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Politics : Proof that John Kerry is Unfit for Command -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: GROUND ZERO™ who wrote (11418)	9/21/2004 6:33:07 AM
From: lorne	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 27181

Imam gets two months in prison for hiding ties to terror groups September 20, 2004 cnews.canoe.ca AKRON, Ohio (AP) - 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. Palestinian-born Fawaz Damra, imam of the Islamic Center of Cleveland, could have received up to five years in prison on the charge of obtaining U.S. citizenship in 1994 by providing false information. Prosecutors had requested the maximum sentence, but U.S. District Judge James Gwin said he did not view the citizenship application offence as a terrorism issue the way prosecutors had tried to suggest. Sentencing guidelines for first-time offenders called for probation to six months in prison. Prosecutors also urged Gwin to revoke Damra's citizenship, but Damra's attorneys asked him to wait until after the appeal, which could take years. Gwin did not immediately rule on the matter. U.S. Attorney Gregory White said after sentencing that revoking Damra's citizenship is more important than getting a longer prison term. Gwin allowed Damra, 41, to remain free on bond. He said the imam could start serving his sentence after the Muslim holiday of Ramadan ends in November. Damra was convicted June 17. The government said that when he applied for citizenship, he concealed ties to Afghan Refugee Services, the Islamic Committee for Palestine and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, groups the U.S. government classifies as terrorist organizations. The defence, which called no witnesses, said Damra may have supported certain groups but did not consider himself a member or affiliate of them.