Terror financing suspect could haunt Castor

[Freddie Stubbs]

Published June 5, 2004


Languishing in a prison cell in Central Florida is an inmate who could end up derailing Betty Castor's U.S. Senate race.

Sami al-Arian is being held on charges that he financed Islamic Jihad terrorists while a professor at a school Castor headed, the University of South Florida.

You'll be hearing a lot about al-Arian, say Democratic insiders. Television ads are being fashioned that slam Castor for not firing al-Arian. Castor refused to dismiss the professor for years after calls he be tossed out and after international publicity about his role in Islamic Jihad.

Al-Arian was suspended five days after Castor quit the university in 2001. He was arrested two years later.

more: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/sfl-cpol05jun05,0,4179567.column?coll=sfla-news-col

Looks like the primary is about to get even uglier. Unitl now it was Deutsch and Penelas bashing each other. I wonder if Castor will ignore the attacks or bash back?

[trotsky]

1. She'd better bash back... with this picture.

George and Laura Bush with Sami Amin Al-Arian, who is
charged with 50 counts of terrorism. Al-Arian even
went to a White House briefing with Karl Rove.

Full details:
http://www.sullivan-county.com/bush/al-arian3.htm

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. That probably won't help her in the primary

These ads are being financed by other Democrats to hurt her chances in the primary.

[seasat]

2. Heck Jebbie funded Al Arian's private school with vouchers.

His school was accused of being a recruiting ground for Palestinian terrorists, however, Jebbie's voucher program was paying for students to go there. All of the Republican candidates supported these vouchers. I'd bring that and Shrub's association with Al Arian out as soon as the Repubs mention it.