Inventing-Terrorists-study

1. had not engaged in any violent acts and had no previousknowledge of violent acts committed in the United States or theMiddle East;2. would not be required to “cooperate” by providing information toprosecutors; and3. would be released for time served, and the Justice Departmentwould assist in his immediate voluntary deportation.However, even after his guilty plea, the government continued tohold Al-Arian in jail until another U.S. Attorney, Gordon Kromberg,subpoenaed him to testify before a grand jury in Virginia. Al-Arian refusedto testify, saying that the plea bargain exempted him from “cooperation.” Itwas believed that the only reason the government wanted his testimony inanother state was to charge him with perjury there. In 2008 he was chargedwith criminal contempt of court after serving more than one year beyondhis original sentence on civil contempt charges. After his contempt trialproceedings began in Virginia, the government was forced to produceevidence that showed that the Florida prosecutors, who had negotiated theoriginal plea bargain in which Al-Arian had pleaded guilty, were againstcalling Al-Arian before the Virginia grand jury and affirmed that thegovernment had agreed during the plea negotiations to remove the“ccoperation clause” that would have compelled him to testify. The defensethen moved to dismiss the contempt charge as violating the plea bargain.The presiding judge agreed to release Al-Arian under house arrest.However, the court has been considering its decision on the motion sinceearly 2009, while Al-Arian remains under house arrest.References:“Free Sami Al-Arian,” website, various dates, http://www.freesamialarian.com/B-3