:
Mo June 6 -

FLA TERRORIST TRIAL:
Accused academic's trial opens -

Sami Al-Arian and three co-defendants ... face a 53-count indictment that includes charges of providing material support to terrorists, racketeering and conspiracy...

Prosecutors allege the men used an Islamic academic think tank and a Palestinian charity founded by Al-Arian in Tampa, Florida, as fundraising fronts for the PIJ, which is on a State Department list of terrorist organizations. Furr described them as "an armed, criminal group of violent thugs" opposed to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and committed to disrupting the peace process...

Al-Arian, a former U of South Florida computer science instructor who was fired after his arrest, has been in jail more than two years.

The trial is expected to last six months.

:: Terror Trial ::
-- Mitch Stacy: AP/Yahoo --

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