Oak Hill/Herndon Connection

The freedom of the press means more to Samer Zaiber and Ahmed Al-Sammarraie than to most.

As immigrants from Iraq who have been stalked and threatened for their work with American funded projects, the owners of Liberty Printing House brought their ideas of freedom to a country that takes pride in the word.

The new printing studio, located at 688 Spring St., is just six months old. On a street that has been torn up by construction in the past several months, the duo already has a small string of clients through friends and walk-ins.

“We don’t know what America needs,” said Zaiber in reference to his business. “Day after day, month after month, we learn.”

Their printing studio is named after one of the most important printing houses - Hurra - that was owned by the Iraqi government. They know the word liberty strongly resonates with American ideals, but it gave them a little piece of home while they are here.

“It’s a big word for us because we missed it back home,” said Zaiber.

After Saddam Hussein was captured in 2003, Zaiber started a printing house called Alaklam Al-Hurra, meaning “The Free Pen” to encourage free thought in what he hoped would be a new Iraq. The first projects were funded by the U.S. military, but in 2005, the group was funded by U.S. AID to print the 1.4 million copies of the first Iraqi constitution days before the first free elections. They took it on knowing how dangerous the mission could be.

Even though they were successful, unidentifiable terrorists tracked the copies to the printing house. They threatened the employees with death and arson.

“In 2006, I left for Jordan and left everything behind me,” said Zaiber.

Both men brought their families with them so they would never have another reason to go back to Iraq.

“We don’t get homesick,” said Zaiber. “We left Iraq and we never want to go back.”

Just before the business opened six months ago, Zaiber got his U.S. citizenship to rid himself of Iraqi ties for good.

Zaiber came to the U.S. with a computer science degree and Al-Sammarraie came as a medical engineer. However, they were either overqualified for everything that they applied to, or the company did not take their foreign degree seriously.

Both had worked together in the past, so when Al-Sammarraie immigrated to the U.S., the two went back to their roots in printing.

“They have been trying to live the American dream,” said Brian Ericksen, owner of an Aikido studio next door. “I think that all the work they’ve done for me and others have been fantastic.”

These days, their printing mostly consists of advertisements, catalogues and coloring books they are hoping to sell to Wal-Mart and Costco. However, they hope to continue their American dream with their burgeoning company in a country where they can drive to work and print without being threatened.

“When I am here, I feel safe, but it’s hard to start all over again,” said Al-Sammarraie.

For more information about Liberty Printing House, visit http://libertyprintinghouse.com.