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Patrick Syring Arraigned - AAI's Reaction

AAI
Posted on Friday August 31, 2007

WASHINGTON – Aug. 30, 2007 – Today at 1:45 p.m., Patrick Syring was arraigned in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on federal charges of sending threatening communication in interstate commerce and violating the civil rights of Arab American Institute employees. Syring, a Foreign Service officer with the State Department, pled not guilty.

Syring was indicted by a grand jury on Aug. 15 for sending voicemail and email messages to AAI President James Zogby and other AAI employees. Voicemails and emails left by Syring included threats such as “the only good Arab is a dead Arab” and “death to Lebanon and death to the Arabs.” During his two decade career at State, Syring posts included an assignment in Beirut, Lebanon.

“That these calls and messages were made by a State Department career officer is deeply distressing,” said Zogby. “It is equally distressing that the State Department took no action and allowed Mr. Syring to serve in an official capacity on behalf of the federal government and its diplomatic efforts.”

According to a press briefing by State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack on Aug. 16, Syring filed paperwork to retire on Aug. 31 prior to the indictment. It is not known by AAI whether Syring will be permitted to retire from the State Department with full benefits.