Florida Senate candidates spar

TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 19 (UPI) -- The two candidates for Florida's Senate seat continued to spar over terrorism during their first debate of two prior to the election in two weeks.

Both Democrat Betty Castor and Republican Mel Martinez refused to take down television ads about alleged terrorist fund raiser Sami al-Arian, The Miami Herald reported Tuesday.

Castor, former president of the University of South Florida, did offer to end her ads showing al-Arian standing next to President Bush if Martinez took his ads down. The former Bush cabinet member refused during the debate at Tampa.

Martinez has been criticizing Castor for not firing al-Arian, a University of South Florida professor, when she was president of the school.

Castor responded with the commercials showing Bush with al-Arian during the 2000 campaign.

As Bush's Florida campaign manager at the time she said Martinez approved al-Arian's presence and a meeting at the White House later.

Al-Arian is currently in jail awaiting trial on terrorism charges that were filed well after the 2000 election and Castor's tenure at the university.