Mass. Man Convicted Of Terror Charges Gets Award

January 07, 2013

The Associated Press

A Massachusetts man sentenced to more than 17 years in prison on terrorism charges has received an award given annually to someone thought to have been wrongfully convicted.

The Oct. 21, 2009, file booking photo of Tarek Mehanna (AP/Sudbury Police Department, File)

Tarek Mehanna of Sudbury was granted the 36th annual Sacco & Vanzetti Social Justice Award on Sunday from the Community Church of Boston.

The MetroWest Daily News reports that Mehanna's father, mother, brother and sister-in-law accepted the award on his behalf.

Mehanna was convicted in April of terrorism-related charges, including traveling to Yemen to seek terrorist training in order to fight U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

His supporters say evidence against Mehanna is "laughable" and suggested the real reason for his arrest was that he was a politically outspoken Muslim.

The award is named for immigrants convicted of murder in a 1920.

This program aired on January 7, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.