Charges Revived Against Jordanian Student (Jail OK'd for 911 Witnesses)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3362683,00.html


NEW YORK (AP) - In a vindication of the
government's terrorism investigation, a federal
appeals court on Friday reinstated charges
against a Jordanian college student who knew
two Sept. 11 hijackers and was accused of lying
about one of them.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in
Manhattan ordered perjury charges restored
against Osama Awadallah, 23, a San Diego man
who said he was mistreated by FBI agents and
guards at federal jails before his case was thrown
out in April 2002.

The appeals court said the government's jailing of
material witnesses for a grand jury investigation
into the terrorist attacks was constitutional,
overturning a ruling by Judge Shira Scheindlin in
Manhattan.

Robert J. Boyle, a lawyer for Awadallah, said he
had not decided whether to appeal. He predicted
Awadallah will be exonerated of the ``silly perjury
charges'' at trial and noted that Awadallah was
not suspected of criminal involvement in the
attacks.