Naive world view. They also filed other less serious charges against him (of which he may have been guilty). He intended to plead "Not guilty", but after 2.5 years of him being held before trial[1], they offered him a deal. Plead guilty and get 5 years, including time served.
replyHe likely would have beaten the terrorism charges, but for the lesser charges it wasn't clear that he'd get a better prison sentence than the one he was being offered.
He took the deal and pleaded guilty.
Also, lawyers cost money - perhaps he couldn't afford to keep fighting through a trial. I also have another friend who had the same charges leveled against him (not for donations, but volunteering services). He did fight the charges and got acquitted. I don't know if it's true, but I heard it cost him well over $1M for his legal defense.
[1] Trials like these take a long time to prepare for, by both parties.
I already agreed he has great integrity you’re just proving it further
replyHaving values is expensive
Many people pay with their lives
Well, after getting deported to a country he's never lived in, and separated from all his children, and possibly never getting a stable job because he declared he was involved in terrorism, and having his elderly mother not have anyone to take care of her while he was in prison ... I'm just not sure he wants to "hold his head high".
replyBut sure, if anyone wants to pay in this fashion, I won't stop them.
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replyDo you really not care to know what the terrorist organization was before you assume that "they are fighting against oppressive bullshit"? Is A/I and ISIS the same to you?
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