Sami Al-Arian

Sami Amin Al-Arian (born in Kuwait January 14 , 1958 ) is of Palestinian nationality, holds a doctorate in computer engineering , and is a former tenured professor at the University of South Florida (USF). He emigrated with his family to Egypt in 1966,and traveled to the United States in 1975 at the age of 17 to complete his university studies. He obtained his Bachelor's Degree, graduating with honors in 1978 with a major in Electrical Engineering, and completed his Master's Degree and Ph.D. in the years 1980 and 1985 respectively. Dr. al-Aryan was employed in 1986 as a professor in the Computer Sciences Department at the University of South Florida in the city of Tampa. He was chosen in 1993 as the best professor in the Faculty of Engineering, and as the best professor on the level of the entire university in 1994. Dr. al-Aryan has played a prominent role in establishing a number of Arab and Islamic institutions over the past quarter of a century. These include The Arab Muslim Youth League in 1977, the Islamic Community Center in Tampa City, and the Florida Islamic Academy, which is an Islamic school for students in Tampa and its suburbs. Al-Aryan is considered to have been among the most active lecturers in North America in the 1980s and 1990's on the subjects of the Palestinian cause, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the relationship between Islam and the West. He helped to found the Center for Studies of Islam and the World in 1990, which sought to set up a serious dialogue between scholars and men involved in the Islamic movement and Western Orientalists. Over a period of five years, the Center issued 20 volumes and several books. Last February, the Federal Bureau of Investigation accused al-Arian and seven others of being involved since 1984 in a criminal organization that assists the Palestinian Jihad movement. The authorities added that this organization had been responsible for hundreds of terrorist acts in Israel, resulting in over 100 deaths and that al-Aryan was the Jihad movement's chief of operations in the United States.Al-Aryan denies any connection with terrorist activities. Following the publicity regarding his non-academic activities as well as the criminal allegations, he was fired from his university position. The AAUP and faculty union have opposed the actions of the university administration in Al-Arian's case. Actions in his case were also raised in 2004 primary and general election campaigns in the United States involving Betty Castor , former president of the USF.

Sami Amin Al-Arian ( ; born January 14, 1958, in Kuwait , to Palestinian parents), is a former resident of Temple Terrace, Florida , now living in Northern Virginia , who is a Muslim activist , and former University of South Florida professor of computer engineering . He pled guilty in 2006 to conspiracy to contribute services to or for the benefit of the Palestine Islamic Jihad , a Specially Designated Terrorist organization. He was indicted in 2003 on multiple counts related to supporting a Palestinian group on the State Department's terrorist list. At his trial the jury acquitted on 8 of 17 counts, and deadlocked on the remaining 9 counts. He then pleaded guilty in 2006, pursuant to a plea agreement , to conspiracy to help a "specially designated terrorist" organization, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad . Al-Arian was sentenced to 57 months in prison, given credit for time served, and ordered deported following his prison term. He was to serve the balance of 19 months. In November 2006, because he refused to testify before a federal grand jury after the court held that he had no legal basis for his refusal, he was held in civil contempt and imprisoned for his contempt of court by a Virginia district court judge. He served 13 months in prison for his civil contempt, until the court lifted its contempt order in December 2007. In 2007 and 2008, the United States Department of Justice subpoenaed Al-Arian to testify before a grand jury. He again refused to testify, and prosecutors charged him with criminal contempt in June 2008. In September 2008, Al-Arian was released from detention on bond . He remains under house arrest , as he awaits a trial on criminal contempt charges. Judge sets trial for Sami Al-Arian on criminal contempt charge , Tampa Tribune , January 17, 2009.

Sami Amin Al-Arian ( ; born January 14, 1958) is a Palestinian political activist and convicted felon, who was a computer engineering professor at University of South Florida . During the Clinton administration and Bush administration , he was invited to the White House . He actively campaigned for the Bush presidential campaign in the United States presidential election in 2000 . After a contentious interview with Bill O'Reilly on The O'Reilly Factor following the September 11 attacks , Al-Arian's tenure at University of South Florida came under public scrutiny. He was indicted in February 2003 on 17 counts under the Patriot Act . A jury acquitted him on 8 counts and deadlocked on the remaining 9 counts. He later struck a plea bargain and admitted to one of the remaining charges in exchange for being released and deported by April 2007. However, as his release date approached, a federal prosecutor in Virginia demanded he testify before a grand jury in a separate case, which he refused to do, claiming it would violate his plea deal. He was held under house arrest in Northern Virginia from 2008 until 2014 when federal prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss charges against him. He was deported to Turkey on February 4, 2015.

Sami Amin Al-Arian ( ; born January 14, 1958) is a Kuwaiti -born political activist of Palestinian origin who was a computer engineering professor at University of South Florida . During the Clinton administration and Bush administration , he was invited to the White House . He actively campaigned for the Bush presidential campaign in the United States presidential election in 2000 . After a contentious interview with Bill O'Reilly on The O'Reilly Factor following the September 11 attacks , Al-Arian's tenure at University of South Florida came under public scrutiny. He was indicted in February 2003 on 17 counts under the Patriot Act . A jury acquitted him on 8 counts and deadlocked on the remaining 9 counts. He later struck a plea bargain and admitted to one of the remaining charges in exchange for being released and deported by April 2007. However, as his release date approached, a federal prosecutor in Virginia demanded he testify before a grand jury in a separate case, which he refused to do, claiming it would violate his plea deal. He was held under house arrest in Northern Virginia from 2008 until 2014 when federal prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss charges against him. Al-Arian's activities and connections became a factor in multiple political campaigns, including the 2004 United States Senate election in Florida and the 2010 United States Senate election in California . He was deported to Turkey on February 4, 2015.

Stateless political activist (born 1958) Sami Amin Al-Arian ( Arabic : سامي أمين العريان ; born January 14, 1958) is a Kuwaiti -born political activist of Palestinian origin who was a computer engineering professor at University of South Florida . During the Clinton administration and Bush administration , he was invited to the White House . He actively campaigned for the Bush presidential campaign in the United States presidential election in 2000 . After a contentious interview with Bill O'Reilly on The O'Reilly Factor following the September 11 attacks , Al-Arian's tenure at University of South Florida came under public scrutiny. He was indicted in February 2003 on 17 counts under the Patriot Act . A jury acquitted him on 8 counts and deadlocked on the remaining 9 counts. He later struck a plea bargain and admitted to one of the remaining charges in exchange for being released and deported by April 2007. However, as his release date approached, a federal prosecutor in Virginia demanded he testify before a grand jury in a separate case, which he refused to do, claiming it would violate his plea deal. He was held under house arrest in Northern Virginia from 2008 until 2014 when federal prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss charges against him. Al-Arian's activities and connections became a factor in multiple political campaigns, including the 2004 United States Senate election in Florida and the 2010 United States Senate election in California . He was deported to Turkey on February 4, 2015.

Stateless political activist (born 1958) Sami Amin Al-Arian ( Arabic : سامي أمين العريان ; born January 14, 1958) is a Kuwaiti -born political activist of Palestinian origin who was a computer engineering professor at University of South Florida . During the Clinton administration and Bush administration , he was invited to the White House . He actively campaigned for the Bush presidential campaign in the United States presidential election in 2000 . After a contentious interview with Bill O'Reilly on The O'Reilly Factor following the September 11 attacks , Al-Arian's tenure at University of South Florida came under public scrutiny. He was indicted in February 2003 on 17 counts under the Patriot Act . A jury acquitted him on 8 counts and deadlocked on the remaining 9 counts. He later struck a plea bargain and admitted to one of the remaining charges in exchange for being released and deported by April 2007. However, as his release date approached, a federal prosecutor in Virginia demanded he testify before a grand jury in a separate case, which he refused to do, claiming it would violate his plea deal. He was held under house arrest in Northern Virginia from 2008 until 2014 when federal prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss charges against him. Al-Arian's activities and connections became a factor in multiple political campaigns, including the 2004 United States Senate election in Florida and the 2010 United States Senate election in California . He was deported to Turkey on February 4, 2015.