Alamoudi, friend of presidents; Alamoudi, America’s leading moderate Muslim; Alamoudi, primary exponent of the American Muslim community, confidant of those who cherished his friendship for its power to bring Muslim votes their way. From AP, with thanks to Teri:
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A prominent Muslim activist who admitted participating in a Libyan plot to assassinate Saudi Arabia’s crown prince was sentenced Friday to the maximum 23 years in prison for illegal business dealings with Libya.
Abdurahman Alamoudi, 52, pleaded guilty in July to accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from high-ranking Libyan officials while serving as a go-between for them and Saudi dissidents.
While Alamoudi was not charged in connection with the alleged scheme to kill Crown Prince Abdullah, prosecutors cited the plot as reason for him to receive the maximum sentence.
“This conduct is so base, so reprehensible that this defendant deserves every day of prison that this court will impose upon him,” government attorney Steven Ward said.
Defense lawyer Stanley Cohen asked for leniency and Alamoudi said he was sorry.
“Your honor, I regret my involvement in everything,” Alamoudi said before U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton imposed the sentence.
That’s funny: so do I. I regret that he ever had the ear of Clinton or Bush. I regret that he was ever a player in Washington.