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Reply-To:
tampabaycoalitionforjusticeandpeace-owner@yahoogroups.com<br><br>
<br>
Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace<br>
Dec. 13, 2007<br><br>
ALEXANDRIA, VA <br><br>
A federal judge finally lifted the civil contempt status from Dr.<br>
Al-Arian at a hearing held in Alexandria on Thursday. Dr. Al-Arian<br>
will now begin serving the remaining four months of his
sentence.<br><br>
Judge Gerald Lee granted a defense motion to lift the contempt,
after<br>
Dr. Al-Arian was imprisoned for eleven months that did not count<br>
toward his sentence. Prior to that, he had spent two months for<br>
another grand jury in which he refused to testify.<br><br>
Dr. Al-Arian's family, attorneys, and supporters welcomed the
decision<br>
by Judge Lee to lift the contempt. They have called on prosecutors
not<br>
to repeat the tactic of using grand jury subpoenas to extend Dr.<br>
Al-Arian's imprisonment indefinitely or charge him with criminal<br>
contempt as the government has done in other cases, and recent press<br>
has hinted it might do in Dr. Al-Arian's case.<br><br>
Attorney Jonathan Turley, who represents Dr. Al-Arian in the
contempt<br>
case, wrote on his blog: "The use of civil contempt to prolong
his<br>
punishment has been a shocking abuse of the system by the Justice<br>
Department."<br><br>
"Unable to convict Dr. Al-Arian before a jury, prosecutors have
sought<br>
to mete out their own brand of justice through the grand jury
system.<br>
It is a tactic used in other cases where the government creates the<br>
perfect Catch-22 for unconvicted citizens: choose between a perjury<br>
trap and a contempt charge for refusing to enter the perjury
trap."<br><br>
Reverend Warren Clark commented on the news following a prayer vigil<br>
for Dr. Al-Arian at the First United Church in Tampa. While
welcoming<br>
the decision, he cautioned against the Virginia prosecutor Gordon<br>
Kromberg's continued harassment of Dr. Al-Arian. "The threat is
that<br>
this man could do it again and have it be like Guantanamo here in
the<br>
United States. It is appropriate that [the contempt lifting] has<br>
happened, and it is important for the integrity of the justice
system<br>
of the United States that there be no further use of the grand jury<br>
system to extend Dr. Al-Arian's jail time. The jury spoke clearly -<br>
not guilty, not guilty -and it is overdue that their decision be<br>
respected."<br><br>
Dr. Al-Arian's eldest son, Abdullah, also welcomed the decision by<br>
Judge Lee to lift the contempt from his father. "We are very
relieved<br>
by this news today, but it is not yet over. Our father was kept from<br>
us for an additional year without any rhyme or reason. My youngest<br>
siblings need him back and so we pray that all conscientious people<br>
stand up to any future attempts by these vindictive prosecutors to<br>
continue and keep him from coming home."<br><br>
Professor Turley added, "We hope that this will be the end of
this<br>
chapter in the Al-Arian case and that the government will now
fulfill<br>
its agreement with Dr. Al-Arian. His case continues to draw<br>
international criticism of the Bush Administration and its abuse of<br>
provisions governing material witness, material support, and<br>
recalcitrant witnesses. It is our sincere hope that the Justice<br>
Department will now accept the decision of the Florida jury and
allow<br>
Dr. Al-Arian to complete his sentence and re-join his
family."<br><br>
Speaking through his family, Dr. Al-Arian wished to express his<br>
appreciation to the thousands of supporters around the world who
have<br>
stood up for justice in his case. He is grateful for the countless<br>
letters of support he received, as well as to the thousands of
people<br>
who have written to Judge Lee over the past year. Their efforts were<br>
not in vain, as their voices were most assuredly heard on
Thursday.<br><br>
The Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace calls on all
supporters<br>
of justice to continue and work toward Dr. Al-Arian's freedom.<br>
Although he could be free in 115 days, the Department of Justice
must<br>
continue to hear from conscientious Americans not to continue its<br>
abuse of the justice system and punishment of Dr. Al-Arian and his<br>
family through a third grand jury or a criminal contempt charge.<br>
Furthermore, Congress must act to investigate these abuses and
ensure<br>
that justice is served in this and other cases.<br><br>
Attorney General<br>
Department of Justice<br>
U.S. Department of Justice<br>
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW<br>
Washington, DC 20530-0001<br>
(202) 307-6777 Fax<br>
askdoj@usdoj.gov<br><br>
House Judiciary Chair:<br>
The Honorable John Conyers, Jr<br>
2426 Rayburn Building Washington, DC 20515<br>
(202) 225-5126<br>
(202) 225-0072 Fax<br>
john.conyers@mail.house.gov<br><br>
Senate Judiciary Chair:<br>
Senator Patrick Leahy<br>
433 Russell Senate Office Building<br>
United States Senate Washington, DC 20510<br>
(202) 224-4242<br>
senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov<br><br>
<br>
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