SOUTH

GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO RELEASE MAN ACQUITTED IN TERROR TRIAL

A Florida man acquitted of terrorism-related charges is not entitled to be deported immediately or released, prosecutors argued in papers filed in federal court in Tampa yesterday. Sameeh Hammoudeh, 36, was arrested in 2003 and put on trial last year along with a former college professor, Sami Al-Arian, and two other men accused of operating an American wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In December, Hammoudeh, who claimed to be a peace-loving moderate, was acquitted of all charges. The jury also acquitted Mr. Al-Arian on eight counts, but did not reach a unanimous verdict on nine others.

Earlier, Hammoudeh and his wife, Nadia, pleaded guilty to tax fraud and false statement charges brought separately. He agreed to be deported to the West Bank, where he was born. His wife and family moved to the West Bank in February, but Sameeh Hammoudeh has remained in a county jail.

In the new filing, government lawyers said they are still awaiting permission from Israel to send Hammoudeh to the West Bank. They argued he has no right to challenge any delays in court until June.

A spokesman for the Israeli consulate in Miami, Ariel Roman, told the St. Petersburg Times last month that Israel was not blocking Hammoudeh’s deportation. Yesterday, he confirmed making the statement but said he could not be certain whether Israeli officials were involved in the delay.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

WASHINGTON

INDICTED AIPAC AIDE LAUNCHES DEFENSE FUND

A former pro-Israel lobbyist facing trial next month on charges of conspiracy to obtain and distribute classified information launched a legal defense fund yesterday.

Keith Weissman was fired last year from his post as deputy director of foreign policy at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. In August, he was indicted, along with a colleague also fired from Aipac, Steven Rosen, and a Defense Department official accused of providing information to the pair, Lawrence Franklin.

Franklin, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 years in prison, is cooperating with prosecutors. Messrs. Weissman and Rosen have been locked in a dispute with Aipac over how much of their legal bills the organization should assume.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun