Another failed case
Ex-Professor Acquitted in Patriot Act Test Case
By John-Thor Dahlburg
Times Staff Writer
12/07/05 “Los Angeles Times” – – MIAMI – In a case closely watched as a key test of the Patriot Act, a former university professor accused of helping lead a Palestinian terrorist organization was acquitted Tuesday on nearly half of the charges against him, and the jury deadlocked on the rest.
Sami Al-Arian, who taught computer engineering at the University of South Florida in Tampa, wept and embraced his lawyer after the federal jury found him not guilty on eight of 17 counts – including conspiring to murder and maim people outside the United States. The panel deadlocked on charges that he had, among other things, engaged in money laundering and attempted to illegally obtain U.S. citizenship.
The government also failed to secure convictions against three codefendants with alleged ties to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which has claimed responsibility for suicide bombings and other attacks that have killed more than 100 people in Israel and the occupied territories.</i>
Our government doesn’t have a great record prosecuting cases post 9-11. In fact have they won any of them? Don’t think so.
