Al-Arian Pleads Guilty
As part of his deal to avoid further prosecution in return for deportation, Sami al-Arian has pleaded guilty to aiding Islamic Jihad. (Hat tip: LGF readers.)
TAMPA, Florida (Reuters) - Former university professor Sami al-Arian has pleaded guilty to aiding the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad and agreed to be deported, according to documents made public on Monday by a U.S. court in Florida.
Al-Arian and three co-defendants were arrested in 2003 and charged with helping the group carry out attacks in Israel. In December, a federal jury found al-Arian not guilty on eight charges and failed to reach a verdict on nine others after a six-month trial.
The United States has designated Islamic Jihad a terrorist organization.
Al-Arian accepted the plea agreement on Friday to avoid another trial on the deadlocked charges.