Islamic Scholar Gets Life In Prison In Va.

Islamic Scholar Gets Life in Prison in Va.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050714/...tball_sentence

By MATTHEW BARAKAT, Associated Press Writer 16 minutes ago

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A prominent Islamic scholar who exhorted his followers after the Sept. 11 attacks to join the Taliban and fight U.S. troops was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison.

Ali al-Timimi was convicted in April of soliciting treason, inducing others to aid the Taliban, and others to use firearms in violation of federal law.

"I will not admit guilt nor seek the court's mercy. I do this simply because I am innocent," the Fairfax cleric said in a 10-minute address before sentencing.

Attorneys Edward MacMahon and Alan Yamamoto argued al-Timimi was unfairly prejudiced at trial by inflammatory evidence of his religious beliefs — and accused prosecutors of misconduct for unfairly linking al-Timimi to Osama bin Laden.

"We had to defend ourselves against Osama bin Laden in this trial," MacMahon said Wednesday. "Am I appalled by some of his views? Yes. But he is not a man of violence. He's not a criminal."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg said al-Timimi "hates the United States" and has called for its destruction.

"He's allowed to do that in this country," Kromberg said. "He's not allowed to solicit treason. He deserves every day he gets."

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema said the evidence supported the mandatory life sentence. The judge had earlier left open the possibility she would toss out some of the counts.

The case against al-Timimi had few precedents. When crafting jury instructions for certain counts, lawyers relied on the Aaron Burr treason case and the seditious conspiracy trial of blind sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, convicted in 1996 of conspiring to destroy several New York landmarks.

Al-Timini's wife was among about 50 supporters in court. She declined to comment.

Prosecutors portrayed al-Timimi, a native U.S. citizen, has having "rock star" status among his followers, who frequently heard his lectures at a small mosque in Falls Church.

In particular, prosecutors said, the defendant wielded enormous influence among a group of young Muslim men in northern Virginia who played paintball games in 2000 and 2001. Authorities said they were a "Virginia jihad network" training for holy war around the globe.

Nine members of the group have been convicted for their roles in the conspiracy, with prison terms ranging from three years to life.

Al-Timimi's lawyers argued their client merely suggested Muslims may want to leave the United States after Sept. 11 because of the potential for a backlash against them.

But he was accused of telling a group of young Muslim men just days after the attack an apocalyptic battle between Muslims and nonbelievers was at hand, and that Muslims were obligated to engage in holy war. He told the group defense of the Taliban was a requirement and U.S. troops were a legitimate target, according to court testimony.

Several of the men who heard Al-Timimi's speech traveled days later to Pakistan and began training with a militant Islamic group, officials said. None made it to Afghanistan.