U.S. appeals granting of citizenship to alleged ex-PLO member

_{By The Associated Press}
The Bush administration has appealed a U.S. judge's ruling granting a petition for citizenship to a Palestinian man who the government has claimed has terrorist ties.

The appeal comes two months after U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson ruled Aiad Barakat, 45, of Arcadia, California, should become a citizen. The judge said Barakat did not lack good moral character and his application should never have been denied.

The Justice Department filed its notice of appeal on Sept. 14 without giving a reason for the action. Authorities had refused citizenship to Barakat because of his alleged terrorist links, saying Barakat lied about ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a radical offshoot of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Barakat was detained in 1987, along with six other Palestinians and a Kenyan in a case that became known as the "L.A. Eight," but charges were never filed. Immigrant rights groups said the case was politically motivated.

Barakat's lawyer Marc Van Der Hout said he believes Wilson's June 28 ruling will stand.

"We don't think there is a strong appeal on the government's part," Van Der Hout said. "Judge Wilson heard the evidence and made some credibility findings. It is exceedingly unlikely a Court of Appeals will disturb that ruling."

The Justice Department declined comment.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine has opposed peace negotiations between the PLO and Israel, and the U.S. government considers it a terrorist organization. All of the so-called "L.A. Eight" have denied being members.

The group won a victory in 1989 when a judge struck down as unconstitutional portions of a federal law that allowed deportation to be based on political affiliation and advocacy.

In 1997, Barakat and another Palestinian in the group were granted legal residency after the government had initially tried to deport all eight.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice said two of the Palestinians were currently in deportation hearings. The immigration status of the others was not known.