Posted on 05/14/2005 8:35:54 PM PDT by CHARLITE
Sami al-Arian, the Florida professor accused of leading a Palestinian terrorist group, will try to embarrass the U.S. government at his trial by revealing his numerous White House meetings with high-level figures in both the Clinton and Bush administrations, according to court records reported by Newsweek.
Al-Arian, a former computer science professor at the University of South Florida, goes on trial next month on charges that he served as a secret leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a group in the State Department's list of terrorist organizations.
U.S. officials say PIJ is responsible for numerous deadly suicide attacks against Israelis and Americans.
But al-Arian's lawyer, William Moffit, plans to focus on his client's high-level government contacts, maintained even as he became the principal target of a highly sensitive FBI counterterrorism probe, Newsweek said.
Moffit stated in a letter to federal prosecutors that al-Arian attended meetings at the White House with both Clinton and Bush every year between 1998 and 2001.
In addition, Newsweek reported, 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.
The letter also states 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.
"Each of these events occurred at a time that the government is alleging that Dr. al-Arian was somehow a dangerous terrorist involved in a conspiracy to kill Americans," Moffit wrote in his letter.
Al-Arian is charged with conspiring to commit murder, conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist group, extortion, visa fraud, perjury and other crimes.
The indictment says al-Arian worked with top PIJ officials in the Mideast and praised suicide bombings, kidnappings and drive-by shootings by PIJ, Newsweek reported.
"I call upon you to try to extend true support to the jihad effort in Palestine so that operations such as these can continue," he wrote in one fund-raising appeal after a suicide bombing that killed 22 Israelis in 1995.
Al-Arian and seven alleged co-conspirators are described as having set up a terror cell at the University of South Florida.
His close ties to both PIJ and Hamas go back to at least 1995. al-Arian used a group he founded, the Islamic Committee for Palestine, to plead for funds for PIJ and Hamas.
Conferences organized by ICP featured Islamic Jihad founder Abdel Aziz-Odeh, Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman (spiritual leader of the 1993 World Trade Center bombers), leading Hamas official Mohammed Sakr and high-ranking Sudanese terrorist Hassan Turabi, a close ally of Osama bin Laden.
The 50-count indictment also charges al-Arian, two other former and current instructors at USF and five other individuals of operating a criminal racketeering enterprise that provided funding and organization for the global terror ring responsible for the deaths of 100 people in and around Israel, including two Americans.
If convicted, the men could face life in prison.
Uh-oh, threatening the Clintons often leads to a very bad case of Arkancide.
I don't give a rip what this guy says. Bush is a lame duck, and I'm sure he won't say anything about Hillary that will make me feel more disgusted with her than I already am.
Uh-oh, threatening the Clintons often leads to a very bad case of Arkancide.
------
Ah, yes, we know how the Clintons deal with "competition"...
FYI.....PING
"Moffit stated in a letter to federal prosecutors that al-Arian attended meetings at the White House with both Clinton and Bush every year between 1998 and 2001. "
Why do they always have to drag Bush into it LOL
That sick puppy already cost the Democrats one Senate seat in Florida.
IMO, al-jerkweed should be immediately released into the fully armed US populace.
Just double-tap the SOB right now.
Can you smell blackmail?
If he reveals his secret dealings with the president in order to bismirch his name and make him look like a fool, he's a traitor and should lose his citizenship.
Col. Hunt has the right idea. Deploy THK's (Terrorist Hunter-Killers) and get the job done. Cap 'em in their sleep, wherever they lay down. Make them disappear from the planet, no questions asked.
**Can you smell blackmail?**
Yeah, that's what it looks like - blackmail.
I believe secrets, whether legal, illegal or dirty, amongst friends should stay secret. This guy, in revealing all his dirty dealings with the president is a traitor to the country and the president.
Revoke his citizenship and kick his butt out.
Yup. I've advocated this a number of times.
What's the name of that guy, the bounty hunter - Dwayne "Dog" Chapman? - who went down to Mexico and nabbed Andrew Luster, collared him and then the Mexicans sent him back to the states. I've been wondering why our government doesn't employ the services of experienced bounty hunters to go around quietly zapping known terrorists.
Seems to me, that it would be very effective, if one after another of these slime balls were simply popped in the middle of the night. The word would get around inside of their sewer. Would it not?
The group of bounty-hunting zappers could be named The Silencers!....eventually a fantastic new TV series could be made from their exploits.......like The Avengers" was!
......but what do I know about sophisticated operations? I'm just a civilian lady.
Char :)
John Loftus has brought this up many times, yawn.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.