Brief summary and background, Sheikh Dr Ali Al Timimi,
Was a popular lecturer on the Salafi circuit. During the 1990's
in the era of audio cassettes.
After 9/11 attacks the FBI went on a witch hunt, against Muslims. A number of men from his locality got convicted for having trained at Lashkar e Tayba, training camps in Pakistan.( Although none of them participated in any fighting)
In what became known as the Virginia Jihad Network.
Some of those men had occasionaly attended his weekly talks.
The FBI made trumped up charges claiming that he had encouraged those men to go train and fight with Taliban against American troops, in Afghanistan. Not explicitly but implicitly, by stating Muslims need to make hijrah post 9/11 because of the wests conflict against Islam.
He was convicted in 2005 given effectively a life sentence spent 15 years in solitary confinement and last 5 years under house arrest, waiting this appeal.
He has degrees in computer science, and biology, career wise he was a Computational Biologist, he was employed as an academic researcher in Cancer when he was convicted. He received his PHD doctorate for his thesis "Chaos and Complexity in Cancer".
DOAM
@doamuslims BREAKING! U.S. federal appeals court has thrown out all remaining convictions of Sheikh Ali al-Timimi
A federal appeals court has thrown out all remaining criminal convictions against Sheikh Dr Ali al-Timimi, effectively bringing an end to 20 of incarceration (15 of them under maximum security solitary confinement), as well as 5 years under house arrest.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated Sheikh Dr. Ali al-Timimi's convictions after ruling he engaged in constitutionally protected free speech and did not violate any laws.
Judge James Wynn wrote in a unanimous opinion for a three-judge panel. “The First Amendment’s protection does not depend on the popularity or palatability of the message conveyed. On the contrary, it is most vital when speech offends, disturbs, or challenges prevailing sensibilities.”
The appeals court said Dr. Al-Timimi’s suggestions to his associates were not “concrete” enough to cross the line into criminal conduct.
“Because the Constitution forbids criminal punishment for protected advocacy—however odious the content of that advocacy—we conclude that Al-Timimi’s speech remained protected under the First Amendment.”
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley, who represented Dr. Al-Timimi for 17 years, stated, “It stands as one of the longest direct appeals in history. The case raised troubling due process and free speech issues,” Turley said, crediting (Federal Defender Geremy) Kamens for the successful result.
Here is a brief and inspiring talk he gave before his conviction, about how the FBI had offered him a plea deal offering him a short sentence if he pleaded guilty..
Only 3 minutes have a listen Insha'Allah.
DOAM
@doamuslims
BREAKING! Following a lengthy legal battle spanning over two decades, including 15 years under oppressive solitary confinement incarceration, the US Federal Court of the Eastern District of Virginia has ordered a FULL ACQUITTAL of Sheikh Ali Al-Timimi on ALL charges.
The court mandates updates to government records, the lifting of all restrictions, including travel, and the destruction of any biometric data related to the vacated convictions.
What’s happened since the Court of Appeals ruling in January?
After the Appeals Court vacated the remaining convictions against Sheikh Ali Al-Timimi, the government asked for time to decide whether it would request a rehearing. They were given an extension, but ultimately did not file for rehearing before the deadline.
As a result, the Court of Appeals’ decision became final and the case was sent back to the District Court to carry out the ruling.
Today, the District Court entered a Judgment of Acquittal on all counts.
All ten counts of the indictment have now been vacated and Sheikh Ali stands fully acquitted with no convictions to his name.
Alhamdulillah. After more than 20 years, this case has finally ended in complete acquittal!
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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