Al-Arian Associate Plea Bargains In Another Case

I'm not so sure the two things are not connected. Why did they make the false statements? From the Tampa Tribune, with thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist:

Sameeh Hammoudeh faces trial in April with Al-Arian and two others on charges they helped organize and finance the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an organization that has claimed responsibility for numerous suicide bombings in Israel.

In a move that does not appear to directly affect the Al-Arian case, Hammoudeh and his wife, Nadia, entered into agreements Monday to plead guilty to three charges alleging they made false statements on immigration and mortgage documents. The couple had been scheduled for trial March 7 on those charges.

The Hammoudehs were indicted in August on 15 counts, including charges of wire fraud, conspiracy, false statements to the Internal Revenue Service and submitting a false claim to a federal agency.

In the plea agreements, the couple admit that between September 1994 and April 2000, they violated their visas by working at the Islamic Academy of Florida without authorization from federal immigration authorities. The school was co-founded by Al-Arian for students from prekindergarten through 12th grade.

According to court papers, Hammoudeh, who was born in the West Bank in Israel, entered this country in December 1992 on a tourist visa and later obtained a student visa. Prosecutors describe him as Al-Arian's closest confidant in the United States, but his attorney has asserted that the two men differed in numerous areas.