Replies

The Clinton administration may have known about Al-Arian as early as 1995. This article from April 2, 2002 (you'll get a page that says the article can't be found, just keep refreshing your browser until the article appears) says Clinton shut down federal investigations into Muslim charities in 1995. This led former federal prosecutor John Loftus to file a private lawsuit against the charities in Florida. The main target was Norquist's friend, Sami Al-Arian.

On June 22, 2000 Norquist received an award from the American Muslim Council in a program at which Sami Al-Arian was the keynote speaker. Al-Arian's topic was stopping the U.S. government from using profiling or intelligence data to catch terrorists.

Subsequent to Al-Arians arrest and conviction of terrorist ties in 2002, use unnamed sources to suggest that Al-Arian was a KNOWN target of an investigation into terrorist ties back in 1995. Then connect Norquist with Al-Arian after what is supposedly KNOWN in 1995 but before Al-Arians troubles in 2002.

This is what passes for objectivity now on a Norquist-FR thread.

This is what passes for objectivity now on a Norquist-FR thread.

The terror investigations into Al Arian began after his former WISE director and fellow USF instructor, Ramadan Abdullah Shallah, went on to become the Secretary General of Islamic Jihad in 1995, directing numerous terrorist attacks against Israel.
The terror investigation into Al Arian hads been public knowledge since 1996.
All Arian's brother in-law, Mazen Al-Najjar, was arrested in a terror investigation in 1997, and held on classified evidence. Grover Norquist was one of those who worked for his realease, and received an award from Al-Arian's NCPPF for his efforts.

- Oct. 31, 1995: Former World and Islam Studies Enterprise Director Ramadan Abdullah Shallah emerges as the Islamic Jihad's new leader. The World and Islam Studies Enterprise expresses shock.

- Nov. 20, 1995: Federal agents search World and Islam Studies Enterprise's office and Al- Arian's home and office at USF.

- Feb. 26, 1996: The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service denies Al-Arian's petition for naturalization on grounds he registered to vote, and then voted, in 1994 without being a citizen.

- May 2, 1996: USF places Al-Arian on paid leave, effective Aug. 7, pending the outcome of a federal investigation into whether he was running fronts for terrorist organizations. The university lets him return two years later, citing a staffing need and no law enforcement action.

- May 19, 1997: Federal agents arrest Al-Arian's brother-in-law, Mazen Al-Najjar and use secret evidence to jail him as a security threat. Al-Najjar, who had been fighting a deportation order, worked with Al-Arian at the Islamic Committee for Palestine and the World and Islam Studies Enterprise.
Timeline of Events - USF, WISE and Sami Al-Arian
University of South Florida | March 10th, 2003

The Tampa Tribune reported in an April 18, 1996, story that federal officials said in the affidavits they were investigating possible perjury and immigration law violations and portrayed Al-Arian as who helped Palestinian militants enter the United States.
Among those Al-Arian is accused of aiding is current Palestinian Islamic Jihad head Ramadan Shallah, who worked as a USF instructor in 1995. Shallah, who is now in Syria, was named the head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad immediately after he left the university. The government says Palestinian Islamic Jihad is responsible for more than 100 murders in Israel and its territories.
Judge: Al-Arian search warrant documents accidentally destroyed
AP | December 9th, 2003

In addition to outlining the secret evidence and material support cases, and the impact NCPPF has had on these, a written summary of the coalition's past year also included information on an April 5 awards ceremony at which the "champions of the abolishment movement against secret evidence" were honored. Mazen Al-Najjar, Nasser Ahmed, Hany Kiareldeen, Anwar Haddam, Dr. Ali and Mohammad Karim, and Harpal Singh Cheema (in abstentia) received awards for enduring the pain of imprisonment while fighting against the use of secret evidence. Congressman David Bonior (D-MI) and former Congressman Tom Campbell (R-CA) were honored for their efforts in trying to repeal secret evidence. Many lawyers received plaques as well. Greg Nojeim of the ACLU, filmmaker Hazim Bitar, and Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform received awards for their assistance.
National Coalition to Protect Political Freedom Holds Fourth Annual Convention
Washington Report on Middle East Affairs | October 2001

Thursday's order was the first time Myers' affidavit became available for public view. The affidavit contains new details of the case against Al-Arian and his co-defendants, including:
* The court-ordered wiretaps of co-conspirators and defendants, as well as what the government refers to as terrorist cover organizations, began on Dec. 27, 1993.
* The first official confirmation that the person described in the indictment as ``unindicted co-conspirator twelve'' is Mazen Al-Najjar, Al-Arian's brother-in-law. Al-Najjar was jailed in 1997 and deported last year after a lengthy battle over secret evidence.
Report Tells Of Al-Arian Talks
Tampa Tribune - December 12th, 2003

"Subsequent to Al-Arians arrest and conviction of terrorist ties in 2002, use unnamed sources to suggest that Al-Arian was a KNOWN target of an investigation into terrorist ties back in 1995. Then connect Norquist with Al-Arian after what is supposedly KNOWN in 1995 but before Al-Arians troubles in 2002. "

Actually, Al Arian (who by the way has not been convicted, as you write; his trial in in 2/05), was raided by the FBI in 1995, very publicly. Since there have been thousands of column inches and tv news and journal programs about him between then and when Norquist joined up with him; including specifically, films of him saying things like "Let us Damn America" and "$500 to kill a jew" (how did that miss Grover's "Racist and bigot" screen?).

His NCPPF represents IRA,CPUSA, Shining Path, ETA,FALN, Leonard Peltier, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, PFLP, AlQaeda and Eqyptian Islamic Jihad (WTC 1 bombing convicts), National Islamic Prsion Foundation, the bombers of the US capitol (1983,)and a passel of other terrorists, along with the American Muslim Council of Mr Alamoudi.

Why does Grover choose to make his stand, on any point, with these people and the head of their legal aid front, whose expressed purpose is to weaken US national security law and procedures so they can do what they do without as esily getting caught!

Anybody who wanted to do what I do before any new meet and google or nexis the guy would have found enough proof of the guy's 'leanings' and activities to choke an elephant. Not to mention when people like Gaffney, and plenty of others, respected for national security acumen tell Grover who the guy is so he can check into it himself even as late as 2001. Any suggestion that Grover could not, or should not have been expected to know or find out about the backgrounds of people like AlArian, Awad, Agha Saeed, Alamoudi and his deputy Saffuri, et al, is ridiculous on its face.

Also incorrect in your posting is the date Grover received the award from Sami, it is 2001, after getting the President to support the goal of eliminating the use of intelligence information. It's important to stick to the facts and/or correct them so they don't get handed down the thread.