Update: Sami Al-Arian Goes on Hunger Strike

Sami Al-Arian, a former college professor who pleaded guilty^[1] to aiding a Palestinian terrorist group has gone on a hunger strike to protest "continued government harassment.”^[2] He is being held in contempt for refusing to testify before a grand jury in Virginia.^[3] Al-Arian claims he is surrounded by rats and cockroaches in prison, and is forced to wear dirty and inadequate clothing.^[4]

Al-Arian, who has been discussed on this blog previously, was found guilty of contempt in November in federal court in Alexandria, VA. Al-Arian, who has less than 18 months left on his current 57-month sentence,^[5] pleaded guilty in April to one count of aiding the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which was declared a “specially designated terrorist” organization by President Clinton in January 1995.^[6]

Attorneys for the former University of South Florida professor contend that the terms of his plea agreement freed him from further cooperation with the government, but a federal judge disagreed. ^[7] An appeal has been filed with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.^[8]

When called before the grand jury in Alexandria, Va., on Oct. 19, Al-Arian refused to answer questions about the International Institute of Islamic Thought in Herndon, Va., which funded Al-Arian's Palestinian think tank in Tampa.^[9] Al-Arian's status will be reviewed every six months, for up to 18 months.^[10] Once the contempt sentence has been completed, he will serve the remaining sentence for the terrorism charge and be deported.^[11]

We have previously discussed providing material support to terrorists here.

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^[1] Meg Laughlin, In His Plea Deal, What Did Sami Al-Arian Admit To? St. Petersburg Times, Apr. 22, 2006.
^[2] Florida Professer in Prison for Terror Ties on Hunger Strike to Protest 'Harassment', AP (via FoxNews), January 24, 2007. (Hunger Strike)
^[3] Id.
^[4] Id.
^[5] Mitch Stacy, Prof. Gets 18 Months More in Terror Case, Associated Press (via ABC News), May 1, 2006.
^[6] Laughlin, supra note 1; See also, Exec. Order No. 12,497 Jan. 24, 1995).
^[7] Hunger Strike, supra note 2.
^[8] Id.
^[9] Id.
^[10] Id.
^[11] Id.