ABU DHABI // Visiting Islamist websites that may promote violence is not justification for charging someone with terrorism, the lawyer for the Lebanese-American Naji Hamdan told the Federal Supreme Court yesterday. Mr Hamdan, 43, was arrested by state security in his Dubai home in August 2008. The State Security Public Prosecution did not bring formal charges against him until his first court appearance on June 14.
He is charged with promoting terrorism, participating in the work of a terrorist organisation and funding a terrorist organisation. Mr Hamdan left Lebanon at college age to study and live in the US. He set up a car business and in 2006 moved to the UAE, where he ran the same type of business. A document submitted by the Public Prosecution in June included the handwritten confession of Mr Hamdan. But he pleaded not guilty at the opening of the trial.
His lawyer said yesterday: "The Public Prosecution is relying on his testimony as proof, but these confessions were acquired under duress. He confessed because he was threatened." The State Security Public Prosecution said Mr Hamdan was directly linked to a militant Sunni faction in Iraq, Ansar al Sunna, through electronic communication. That group has links to al Qa'eda. Mr Hamdan's lawyer urged the judicial panel of four to review the chat session.
"These sites that Hamdan visited were open in the UAE and anyone can visit them. While visiting a site may be wrong, it is not a crime and not a terrorist act," his lawyer said. Prosecutors had argued that Mr The public prosecution previously cited Mr Hamdan's arrest while travelling in Lebanon as proof of his guilt. But his lawyers said he was released without charge. It is not known why he was arrested.
"He cannot be charged for anything that has happened outside of the country. None of the offences he is accused of were committed in the UAE," the lawyer said. "State Security has searched his home, his car and even him, and there is not a single [piece of] physical evidence submitted to the court." Two representatives of the US Embassy attended the open hearing. The American Civil Liberties Union has requested that he be tried in the United States.
The case at the Federal Supreme Court yesterday was postponed until October 12. myoussef@thenational.ae
