In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Sami Al-Arian and American-Style Justice

Issued on August 26, 2003 by National Liberty Defense Fund (NLF)

Sami Al-Arian, who has been accused of providing support to the Palestinian
Islamic Jihad, is still being held in the Federal Prison in Coleman,
Florida. He is still being held in the maximum-security Special Housing
Unit, the area for the violent and uncontrollable convicts. He is still in
the windowless 7 by 13 cell with Sameeh Hammoudeh. He has no watch or clock
(which makes it difficult for him to practice his religion), no phone calls
to family, limited access to lawyers, difficulty getting pencils and paper,
no access to a legal library, and no access to most of the evidence against
him. However, there seems to be a growing consensus that his treatment is
unacceptable, and that he should get a fair trial.

For example:

- in a letter to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Amnesty International
called his treatment "gratuitously punitive."

- A St. Petersburg Times editorial (August 20, 2003) states that "the kind
of humiliations heaped upon him by prison staff, including shackling him
every time he's moved, and forcing him to bend over and carry papers on his
back when meeting with visitors, are displays worthy of a Bernard
Malamud-inspired gulag. . . .Al-Arian has already
been denied his right to a speedy trial. His trial is now scheduled to begin
in January 2005 . . .Meanwhile, the government appears to be
doing all it can to break the man and make it more difficult for him to
mount a defense. This is no way to win a conviction or treat an accused
person, not even an alleged terrorist."

- A Tampa Tribune editorial (August 8, 2003) says "The evidence includes
more than 21,000 hours of wiretap surveillance tapes of the defendants that
prosecutors say should be kept from them
because they could learn about ``sources and methods'' of intelligence
gathering. Isn't that the same sort of argument the government put
forth when prosecutors tried to "protect'' Steve and Marlene Aisenberg by
fighting so hard to keep their recorded conversations private? Of
course we know now that the lawyers and investigators involved in the case
of missing baby Sabrina Aisenberg took those recorded
conversations out of context or simply made them up.. . . in fairness,
prosecutors must reveal to him (Al-Arian) that evidence they plan to use to
prove their case."

- And from the West Palm Beach Post (August 7, 2003), "He (Al-Arian) has
been able to generate more interest, at home and abroad, in his case than
was aroused for all the 766 Muslims, Arabs and others - rounded up after
9/11 - who disappeared into prisons and most of whom, it is said, were
deported without public notice. When Dr. Al-Arian goes on trial, the United
States will go
on trial with him. The trial will put on view the kind of justice with which
we propose to replace Saddam Hussein's arbitrary illegality
in Iraq. . . . the Justice Department should be doing all it can to avoid
the appearance of stacking the deck, erecting roadblocks against the defense
or providing even a remote basis for appeals. The
defendants should get their best shot and be seen to be getting it - if only
because it would be the best way to show that the government's case is
solid."

This is not a matter of guilt or innocence. It is a matter of receiving a
fair trial. Judge James Moody has already expressed an inclination to allow
Dr. Al-Arian access to the evidence against him. His decision will be made
at a hearing on September 12 at the Federal Courthouse.
Please write to him to show your support.

Honorable James Moody
Sam M. Gibbons U.S. Courthouse
801 N. Florida Ave.
Tampa, FL 33602-3800

The judge who oversees prison conditions is the Honorable Thomas B. McCoun
III. Write to him and ask him to move Dr. Al-Arian to the federal prison in
Tampa.

Honorable Thomas B. McCoun III
Sam M. Gibbons U.S. Courthouse
801 N. Florida Ave., #223
Tampa, Florida 33602-3800

To help hire a lawyer, checks may be sent to:
National Liberty Defense Fund (NLF)
P.O. Box 3568
Alexandria, VA 22304
info@nationallibertyfund.org
_______________________________________
Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP)
10661 South Roberts Rd, Suite 202 Palos Hills, IL 60465
Tel: 708 974 3380 / Fax: 708 974 3389 /Pager: 1 800 481 4306
http://www.iap.org E-mails: iapinfo@iap.org

Proudly serving Palestine and al Quds

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The Islamic Association For Palestine (IAP) is a national grassroots
organization serving the American Muslim, Arab and Palestinian
communities and dedicated to advancing a just and comprehensive solution to
the cause of Palestine.

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