Trial for Padilla - an American once accused of planning to detonate a radioactive bomb - and two co-defendants was initially scheduled for early September. But it's now off until January and may be delayed further into 2007 if prosecutors file their expected appeal of U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke's dismissal of a crucial charge.
Cooke has also pronounced the U.S. case "weak on facts" and agreed with defense lawyers that prosecutors must provide more details about what crimes the trio may have actually committed instead of relying on sweeping allegations that they were involved in a violent Islamic jihad over a decade on several continents.
In response to one question about identities of any alleged victims, prosecutors listed armed confrontations against the Russian military in Chechnya and Tajikistan, opposing Muslim factions in Afghanistan and Serbian and Croat forces in Bosnia. They also cited violent acts against more moderate Muslim governments around the world.
Source: AP
Publication time: 23 September 2006, 14:51
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