played a big role in electing Bush.” (Newsweek, 7/16/01; NBC Today Show, 2/24/03)

Al-Arian Met With Karl Rove at the White House In 2001. On June 20, 2001, Al-Arian was briefed on Bush's faith-based agenda and other issues by Rove and others in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is adjacent to the White House. Al-Arian passed the required security check, which he said gave him confidence that he was no longer suspected of being a terrorist supporter or sympathizer. It was Al-Arian’s fourth trip to the White House—the first three had been during the Clinton Administration. Al-Arian said he sat in the front row. (Washington Post, 2/22/03, 7/28/02)

National Review: Bush White House “Actively Courted” Al-Arian. Conservative columnist David Frum wrote in the National Review, “Here now is where the story gets painful for us Bush Republicans. Not only were the al-Arians not avoided by the Bush White House - they were actively courted.” Frum wrote again later, “ne thing in this story still remains curiously unclear: How was it that Sami al-Arian and his family were allowed to get as close as they did to Candidate and then President George W. Bush?” (David Frum, National Review Online, 2/21/03, 3/3/03) <snip>

http://www.castorfacts.com/alarian.html

[RamboLiberal]

3. Friends in High Places (Terror suspect linked to Bush, Rove, Clinton)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7820499/site/newsweek/

The lawyer for a Florida-based professor accused of leading a violent Palestinian terror group will seek to embarrass the U.S. government next month by introducing evidence that his client attended numerous meetings at the White House and met with high-level figures in both political parties, including Hillary Clinton and White House political director Karl Rove, according to recent court records.

Former computer science professor Sami Al-Arian—a longstanding prime spokesman for Arab-American political causes—goes on trial next month on charges that he served as a secret leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The PIJ is a State Department-designated terrorist organization that U.S. officials charge is responsible for a rash of suicide bombings and other attacks that led to the deaths of Israeli and American civilians.

The Justice Department considers Al-Arian’s case one of the most important terror cases it has brought under the USA Patriot Act—the post-9/11 law that explicitly authorized the use of secret national-security wiretaps in criminal cases. But at his trial, slated to begin in Tampa, Fla., in early June, Al-Arian’s lawyer is seeking to turn the tables by hammering home his client’s surprising access to the highest levels of the U.S. government—even at a time that he was a principal target of a highly sensitive FBI counterterrorism probe.

Just how much access Al-Arian had is detailed in a letter written to federal prosecutors by his lawyer, William Moffit, that was recently entered into the court record. Moffit states that Al-Arian attended meetings at the White House with both Clinton and Bush every year between 1998 and 2001. In addition, the letter states, Al-Arian also attended a briefing at the Justice Department in July 2001, met with Al Gore in November 1998 and Hillary Clinton in October 1999. It also states that President Bush sent a written apology to Al-Arian’s wife in 2001 when the couple son’s was denied access to the White House—reportedly because of his connection to his father.

This guy also had access to Norquist, Hastert, Gingrich and Asa Hutchinson. And read to the end of article for what was scheduled at the White House for 2PM on September 11, 2001.

[RagingInMiami]

4. OK, let me just get it out the way before anyone else does it

Florida! What a surprise. Isn't there anything bad that doesn't come out of Florida!

OK, now go on with the discussion.

[librechik]

10. sure, tons of bad stuff comes out of Texas

Ok, now we can proceed again

[lovuian]

5. This is going to be good!!! I bet Bush kissed him too!!!

and held his hand looking at the BlueBonnets!!!

[caligirl]

11. Is he bald?

[notadmblnd]

18. yup the man is almost totally bald

nt

[UCLA Dem]

6. Sweet, can't wait.

:popcorn:

[darkism]

7. Of course the conservative media is only going to mention two names...

GORE and CLINTON.

Boo :(

[IChing]

8. Hillary Clinton and White House political director Karl Rove,

Nothing going on with newt.
Newspeak no less

[IChing]

9. Newt Gingrich has been talking up Hillary Clinton's presidential prospects

Oddly, Hillary and, Yes, Newt Agree to Agree


WASHINGTON, May 12 - What do Newt Gingrich and Hillary Rodham Clinton want from each other?

In the 1990's, these two rivals stood on nearly opposite ends of the political spectrum; he led the assault on the Clinton presidency and helped derail the ambitious health care plan she championed.

But oddly enough, something has changed since then, and it has people talking.

____________________________________________

from the new york times" http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/13/nyregion/13hillary.html?ex=1273636800&en=5720b07c5c3c5083&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

[bunny planet]

21. Another odd couple like the Big Dawg and Poppy Bush.

What gives?

[Montauk6]

12. Hmmmm....

Now I wonder what part of this story will get the most emphasis, courtesy of the consovietized media. Hmmmm....

[LynnTheDem]

13. HAH! With bush squatting in the White House, WE CAN'T BE MORE EMBARRASSED

So THERE!

[PennyLane]

14. Doesn't Hold Water.......

......the part about the 9/11/2001 meeting with Bush. He was in Florida,reading "My Pet Goat," and supposedly was meeting a pack of CEOs for a luncheon that day. This guy might have had a meeting scheduled at the WH, but I doubt it was with Bush.

[sam sarrha]

15. Bu$h was swept out of DC because of a High Allert to his safety..that day

[notadmblnd]

17. he was there.. maybe not on 911 but he met with bush look at the pics

shortly after 911 this guy was arrested. I remember the story because I told a Mepuiblican co-worker at the time that either bush consorts with terrorists or the man was not terrorist. had a hell of an arguement with old George (guy at work) about that.

[notadmblnd]

16. here's the photos of bush and al arien

If I'm not mistaken, his son was an intern in washington too.




they look pretty chummy don't they?

[Festivito]

19. Carefully UNnoted: when did investigation begin???

This seem carefully written to IMPLY Dems knew of investigation and THEN met this guy. Very sneaky of the writer from what I see.

ARTICLE MEETINGS:
1998 Gore, Clinton(1998-2001: article not more definitive)
1999 Hilary
2000 Bush campaign
2001 Bush WH apology and 9/11 2pm meeting
(Bush certainly could have returned from Florida on 9/11 having lunch on AF1)

Al-Arian's lawyer, Moffit, writes: ' "Each of these events" (could be out of context) "occurred at a time that the government IS ALLEGING that Dr. Al-Arian was somehow a dangerous terrorist.." ' Not necessarily while investigating, but where an investigation now might look back and make allegations about back then. Again, trying to make it appear that Dems might have known about the investigation.

The article says wiretaps overheard Al-Arian praising a 1995 bombing. But, note, it does NOT say when the conversation was overheard. Again mentioning an early date to leave impression that the investigation was known while Dems were in office.

I'm not saying that I know when the invesetigation began or was known, just that this article attempts a slant.

[leveymg]

20. What was supposed to happen at 2pm on 9/11?

Frame within that Newsweek.com page disappearing. Someone have a mirror link w/URL? Please post end of the story - what was supposeed to happen at 2pm on 9/11?

I've noticed this before at Newsweek.com with I&H come up with something hot.

[Al-CIAda]

22. Florida? Daniel Hopsicker at madcowprod.com has the goods. n/t