MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An American who spent nine months in a United Arab Emirates prison for his role in an online parody video is seeking a pardon and financial compensation. In a March 9 letter to Emirati President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Cassim — a U.S. citizen — said his time in prison in Abu Dhabi destroyed his career and nearly bankrupted his family as they fought to secure his release. The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Washington, D.C., said it could not comment on a legal matter, and the UAE government in Dubai didn't respond to a request for comment. Fionnuala Ni Aolain, a University of Minnesota law professor and researcher in international law and human rights, said a UAE decision on Cassim's request would likely focus little on his case and more on any "perceptional benefit to ...