"A career US diplomat indicted this week for sending threatening messages to an Arab political organisation has retired from the foreign service. Patrick Syring retired last month, about a year after he allegedly left racist and intimidating phone and e-mail messages with the Arab American Institute, but before his Wednesday indictment on federal charges of threatening and violating civil rights laws, State Department spokesman said yesterday.The spokesman declined to comment on the specifics of the matter, citing privacy
concerns..."