Patrick Syring

William Patrick Syring, who uses his middle name, Patrick, (born August 30, 1957 in Toledo, Ohio), is a retired American career diplomat indicted August 15, 2007, on charges that he threatened and violated the civil rights of James Zogby, the founder, and other employees of the Arab American Institute. [Cite web | url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/15/america/NA-GEN-US-Threatening-Arabs.php| title=U.S. prosecutors say Arab political organization threatened| accessdate=2007-08-15] Syring pleaded guilty to the charges June 12 2008. [http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2008/June/08-crt-531.html Department of Justice press release: Former Foreign Service Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Charges] ] Infobox Person


image_size = 150px
name = Patrick Syring
caption =
birth_name = William Patrick Syring
caption =
birth_date = August 30, 1957
birth_place = Toledo, Ohio flagicon|Ohio
residence = Arlington, VA flagicon|Virginia
graduate education = Georgetown University
other_names =
known_for =
former employer = United States Department of State
former occupation = diplomat
former title = consular/commercial officer
party =
religion =

Background

From 1993 to 1994, and from 1998 to 1999, Syring was consular/commercial officer at the United States Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. [ [http://www.state.gov/outofdate/bgn/l/7929.htm U.S. Department of State profile of Lebanon, January 1994] ] He was also posted to the United States Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1994-1998, and subsequently, to the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Office of Economic Policy Analysis, among other assignments, at the United States Department of State. Cite web | url=http://www3.georgetown.edu/sfs/msfs/alumni/newsletters/GUMSFS-AlumniNews-SUMMER-04-1.pdf| title=Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service MSFS Alumni/ae Newsletter, Summer 2004| accessdate=2007-08-17]

Syring retired from the Department of State in July 2007. His 2006 retirement application predated the anti-Arab and expletive-laced messages he sent to selected, senior employees of the Arab American Institute. Syring's retirement concluded a career of nearly 26 years at the United States Department of State.Cite web | url=http://www.aaiusa.org/press-room/3205/aai-statement-on-the-grand-jurys-indictment-of-patrick-syring| title=AAI Statement on the Grand Jury’s Indictment of Patrick Syring| accessdate=2007-08-16]

Indictment

Messages

Syring sent three voice mails and four emails to the Arab American Institute in July 2006, during the 2006 Lebanon War. A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment on August 15, 2007, charging Syring with violation of Title 18 of the United States Code, Section 875, threatening messages in interstate commerce to injure an individual, and violation of Title 18 United States Code Section 245, by threat of force or use of force, to interfere with the civil rights of the founder and employees of the Arab American Institute.

Syring identified himself in the voice mails he left at the headquarters of the Arab American Institute on July 17, 2006, in which he stated "the only good Arab is a dead Arab." From July 17, 2006 to July 29, 2006, Syring sent seven email and voice mail messages to the Arab-American Institute headquarters offices from his home. The indictment claims Syring "did willfully intimidate and interfere with Arab American Institute employees because of their race and national origin," and "threatened to injure Arab American Institute employees".

Asked about Syring, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said on August 16, 2007, "Let me just underline the seriousness with which the Secretary approaches the idea that the State Department should be a workplace that in no way, shape or form, tolerates discrimination or hateful language or any other action that would violate federal laws or regulations. It is just not condoned or acceptable in this department."

On August 16, 2007, the Arab American Institute issued a statement that said "The threats were both intimidating and frightening – and the fact that the defendant was a 20-year career officer at the Department of State made it of even greater concern."

Quotations

From the indictment returned August 15, 2007:Cite web | url=http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/zogby-indictment/| title=United States v. Patrick Syring, Indictment| accessdate=2007-08-18]
* The only good Lebanese is a dead Lebanese. The only good Arab is a dead Arab. Long live the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).
* I think James Zogby is worse than Osama bin Laden. Since he supports Hezballah, he's an anti-Semitic motherfucker, and the only good Arab is a dead Arab.
* You wicked evil Hezbollah-supporting Arabs should burn in the fires of hell for eternity and beyond. The United States would be safer without you. God Bless the State of Israel. God Bless America. Sincerely, Patrick in Arlington, VA.
* Praise for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for "bombing Lebanon back to the stone age where it belongs. Arabs are dogs."
* Fuck the Arabs and Fuck James Zogby and his wicked Hizbollah brothers. They will burn in hellfire on this earth and in the hereafter.
* You are a fucking anti-Semitic Arab-American stooge who sympathizes with Hezballah (sic) terror. [ [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hcmNZDwjqqggQe19rcQ3keK-JvsQ AFP: Former US diplomat pleads not guilty over anti-Arab slurs ] ]

Trial

Syring pled not guilty on August 30, 2007, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. [ [http://www.unobserver.com/layout5.php?id=3797&blz=1 Read Article ] ] On November 19, 2007, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly denied a motion from Syring to dismiss the charges against him, ensuring that the case would go to trial. "Whether [the] Defendant’s communications constituted a true threat," Kollar-Kotelly wrote, "is an issue properly left to the jury." [ [http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=90984&paper=60&cat=104 Arlington Connection - The Connection Newspapers ] ] In the memorandum opinion November 19, 2007, the U.S. District Judge added "the Court agrees with Defendant that on its face the Indictment does not present a compelling case." [https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2007cr0204-27] In an order filed December 14, 2007, Syring's trial was tentatively rescheduled to begin February 11, 2008, but was subsequently rescheduled.

He pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges and was sentenced to one year in prison and fined $10,000. [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1001295.html Former U.S. diplomat gets year in prison for anti-Arab comments] ] He will also receive 3 years of post-release supervision, and be required to perform 100 hours of community service. [ [http://washingtondc.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel08/wfo071108a.htm Federal Bureau of Investigation - Former Foreign Service Officer Sentenced on Federal Civil Rights Charges] ]

References