*THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 10:00 AM
Sentencing of Abdelhaleem Asqar
Dirksen Federal Building, 219 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago
Courtroom 1241

Abdelhaleem Ashqar, a Palestinian from Gaza, came to the United States in early 1990 to study at the University of Mississippi. After obtaining his doctorate degree in business he taught at Howard University. Ashqar, along with Muhammad Salah, was charged with conspiracy to provide material support to Hamas and with obstruction of justice. On February 1, 2007, after a trial that spanned more than 3.5 months, both men were found not guilty of the most serious charges of conspiracy.

Salah was found guilty of lying during an interrogatory for a civil case and in July was sentenced to 21 months in prison. According to his lawyer Michael Deutsch, this is the first time that someone has been prosecuted and convicted of giving false answers on an interrogatory.

Ashqar was found guilty of obstruction of justice and criminal contempt for refusing to testify before a grand jury that was investigating Hamas. His sentencing has been re-scheduled at least twice. It has been reported that the probation officer who conducted Ashqar’s pre-sentencing investigation has recommended a sentence of life in prison and that the prosecutor is urging this sentence. Life in prison for refusing to testify before a grand jury! (We must all be cognizant of the fact that under the Bush Administration any of us could someday soon be facing a grand jury for working against war and repression.)

If possible, please try to attend this sentencing hearing to let the U.S. Government know that we strongly object to its targeting of Muslims, and Palestinians in particular. Please note that the sentencing could be re-scheduled as late as the day before the scheduled hearing.