17 April 2007
Abdullah al-Muhajir (Jose Padilla) jury selection starts in Miami terror trial -- with questions about Islam
(sun-sentinel.com) Did the potential jurors view it as a violent religion? Do they think Muslims are more prone to commit...
Miami · The toughest questions were about Islam.
Did the potential jurors view it as a violent religion? Do they think Muslims are more prone to commit crimes? Would potential jurors be able to distinguish between religious devotion and support for terrorism?U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke's probing questions came on the first day of jury selection in the trial of accused al-Qaida operative Jose Padilla. They were meant to ensure jurors reach a verdict of guilt or innocence based on evidence, not biases or stereotypes.
Padilla, Adham Amin Hassoun and Kifah Wael Jayyousi face charges they took part in a conspiracy to "murder, kidnap and maim" people overseas. Prosecutors say the defendants sent money, supplies and recruits to support radical Islamic groups waging holy war. The men, all Muslim, have pleaded not guilty.
The hearing gave a rare glimpse into the candid views of Americans on religion and terror in the wake of the 9-11 attacks and the ongoing Iraq war.
"I do think for their god, they would give their lives," said one man. "That is not 100 percent of them I'm sure, but I have heard that said."
Another said he believed only an extremist element of the Islamic faith advocates violence.
"I respect the good Muslim as much as I do the good Christian or good Jew," he said.
By day's end, Cooke had screened 17 possible jurors, whose identities will remain under wraps via court order. Eight were dismissed because of biases or scheduling conflicts. The painstaking process is expected to last more than two weeks.
Altaf Ali, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Florida, called it a "travesty" that a defendant's religion would take center stage in the courtroom.
"When you put someone on trial, it's not their religion on trial," Ali said.
In cases involving allegations of terrorism, Ali said he recognized the need to screen for biases in a case involving terrorism. Arabic words like "jihad" often evoke negative connotations, he said.
None of those interviewed for the jury were Muslim, though two said they had Muslim relatives.
One defense lawyer told potential jurors his aim was to find people with open minds.
"You're going to be acquainted with a lot of new language, another culture," said Kenneth Swartz, who represents Hassoun, 44, a Sunrise computer programmer.
Padilla, 36, also a former Broward resident, was arrested in May 2002 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. He was subsequently pronounced an "enemy combatant" and imprisoned by the military for 31/2 years without charges.
The Miami case does not mention the primary accusation against Padilla at that time: that he wanted to detonate a radioactive "dirty" bomb on U.S. soil.
In a measure signaling the heightened security around the case, guards looked through the bags of spectators and scanned individuals entering the courtroom with a metal detector. Jury selection continues today.
Vanessa Blum can be reached at vbblum@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4605.
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