Ex-Intel employee, 'Mike' Hawash gets seven years in gaol

Palestinian-born Maher 'Mike' Hawash, 39 was accused of trying to enter Afghanistan to join Afghan Taliban forces attempting to repel the US-led invasion of that country.

His arrest prompted fellow employees to set up Free Mike Hawash Web site, after he was said to have spent four weeks in solitary confinement.

Hawash pleaded guilty to the charges against him, in return, it is reported, for a reduced sentence. Two co-defendants, Ahmed Bilal and 23-year-old Muhammed Bilal, were sentenced to 10 and eight years respectively. Two other men from Portland, Oregon, were earlier sentenced to 18 years in prison.

In better times, Hawash co-authored a book on using DirectX and other APIs.

Hawash was contrite before the judge in the Oregon courthouse. He said he was "proud" to be a US citizen and regretted his actions. "I do not blame anybody but myself," he said.

US District Judge Robert Jones, said Hawash's involvement in the affair had been a "mystery" to him. "I'm convinced," he told Hawash, "that you will never commit another criminal act." µ