A government witness, Mohammed Aleem, did everything Sami Al-Hussayen is accused of doing and more, defense attorneys complained in court on Wednesday. Al-Hussayen is accused of aiding terrorists by helping maintain various Islamic web sites, in what authorities call an Internet-based campaign to raise funds and recruits for terrorism.

Aleem was flown in from Los Angeles to testify about web domain registrations tied to Al-Hussayen. That’s one of the services his company offers. But the firm, Tjara Networks, also publishes the “Islamicity” web site. Lead defense attorney David Nevin said Islamicity includes postings of anti-American views, posts in support of the Taliban, articles characterizing America as the real terrorist, and more. It also has online radio broadcasts, news items, and religious outreach, much like Islamic Assembly of North America sites associated with Al-Hussayen. Yet, Nevin said, “He is here as a government witness, sponsored by the government, as opposed to here as a defendant.”

Judge Edward Lodge overruled Nevin’s objection, but agreed that Nevin can call Aleem back to the stand later as a defense witness and bring out that point.

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