"This is bad news, " al-Maliki adviser Sami al-Askari said.

CNN: Iraqi official: Blackwater staying on 'is bad news'

They include Al-Jazeera cameraman Sami al-Haj, held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after his arrest in Pakistan, and Jawed Ahmad, a journalist with Canada's CTV who is at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, according to the group.

CNN: U.S. military frees Iraqi journalist

Press reports identify Al-Awani as Unindicted Co-Conspirator Number 5 in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad case of Sami Al-Arian in Florida.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Waller testimony on terrorist infiltration

But Sami al-Askari, a prominent Shiite member of parliament, said any commutation would set a dangerous precedent.

NPR: Iraq Set to Hang Three from Saddam Era

Two former Libyan dissidents, Sami al-Saadi and Abdul Hakim Belhadj, allege that the UK was involved in their kidnap and rendition.

BBC: Secret cases: Who could be affected?

The Guardian said the top negotiator for the Iraqi government, Sami al-Askari, had flown several time to Iran to negotiate with the kidnappers in the holy city of Qom.

BBC: Iraq hostage Peter Moore's release raises questions

Even before it came to office, the Bush team was also induced to reach out to Sami al-Arian , a leading Muslim "activist" who was a computer science professor at South Florida University.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Decision Brief No. 05-D 43 2005-08-29

After Mr. Bush gained the White House, ISNA, the AMC, CAIR and like-minded groups and individuals such as Sami Al-Arian were invited to the White House for meetings there with, among others, political guru Karl Rove.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: The politics of pander

For example, an individual once courted by the Bush team as part of its efforts to woo Muslims -- Sami Al-Arian -- is now in federal custody awaiting trial on fifty charges of running the North American operations of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Undesirable influence