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Sameeh Hammoudeh Has Been Released!!

Thanks to all who wrote in response to Al-Awda's and NCA's Action calls. Finally Sameeh has been released and is in his hometown with his family.


Al-Arian Co-Defendant Back Home
Posted May 24, 2006 at 10:42 AM

By ELAINE SILVESTRINI
esilvestrini@tbo.com

TAMPA - Two days before a federal judge planned to question immigration officials, Sameeh Hammoudeh has arrived at his family’s home in the West Bank, his attorney said this morning.

A former co-defendant of Sami Al-Arian, Hammoudeh was acquitted of all charges on Dec. 7, following a five-month trial. He had been held without bail pending trial on terrorism-related charges.

Following his acquittal, Hammoudeh was transferred to an immigration detention facility in Bradenton pending his deportation. Hammoudeh had agreed to be deported, along with his wife, Nadia, under the terms of a plea deal in a fraud case.

Nadia Hammoudeh, however, was never jailed and was deported in January, forced to leave her husband behind. Hammoudeh’s attorneys petitioned for his release or immediate deportation, but were repeatedly denied relief.

Then in March, U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore said he would monitor Hammoudeh’s case. He scheduled a hearing for Friday, and said he might review immigration officials’ actions if Hammoudeh wasn’t deported by then.

This morning, Hammoudeh’s attorney, Stephen N. Bernstein, said he spoke to Hammoudeh, who had just joined his family after leaving the U.S. Tuesday.

“He was very happy,” Bernstein said, “very happy to be home.’’

Bernstein said he believes U.S. authorities intentionally delayed Hammoudeh’s deportation in an effort to “extract punishment” because of their failure to obtain a conviction in the terrorism case.

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