A Judge Stuns Al-Arian With Maximum Time

The New York Sun ^ | May 2, 2006 | JOSH GERSTEIN

[FreedomPoster]

A federal judge yesterday lambasted a former Florida college professor, Sami Al-Arian, as a liar and "master manipulator," before sentencing him to nearly five years in prison for providing support to a Middle Eastern terrorist group, Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Under a plea deal finalized last month, Al-Arian, 48, agreed to admit guilt and accept a possible sentence of 46 to 57 months and eventual deportation from America. Prosecutors agreed to join defense attorneys in recommending a sentence at the low end of the range, but the judge, James Moody Jr., ignored those suggestions and imposed the maximum sentence allowed by the plea bargain.

Al-Arian has been in custody since he was accused of being the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in America and arrested in February 2003. A six-month trial overseen by Judge Moody last year resulted in Al-Arian's acquittal on eight charges against him and a hung jury on nine others. In a blow to the prosecution, none of the four defendants tried was convicted on any count and two of Al-Arian's co-defendants were acquitted outright.

[FreedomPoster]

Full story at the link.

I wish we could've gotten a few full convictions in this case, and gotten a couple of his co-conspirators.

[caver]

He should have gotten life for helping terrorists.

[cricket]

He should have gotten life for helping terrorists.

Agree. . .and if the law does not 'go there'. . .then it had better and soon. How long can we be too late smart in dealing with those who aide our enemies here at home.

[kinoxi]

the weasel will rat in a few weeks on his 'co-conspirators' now that he's got time

[FreedomPoster]

He has been in Federal custody for 3 years, and sees the light at the end of that tunnel. I don't think so.

[Vision]

How did he only get 5 years?

[caver]

Yes, 5 years is a joke. Just imagine what this clown could have done helping out terrorists. I'm sure he wasn't helping them pick out paint.

[kinoxi]

ok, maybe he already ratted and that's why he got only five years

[Tom Bombadil]

A Judge Stuns Al-Arian With Maximum Time

Too bad he didn't use a baseball bat.

[roaddog727]

GOOD!

[theDentist]

Hey Al-Arian! Eff you.

[oh8eleven]

He should have gotten life for helping terrorists.
He should have gotten life death for helping terrorists.

[FreedomPoster]

They got a hung jury in the trial, and that's what they plea-bargained down to.

[nuconvert]

People forget how the first trial turned out..."acquittal on eight charges against him and a hung jury on nine others."

I'm glad this judge gave him the max he could, under the plea agreement. He was angry and would have given him more if he could.

And which side is CAIR on? "A group of Al-Arian backers who were in the courtroom was stunned by the judge's verbal broadside. "That was shocking to hear that," a spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations, Ahmed Bedier, said. "The judge's demeanor - he looked angry as he was delivering that, even his face was turning somewhat red."

I liked this line from the judge, "Your children attend the finest universities this country had to offer while you raise money to blow up the children of others,"

O'Reilly will be talking about this tonight.

[Panzerlied]

Maybe he'll have a 300 lb cellmate who tells him, "You sure have a pretty mouth"!

[voletti]

Maybe he'll have a 300 lb cellmate who tells him, "You sure have a pretty mouth"!
LOL! A whole bunch of cellmates would do al-terroristi more justice. To be more precise 72 of them...

[MinuteGal]

If one reads the accompanying article, Al-Arian will only serve about a year because of time served and other credits.

Though not the judge's fault, this is shameful. Shame should also be heaped on the OJ jury that found this perp not guilty or deadlocked on various counts in the original trial.

The article doesn't mention the judge's apropos comment (in reference to the defense contention Al-Arian was engaged in "charity work") that the only connection between Sami and widows and orphans was that he created them.

Leni

[mkjessup]

If one reads the accompanying article, Al-Arian will only serve about a year because of time served and other credits.

Well that means that Sami's fellow inmates will have to get busy and not waste any time.

One year you say?

364...

363...

362...

[ishabibble]

Say what you want about Bill O'Reilly, but this sentence is a direct result of O'Reilly's work. he was onto Sami long before anyone else.

[geezerwheezer]

And, it is no wonder the MSM folks despise Bill O'Reilly either. He went after this clown in a big way and nailed him. I'm glad someone has the cajones to do that, and O'Reilly should be given the medal of freedom for it.