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Phone Call May Have Linked Imam To Terrorist Groups

Damra Sentenced To Spend 2 Months In Prison

UPDATED: 12:29 pm EDT September 21, 2004

Newly declassified documents federal prosecutors said point to a strong link between Imam Fawaz Damra and organizations the government classifies as terrorist groups were released Monday.

The leader of Ohio's largest mosque was sentenced Monday to two months in federal prison and four months of house arrest for lying about his connections to terrorist groups when he applied for U.S. citizenship.

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An important piece of the trial had been declassified. That included transcripts of a 1998 phone conversation.

"All the aid and such. You have received it?" Damra asked.

"May God reward you and bless you" said Sami al-Arian.

"You will be receiving a second portion." Damra said.

Al-Arian, an alleged moneyman for terrorist organizations, is currently under a 50-count indictment in Florida.

U.S. prosecutors claim the conversation shows Damra's own ties to those groups, NewsChannel5 reported.

"All of these investigations are ongoing. As you know, we're involved in the case in Florida with al-Arian, and it's very clear from the record in this case his association with al-Arian and with the documents that were declassified and released today, that association continues right up to the year 2000 and 2001. So they speak for themselves," U.S. Attorney Greg White said.

The calls also speak powerfully of how influential al-Arian has been, WEWS reported.

"Last week I saw Clinton," al-Arian said in the conversation.

"You met him?" Damra asked.

"Yes by God." he said.

Later, in the 2000 election, al-Arian actually campaigned with George W. Bush, even getting an invitation to the White House, NewsChannel5 reported.

Damra said he may have supported some of these groups, but he never considered himself a member of them.





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