Defense rests in Padilla terror trial

[seafan]

Source: Miami Herald

The defense rested its case Tuesday in the terrorism trial in Miami federal court of Jose Padilla and two other men .
The high-profile trial, which began in early May, is now nearing its end. If convicted, Padilla and two other defendants face up to life in prison.

.....

Prosecutors accused the trio of conspiring to murder, kidnap and maim people in Chechnya and other theaters where ethnic Muslims were under siege.
Padilla himself traveled in 1998 to Egypt, where the former gang member turned Muslim studied the Koran and Islamic culture.

At trial, prosecutors produced what they claim was Padilla's Mujahedin application form, which he allegedly filled out before training with al Qaeda in Afghanistan in fall 2000.
But the government's case -- built largely on FBI wiretaps of phone conversations -- offered scant evidence of any of the defendants' direct involvement in any jihad theaters.

.....

U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke said jury instructions would be hammered out by the end of next week, followed by lengthy closing arguments to begin on Aug. 13.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/195342.html

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Losing this case will be very bad for Bush.

[EFerrari]

1. They've destroyed this man AND they have no case.

Maybe Ashcroft was right to cover Justice up. She must be weeping right now.