Mistreatment of Dr. Sami Al-Arian Continues
September 28, 2006

TAMPA-

Despite a mutual agreement reached in May of this year to conclude the case against him, and the agreement of the Justice Department in
Tampa that his immediate deportation was in the best interest of the government, the harassment of Dr. Sami Al-Arian by other Justice
Department offices has continued. Dr. Al-Arian was recently moved
from his permanent facility at the Medium Security wing of FCI
Coleman, north of Tampa, to numerous destinations around the country
until he reached his most recent destination, an overcrowded local
jail in rural Warsaw, Virginia.

Purpose Behind Move

According to a Sept. 26 report by the St. Petersburg Times, Dr. Al- Arian's move to Virginia is part of a government ploy to force him to testify before a grand jury or face further imprisonment. His former attorney William Moffitt stated emphatically that Dr. Al-Arian is under no obligation to cooperate with the government. In fact, the current actions by the government are a blatant violation of the plea agreement, which specifically states that Dr. Al-Arian is not to be pursued in any other cases.

"It is a clear violation of the plea agreement, which was supposed to end Sami's business with the United States, and prosecutors know that," said Moffitt. Linda Moreno, Moffitt's co-counsel, said, "The plea agreement doesn't mention cooperation and that is intentional. That Dr. Al-Arian would not cooperate was negotiated."

The report states that Dr. Al-Arian could be held in contempt for refusing to testify, extending his imprisonment indefinitely for up to eighteen months. He is currently scheduled to leave the country upon his release in April 2007. Any actions by the U.S. Attorney in Virginia is only meant to further punish Dr. Al-Arian following his court victory last December. The new legal issues will prolong the suffering of the Al-Arian family, which has been faced with this ordeal for over three and a half years.

The Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace calls upon all Americans to condemn the continued harassment of Dr. Sami Al-Arian. Please contact the Department of Justice and the office of the United States Attorney to call for an end to the government's pursuit of Dr. Al-Arian and his continued mistreatment while in federal custody. Prosecutors should be requested to honor the terms of the plea agreement and cease any demands for cooperation.

During the move, Dr. Al-Arian was taken through Miami, Atlanta, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma City, and Pennsylvania, before ultimately reaching Virginia, all in the span of 72 hours. His arms and legs were continuously shackled and kept in stress positions. In spite of the fact that the Muslim holy month of Ramadan had begun, Dr. Al-Arian was barely given any food or water, for over 18 hours at times. During the trip, he was also subjected to verbal abuse by the U.S. Marshals responsible for transporting him, and had his personal property confiscated.

The Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace condemns the government's treatment of Dr. Al-Arian during this move. We ask all conscientious citizens to contact the U.S. Marshal's and the U.S. Attorney's Office to protest their deplorable actions in moving Dr. Al-Arian a thousand miles away from his family and subjecting him to numerous abuses in the course of his move.

Since reaching the local jail in Warsaw, Virginia, Dr. Al-Arian has continued to suffer at the hands of the authorities. The facility has refused to accommodate his religious beliefs, depriving him of a Koran and prayer rug. Officials have also refused to adhere to the standard Ramadan eating schedule by denying him daily medication after his fast. Dr. Al-Arian, who is diabetic, has been unable to take his medication and his health has suffered as a result.