Lawyer gets 28 months jail for aiding terrorism: Knowledge Driven Revolution

A New York attorney convicted of aiding terrorism by helping a client smuggle messages to militant followers was sentenced on Monday to 28 months in prison.

Lynne Stewart, 67, was convicted in February 2005 of helping her imprisoned client, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, to contact the Islamic Group, which the U.S. government lists as a terrorist organization.

Prosecutors said messages Stewart passed on for Abdel-Rahman could have ignited violence in Egypt. The sheikh was convicted in 1995 of conspiring to attack U.S. targets in a plot prosecutors said included the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

Stewart, long a defender of the poor and unpopular, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John Koeltl in Manhattan federal court. She could face more than 15 years in prison on the charges.

"I am very grateful to the judge," Stewart told reporters and supporters rallying outside the courthouse, calling her sentencing a "victory against an overreaching government."

The civil rights lawyer has defended her actions, saying she was only zealously representing her client.

Tagged as both heroine and radical leftist, Stewart is the only U.S. lawyer to be indicted on terrorism charges. Civil rights groups say the case stemmed from Bush administration efforts to discourage the defense of accused terrorists.

U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia said in a statement that the government was disappointed and would consider an appeal.

Since her 2002 indictment, Stewart has spoken at rallies, been convicted after a seven-month trial, undergone treatment for cancer and become the subject of a documentary called "Who's Afraid of Lynne Stewart?"

Evidence for the terrorism charges included a call Stewart made to a Reuters correspondent in Egypt in which she read a statement issue by the cleric saying he had withdrawn his support for the Islamic Group's cease-fire in Egypt. That correspondent was subpoenaed in the case.

The group had observed the cease-fire since a 1997 attack on tourists in Luxor.

Read the full article here

Broken Link? If the link to the original article is broken or has been altered you can view the article by clicking here.

Read Today's Knowledge Driven News
HOME Canadians Should Pay NOT to be Poisoned: NDP V for Vendetta - R for Reality Canadian Bird Flu Pandemic Looming ? Shill of the Week: Stephan Harper Aspartame: The Sweetest Killer Chicken Little Terrorist of the Week: Creating Fake Terrorists Shill of the Week: Paul Martin The Number 1 Reason YOU became a Slave	Lawyer gets 28 months jail for aiding terrorism Matthew Verrinder - Reuters October 18, 2006 A New York attorney convicted of aiding terrorism by helping a client smuggle messages to militant followers was sentenced on Monday to 28 months in prison. Lynne Stewart, 67, was convicted in February 2005 of helping her imprisoned client, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, to contact the Islamic Group, which the U.S. government lists as a terrorist organization. Prosecutors said messages Stewart passed on for Abdel-Rahman could have ignited violence in Egypt. The sheikh was convicted in 1995 of conspiring to attack U.S. targets in a plot prosecutors said included the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Stewart, long a defender of the poor and unpopular, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John Koeltl in Manhattan federal court. She could face more than 15 years in prison on the charges. "I am very grateful to the judge," Stewart told reporters and supporters rallying outside the courthouse, calling her sentencing a "victory against an overreaching government." The civil rights lawyer has defended her actions, saying she was only zealously representing her client. Tagged as both heroine and radical leftist, Stewart is the only U.S. lawyer to be indicted on terrorism charges. Civil rights groups say the case stemmed from Bush administration efforts to discourage the defense of accused terrorists. U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia said in a statement that the government was disappointed and would consider an appeal. Since her 2002 indictment, Stewart has spoken at rallies, been convicted after a seven-month trial, undergone treatment for cancer and become the subject of a documentary called "Who's Afraid of Lynne Stewart?" Evidence for the terrorism charges included a call Stewart made to a Reuters correspondent in Egypt in which she read a statement issue by the cleric saying he had withdrawn his support for the Islamic Group's cease-fire in Egypt. That correspondent was subpoenaed in the case. The group had observed the cease-fire since a 1997 attack on tourists in Luxor. Read the full article here Broken Link? If the link to the original article is broken or has been altered you can view the article by clicking here. About KDR \| \| Home \| \| Weekly Features Archive	Weekly Features Archive
		What Is Wrong With Canada ? Recent 9-11 News Suppressed by the Media Aspartame: The Sweetest Killer The Number 1 Reason YOU became a Slave Knowledge Driven Look at Your Favourite Canadian Political Parties
		August September October 2006 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Weekly Features 2006 2005 Read Today's Knowledge Driven News
		Counter
Copyright � 2005-6 KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com