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Florida University Consults Court on Firing Arab Prof NewsMax.com WiresTAMPA, Fla. – The University of South Florida announced Wednesday it was asking a court if firing a Palestinian computer professor accused of having terrorist ties would violate his rights. Left-wing groups have denounced the university for planning to fire professor Sami Al Arian, who has been on paid leave. "After all I have seen and heard, I believe that Dr. Al-Arian has abused his position at the university and is using academic freedom as a shield to cover improper activities," said USF President Judy Genshaft. "Therefore the university has filed a complaint for declaratory relief, seeking a judgment from the Florida 13th Judicial Court to determine whether the university can proceed with this termination without violating Dr. Al-Arian's rights," she said. The university's Board of Trustees voted 12-1 in December to recommend firing Al-Arian for his alleged terrorism. Genshaft had been expected to follow the recommendation. She contends she has the right to fire him under his contract for damaging the "legitimate interests" of the school. She said Al-Arian jeopardized campus safety and the university's relations with alumni, legislators, funding agencies, parents and donors. Al-Arian has said that he is a victim of Sept. 11 "hysteria” and that any disruption of the university comes from the reaction to him and not from any of his actions. The case first surfaced in the mid-1990s, but a review of his past commissioned by the university in 1996 found no reason to discipline him. The case returned to the public eye Sept. 26 with an appearance on Bill O'Reilly's show on the Fox News Channel. The professor was once again accused of supporting terrorism. American Association of University Professors has questioned whether Al-Arian's termination would be an infringement on academic freedom and said it would "censure” the university if he is fired. The court case may forestall the censure. Al-Arian's brother-in-law, Mazen Al-Najjar, is expected to be deported to an undisclosed Arab country this week. Al-Najjar, a Muslim cleric and former part-time instructor at USF, served three years in prison on secret evidence allegedly linking him to terrorism. He was freed last year but jailed again for overstaying his visa. The Justice Department had been willing to deport him, but could not find a country to accept him without valid travel papers. Last week, the Palestinian Authority granted him travel papers, and the anonymous country agreed to take him.
Copyright 2002 by United Press International. All rights reserved.
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