Lynne Stewart Resentenced to 10 Years

MANHATTAN (CN) - Former attorney Lynne Stewart was resentenced on Thursday to 10 years in federal prison for helping Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman communicate from prison with his terrorist partners, the Islamic Group. Stewart, 70, was convicted in February, with two co-defendants, of providing material support to a conspiracy to kill and kidnap people in a foreign country, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and making false statements.

U.S. District Judge John Koeltl sentenced Stewart to 28 months in prison after the 9-month jury trial. The 2nd Circuit affirmed all three convictions in November 2009, but remanded for resentencing.

Convicted with Stewart were Ahmed Abdel Sattar and Mohammed Yousry Sattar.

Sheik Rahman was in prison for terrorism charges, and under "special administrative measures" to prevent him from communicating with the Islamic Group. But Stewart, knowing of the restrictions, worked with her co-defendants to circumvent those restrictions, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement.

Rahman had been convicted of plotting to blow up buildings and tunnels in New York.

Stewart's felony conviction caused her to be automatically disbarred.

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