US deports Palestinian acquitted of terror charges
AFP
Date: 05-24-06
MIAMI (AFP) - The US government has deported a Palestinian citizen to the Palestinian territories some six months after he was acquitted of terrorism charges in a Florida trial, an immigration official said.
A spokeswoman for the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency said Sameeh Hammoudeh, a former administrator at an Islamic academy in Florida, had been deported to the Palestinian territories.
"ICE detention and removal officers carried out Mr. Hammoudeh's final order of removal as mandated by law, it was carried out yesterday (Tuesday). Mr Hammoudeh is now in Palestinian territory," ICE spokeswoman Barbara Gonzalez told AFP.
Hammoudeh had been jailed for three years in the United States after being arrested in February 2003 on terrorism charges. He was kept in detention despite being cleared of the charges in December.
However, the US government deported Hammoudeh before his detention status was due to be reviewed by a Tampa judge on Wednesday.
Hammoudeh agreed to his deportation after pleading guilty to immigration and financial charges.
The US government pressed terrorism charges against Hammoudeh and three other individuals, including Sami Al-Arian, a former professor at the University of South Florida, in a trial which garnered widespread media coverage.
Al-Arian, who was also acquitted of terrorism, was jailed on charges of providing support to the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad and is due to be deported to the Palestinian territories in about 18 months.
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