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GUEST: Peter Erlinder, one of Sami Al-Arian’s Attorneys

Ahead of being called to testify before yet another grand jury, Dr. Sami Al-Arian continues to remain on hunger strike, his third to date. For the past sixteen days, the imprisoned Palestinian activist has been on a complete food and water fast. Believing that the plea agreement reached in May 2006 is being violated, Dr. Al-Arian, a diabetic, has already lost 25 pounds and has been transferred to a federal medical facility. A medical examiner said that Dr. Al-Arian is suffering the effects of dehydration and starvation as a result of his protest. This third, more drastic hunger strike, by the imprisoned activist comes on the heels of his scheduled release and deportation date next month. Al-Arian and his lawyers believe that the upcoming grand jury hearing tomorrow is just the latest attempt by the Bush Administration to keep him in prison indefinitely. Dr. Al-Arian has been incarcerated since 2003 despite not being convicted of a single “terrorism” charge against him in a 2005 trial. Later, Al-Arian accepted a plea agreement with the understanding that he was to be released on time-served and deported, only to have the judge in the case give him a maximum sentence of 57 months.

For more information, visit freesamialarian.com.

To find out who to contact regarding Al Arian’s case, visit freesamialarian.com/help.html