Pro-Hamas protesters camped out at Columbia University, including the wife of a former professor who has pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges.
On Tuesday night, dozens of New York City police officers were dispatched to Columbia University’s campus to quell a pro-Hamas protest that was taking place simultaneously inside the building and on the lawn outside. As Blaze News previously reported, the extremists barricaded themselves inside Hamilton Hall, destroying property and threatening the safety of students and school staff.
Meanwhile, the university’s West Lawn, where activists had set up tents at one point last week. become increasingly violent In the same way.
Among those who joined the lawn radicals was Nahla Al-Arian, the wife of Sami Al-Arian, a former computer engineering professor at the University of South Florida. Fans of Bill O’Reilly’s former Fox News show may remember Al Arian’s appearance on the show shortly after the September 11 attacks, which led to his involvement in terrorist-related activities. Suspicions arose that this was the case.
In 2003, Sami Al Arian was indicted on 17 charges. Two years later, he pleaded guilty to one count of “conspiracy to make or receive donations of funds, goods, or services to or for the benefit of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Specially Designated Terrorists.” [organization]Archive version of “ court documents Said.
he served several years in prison exiled At least once.
Last Friday, Sami Al Arian posted a photo to X of his wife Nara, who appeared to be sitting inside a tent on the West Lawn. A message accompanying her photo boasted that Nahla was standing “in solidarity with the brave and extremely determined students of Columbia University.”
It’s unclear whether Nara was still on campus Tuesday when police arrived. But New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) may have been alluding to her in his remarks about her arrest on campus that night.
Mr Adams claimed that the pro-Hamas protests had been hijacked by “external agitators”. He did not mention the names of such instigators, but added that “one of the husbands of that person was arrested and convicted of terrorism at the federal level.” new york post report.
“One of them was married to someone who was arrested for terrorism,” Adams reiterated in a separate conversation with CBS.
Adams declined to provide further details about the person he had in mind. He did not even confirm whether the mystery spouse in question was among the hundreds arrested. “We will leave it up to the intelligence department to decide what information should be released and what information should not be released,” he said.
But he also said, perhaps shyly, that “you can find this information if you look for it. They probably have acknowledged themselves on social media platforms.”
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