Another Hung Jury in Alleged Plot to Bomb Sears Tower

By TChris, Section Terror Trials
Posted on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 12:30:00 PM EST
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It's strike two against the government in its misguided effort to convict six alleged terrorists charged in Miami with conspiring to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago. The government's first attempt ended in a mistrial for the six defendants -- a seventh was acquitted. Hoping to overcome the embarrassment of blowing the prosecution of a case that Alberto Gonzales announced with great fanfare, federal prosecutors tried again -- and again the jury hung, producing a second mistrial.

The outcome isn't surprising, given the lack of evidence that the alleged terrorists had the resources or ability to launch an attack, and the strong suggestion in the evidence that they were goaded into making terrorism-related statements by undercover FBI agents. (more ...)

Testimony showed that a search by the F.B.I. of what it called the group’s headquarters did not find guns, explosives or blueprints for an attack. Jurors also heard defense lawyers emphasize that the defendants made their most aggressive comments in response to questions or comments by a bureau agents posing as operatives of Al Qaeda and offering $50,000 to help the plot.

There's an interesting difference between the print version of the linked article and the online version. Online, the article contains this sentence:

Legal analysts called the outcome a significant defeat for the Bush administration, especially its publicizing of terrorism arrests.

The print version (in the NYT National edition, buried on page A23) says:

Legal analysts called the outcome a significant defeat for the Bush administration, especially in turning terrorism arrests into publicity events.

This "legal analyst," at least, agrees with the harsher assessment in the print version. Terrorism arrests on weak evidence make for great press conferences, but they lead to terrorism "show trials" that sap the nation's resources without making the country safer. Isn't it time for the Justice Department to start focusing on real threats and to stop manufacturing mountains out of anthills just to obtain the publicity value of another terrorism arrest?

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Another Hung Jury in Alleged Plot to Bomb Sears Tower | 8 comments (8 topical)

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I've always thought (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by CognitiveDissonance on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 12:18:03 PM EST

that these trumped up terrorism arrests were simply to keep the public in fear, thus allowing the Bush administration to continue to do anything they wanted to do, including conning dems into voting for horrific legislation like the Patriot Act. Or FISA with telecom immunity. I'm happy to see that the public is waking up, finally (just like they're starting to do about Obama).

Will they finally drop this show trial now? (none / 0) (#2)
by cymro on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 12:21:28 PM EST

Or is there some kind of (written or unwritten) "three strikes" rule that encourages them to try again? Or can they keep retrying as many times as they want?

Cyril Wecht, Don Siegelman, the woman from Wisc. (none / 0) (#3)
by thereyougo on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 12:28:45 PM EST

and now this BS attempt to keep the nation 'safe'.

My big concern is how long will it take to get the country back the way it used to be. Following the rule of law.

: hmmm ... i think ... (none / 0) (#4)
by narius on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 12:43:37 PM EST

the early acquittal + the mistrials succinctly show that the rule of law still exists.

[ Parent ]

They were goaded for $50,000 (none / 0) (#5)
by BarnBabe on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 01:02:10 PM EST

If you are poor, it is amazing what you would say. Even jive it up a bunch to get that money.At the time, most people I know were saying it was a set up by the Bush administration and very few people even reacted. Sometimes, they cry wolf so many times for convenience and someday we will not flinch when the real threat comes.

Goaded by Agents, or informers? (none / 0) (#6)
by Ben Masel on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 01:02:47 PM EST

Traditionally, the bureau pays their stable of political snitches very little, unless they can break a "big" case. The snitch is always the first to escalate the rhetoric, and usually offers to provide the weapons or explosives.

Keep your eyes on November, Frodo. Don't use The Ring.

This is what happens (none / 0) (#7)
by madamab on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 01:33:16 PM EST

when you suspend habeas corpus in favor of fearmongering.

If you don't obtain your evidence lawfully, you shouldn't be surprised when your case doesn't hold up in court.

Meanwhile, how long has Osama bin Laden bin Forgotten?! Where's the trial and justice for him and his crimes?

If a prosecutor can't... (none / 0) (#8)
by fiver5 on Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 03:32:00 PM EST

terrify twelve people into a conviction with threats against a major American landmark like the Sears Tower, the case must be pathetically weak.