USA vs Al-Arian is a close portrait of an Arab-American family post 9/11 in the United States and the terrorism charges levelled at them by the U.S. Government.
For years Nahla Al-Arian and her children have been fighting to prove the innocence of husband and father Sami. Sami is a Palestinian refugee, university professor and civil rights activist who has lived in the USA for over 30 years. In 2003 Sami was accused of giving support to a terrorist organisation and held in solitary confinement for over 3 years. His trial ended with a hung jury and was seen as a stinging rebuke for the federal government however he was not freed. The Bush administration considered Sami’s to be a landmark case in its campaign against international terrorism however Sami Al-Arian claims he has been targeted to attempt to silence his political views.
USA vs Al-Arian shows a personal story of a family living in a society where fear of terrorism has resulted in the stigmatization and discrimination against the Muslim community.
Dir. Line Halvorsen – 2007 - Norway - 99 mins - Cert PG - Norweigan Film Institute
