Source: St. Petersburg Times

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/04/18/Tampabay/Al_Arian_s_plea_ends_.shtml

On April 18, 2006 the St. Petersburg Times reported, "In the end, Sami Al-Arian's decision to accept a plea deal came down to two things: his desire to end the case for his family, and his determination not to admit to a crime of violence. The single count to which he pleaded guilty in a deal approved Monday accomplished both, said his attorney Linda Moreno. 'In the agreement, he did not plead guilty to any crime of violence, and by pleading he gave his family closure in this ordeal,' she said. What the former University of South Florida computer science professor did do, however, was publicly admit for the first time that he aided associates of a terrorist group. By pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide services to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Al-Arian acknowledged helping three known associates of the group with various nonviolent activities and repeatedly lying about what he knew. As a result, Al-Arian likely will serve several more months in prison, then be deported to an undetermined country."