Sami Al Arian

The case of professor Sami Al Arian may turn out to be
nothing but smoke and mirrors, The government may even
have taken a bigger bite than the one it can swallow. Dr.
Arian may have had a big mouth and cocky attitude but it
is hard to believe that he provided aid to the terrorists
or he was the so called brain for the entire Palestinian
Islamic Jihad [PIJ] organization.
Yes he did call for 'death to Israel' in one of the
rallies, yes he did collect money for the orphan
Palestinian children, yes he spoke out against
occupation, oppression, and usurpation of the Palestinian
people, yes he lead a very brazen effort to free his
brother in law Mazen Al Najar from Florida Jail, yes he
went around the country yakking about America's
unconditional support for Israel and lack of support for
the Palestinians, Yes he lead faith based organizations
as he was a devout Muslim, and yes he established a think
tank institution that had a known terrorist on its staff.
Yet, none of these things combined can make him become a
terrorist or stand trial for variety of terrorist related
charges that if convicted carries many years of jail time
behind bars.
Dr. Al Arian may have been heard praising the suicide
bombing in Israel, many Palestinians that are so angry at
the Israeli occupation and the daily humiliation of the
Palestinian people would praise those bombing in the same
manner or even in a much more cheerful and gloating
fashion.
In 2000 presidential elections, Dr.Al Arian held fund
raiser parties for the then candidate George Bush, and on
election day he exhorted the Arab and Muslim constituents
to vote for George Bush.
The indictment, charges, and now trial for Dr. Al Arian
is a classic reminder of the McCarthite era, during the
Senate race last year in Florida, Dr.Al Arian has become
the poster boy for the senate seat rivals.
That is why because of the intensive media publicity, the
mood that the country is going through in post 9/11 era,
and the penchant for convicting anybody for having
anything to do with terrorism, Dr Al Arian will not get
a fair trial, he is already convicted in the court of
public opinion, and before very long he will be convicted
by a jury of his peers.
If convicted Dr. Al Arian deserves to be pardoned by the
President of the United States, the President is the only
one that can see to it that justice is being served in
this circus like unjust case.
Hatem Abunimeh