Ten year old phone calls tie Padilla to terror, prosecutors say

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/miami/sfl-cpadilla09jun09,0,7834713.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

Jose Padilla's name and face became infamous the day government officials accused him of plotting to blow up a radioactive "dirty" bomb on U.S. soil.

On Friday, the terror suspect's voice was heard in Miami federal court, as prosecutors in his trial played wiretapped phone calls they say link the former Broward County resident to a worldwide terror conspiracy.

Padilla, 36, was arrested in 2002 at O'Hare International Airport and held without charges at a South Carolina Navy brig for 31/2 years. The dirty bomb allegations made in an emergency broadcast by then-U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft are not mentioned in the indictment.

[Toots]

1. Well thank God this American Citizen got his constitutional right of Speedy trial

That he is getting any trial at all really pisses off the Republicans. "I wish they would stop throwing the Constitution in my face, it's only a damn piece of paper" First American Citizen to be declared arbitrarily an "enemy combatant" so lost all Constitutional rights. What Democrat made a fuss over this?

[baldguy]

2. So, he's a "enemy combatant" because he got a phone call?

This is why evidence should be presented at a public trial in an open court.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

3. Obviously It's Deeper Than That. The Recordings Probably Have Some Clear Context That Would Show

his intentions to cause harm.

From what I read in the article, it does seem to give the vibe that all 3 are probably terrorists intent on waging jihad, but I was really hoping they were going to have more quotes from the tape other than the few they provided. But they have 120 tapes they are presenting to the jury so I'm sure there's a lot of incriminating evidence on them. I hope they're made public so that we can get a better assessment of his true nature and intent.

[originalpckelly]

5. Well, the jury will get to do that. Plus if we look on the net...

there might even be a site with them, the DOJ does that in important cases.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

7. Of Course They Will. I'm Just Curious As To What Else They Got.

Not sure if they're online yet or not, but I'll try and look later.

[baldguy]

9. The Bushies have been saying "trust us, we have evidence" for years.

But when we finally get a chance to actually SEE their "evidence" it turns out to be a steaming pile of liquid crap. The whole point of keeping Padilla in the spotlight is to keep people in fear, it has nothing to do with justice.

Has he guilty? At this point, I don't think we'll ever know.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

13. I Think We Will. Or At Least Know Enough To Forge An Objectively Informed Opinion.

I personally don't care what the bushies have said and will arrive at my opinion objectively based on the evidence presented.

From what I read in the article, I would wager there is probably far more incriminating things on those 120 tapes, especially when all taken together. That's why I'd love to read transcripts of them to see for myself. It seems there should be more than enough information available in the end of this all to be able to make a pretty informed judgment as to whether he is or isn't guilty, so I'm not sure why you think we'd never know.

[NNN0LHI]

12. The Recordings Probably Have Some Clear Context That Would Show his intentions to cause harm.

Yea, just like that video of the fat Osama yucking it up about the towers falling that Chimpy told us that we must believe right?

Some people never learn.

Don

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

14. Oh God You've Got To Be Kidding.

What an absolutely ridiculous reply.

And no, I will never learn to engage in closed minded ignorance. It's just not my thing.

[NNN0LHI]

17. Was the guy in the fat Osama video really Osama bin Laden? n/t

[originalpckelly]

4. That's good.

If this man is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury will convict him like all other criminals.

You see this is how we do it in this country. We trust the people to protect themselves from criminals and from the government by deciding whether or not there is evidence to prove whether or not someone is guilty.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

15. Absolutely Agreed.

[NNN0LHI]

16. Problem is the time frame

Ten years ago American Muslims were getting on planes here in the US and flying to Europe to fight against Milosovich and his thugs on the ground in Kosovo while our air force was bombing from the air. They were on OUR side.

And that was all being done with the complete blessing of our government. I remember seeing the reports on CNN.

Do you see the problem here?

Don

[aquart]

19. Oh, yes.

[NNN0LHI]

18. Here is an actual link from 1999

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1999/04/14/archive/main42754.shtml

American Assist With A Twist

CBS) While President Clinton is expected to call up military reserves to support a major buildup of NATO air power in strikes against Yugoslavia, a small band of Albanian-Americans is headed overseas to protect Kosovo, reports CBS News Correspondent Diana Olick.

NATO may not be ready to fight a ground war in Kosovo, but some Albanian-Americans certainly are.

“We have to arm the {Kosovo Liberation Army} and we must commit the troops!” said a speaker at a weekend rally in New York.

Just hours after the rally, more than 200 Albanian immigrants reportedly left for Europe, hoping to join the Kosovo Liberation Army.

Every day, more people, like Alind Hoti, are showing up to sign up to fight.

[aquart]

6. The calls are from ten years ago? Discussing WHAT?

TEN YEARS AGO? WHY would we have ten-year-old phone calls of any American citizen?

I haven't had my coffee. I must be reading this wrong.

[datasuspect]

8. if he was a person of interest 10 years ago

why did he get arrested in 2002?

and yes, why does any governmental agency have tapes of 10 year old telephone calls on someone like this guy?

[originalpckelly]

11. You're not really reading the whole article. The FBI must have a warrant to introduce evidence...

in a court. Somewhere that warrant is on record and the judge in the trial must see the warrant from the judge who granted it.

In addition, they were not targeting Padilla, but instead a man suspected of having ties to terrorists in foreign countries, they appear to have the goods on Padilla through that indirect link. Of course, the jury will have to decide whether or not the government has presented a compelling case that the man on the tapes alleged to be Padilla is actually Padilla.

[DavidDvorkin]

10. It was Bill Clinton's fault!

Well, everything all right now.