Attorney criticizes Al-Arian, journalists

ST. PETERSBURG -- Having his lawsuit dismissed in Hillsborough Circuit Court earlier this month has not stopped John Loftus from accusing suspended University of South Florida professor Sami Al-Arian of helping run a terrorist group.

A judge found the suit legally insufficient, but Loftus says he has crafted new legal arguments and will refile.

Speaking to the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club on Monday, Loftus made largely unsubstantiated claims about Al-Arian. Still, the former U.S. Department of Justice lawyer fielded mostly friendly questions from the political discussion club.

"Sami is a major player on the world board of Islamic Jihad," Loftus told members, referring to Al-Arian by his first name, as he did throughout his remarks. "He is on the executive council. Sami is now No. 2 in the world for the second-most active terrorist group in the world."

Loftus later said he based the allegation on unnamed contacts in the U.S. intelligence community and statements in various books. Asked later what he believes Al-Arian's title with Islamic Jihad is, he replied: "That's a real good question. I don't know what the Arabic title would be."

Al-Arian reacted with exasperation.

"If I'm the second-most whatever he says I am -- how long have I been under the watch of the authorities here, at least seven or eight years?" he said. "Either I am the most clever guy in the world and am able to still run the biggest organization, or he is the biggest liar in history."

Federal law enforcement agents have said they are investigating Al-Arian but never charged him with a crime. Al-Arian denies involvement with Islamic Jihad.

Loftus said journalists have been "asleep at the switch" in reporting on Al-Arian, except for the Tampa Tribune reporter who disclosed accusations from unnamed Israeli intelligence sources Sunday, he said. He also alleged that reporters and news organizations are "on the payroll" of radical Muslim Saudi Arabians.

When Loftus accepted questions from the audience, St. Petersburg Times editor and president Paul Tash pressed him to back up the statement, asking, "Would you name them, please?"

Loftus named one reporter for an international cable channel. Then he conceded he simply thinks her stories are pro-Saudi -- not that she is paid by Saudis.

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