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November 15, 2005
US: Jury to Decide in Florida Islamic Jihad Trial
The jury has been sent to consider its verdict in the final stages of the trial against Sami al-Arian (pictured), a former professor, and three Palestinians, who have been accused of financing a banned Islamic group, Islamic Jihad.
Sami al-Arian was previously a professor at the University in South Florida, states Reuters AlertNet. His co-accused are Sameeh Hammoudeh, Hatem Fariz and Ghassan Ballut. All were arrested in February 2003 for gathering funds and support for Islamic Jihad, which was designated a terrorist organisation by the US in 1997.
Islamic Jihad have been responsible for the deaths of more than 100 people in Israel, and recently organised the suicide bombing in Hadera market on October 26, which killed six people.
The trial which began on June 6 has been going on for five months, and most of the evidence comes from a decade's worth of bank records, as well as faxes, emails, and thousands of wiretapped telephone conversations. Seventy witnesses have been called, but none of the defendants testified. Al-Arian did not call any witnesses.
As well as being accused of financing Islamic Jihad, the men are also accused of conspiracy to murder, immigration fraud and obstructing justice. If found guilty, they could serve life sentences.
Judge James Moody told the 12 jurors on Tuesday at the Tampa trial that the onus on a guilty verdict depends on proof that the defendants knew that the money sent by them would be used for illegal purposes.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at November 15, 2005 11:09 PM
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