(AP/San Francisco Chronicle) - An Arab man who was convicted of hate crimes for burglarizing and burning down Temple Beth El in Syracuse, N.Y., on Oct. 13, 2000, was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in prison. Raussi Uthman, 30, also must pay $856,278 in restitution. "This sentence has nothing to do with your heritage," Judge Joseph Fahey told Uthman, who claimed he was being discriminated against. "It is based solely on your conduct. It is the same sentence I would impose on a Nazi, Ku Klux Klansman, or any bigot that would have burned down a house of worship. My only regret is that it can't be longer." His accomplice, Ahed Shehadeh, who is serving a five-year sentence for burglary and aiding and abetting an arson, testified that Uthman dedicated the arson to God, crying out in Arabic, "I did this for you, God!"
2003-12-19 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive