Muslim group praises professor's release

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- The Muslim Public Affairs Council Tuesday praised the release of former Professor Sami al-Arian from U.S. custody.

Al-Arian, who was released on bail, will be restricted to home detention while he awaits trial on contempt-of-court charges.

"Since his arrest five years ago, al-Arian's case has become an example of what many American Muslims perceived to be numerous post-9/11 political persecutions of individuals using tactics that amount to little more than guilt by association," the Muslim Public Affairs Council said in a statement.

Al-Arian is a former University of South Florida professor, arrested in 2003 on charges of funding terrorism. In December 2005, a jury acquitted him of eight of the 17 charges brought against him and remained deadlocked on the remaining charges.

Al-Arian pleaded guilty in 2006 to a single non-terrorism related count of conspiracy and agreed to be deported.

The council said despite an agreement that al-Arian would not be compelled to testify against others, he was subpoenaed and jailed for refusing to testify against others.