John O’Brien of the Post-Standard has brought an inaccuracy in my reporting of this case to my attention. I have said that the case started out as a terrorist investigation and that the government and media made much of this fact. It is more accurate to say that when this case was first brought to the attention of the public, it was presented as a case with links to terrorism.

On the day of Dr. Dhafir’s arrest in February 2003, Attorney General John Ashcroft told the press that “supporters of terrorism” had been apprehended. And in August, just before the trial was about to begin, Governor Pataki talked of the case having “links to terrorism”. (For more information on the case see the section: “Dhafir by others”.)

John O’Brien did not think my correction was good enough and you can see the continued correspondence here.

See here for a chronology of items about the case.