Padilla trial doesn't fit its initial billing

[NNN0LHI]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003788875_padilla14.html

MIAMI — For a defendant whose name is known around the world, Jose Padilla has become almost a bit player in his terrorism support trial.

Prosecutors rested their case Friday after nine weeks, 22 witnesses and dozens of FBI wiretap intercepts played at trial, most of them in Arabic with written translations for jurors. Defense lawyers for Padilla and his two co-defendants begin presenting their case next week.

Much is at stake for the government, which once heralded Padilla's arrest as a success in the war on terror, accused him in an al-Qaida "dirty-bomb" plot, and held him for 3 ½ years as an enemy combatant.

Padilla's voice was heard on only seven intercepts, a tiny fraction of the 300,000 collected by the FBI during the long investigation.

Padilla was never linked to any specific acts of terrorism or murder and, unlike his co-defendants, he was not accused of using purported code words such as "tourism" for "jihad" or "eggplant" for "rocket-propelled grenade."

"Although everyone has been referring to this case as the Padilla trial, the government's case against Padilla has been pretty thin," said David Markus, a Miami defense attorney who has written frequently about the case on his legal blog. "I'm sure the government lawyers are sweating quite a bit right now."

[AlCzervik]

1. i think it's going to get really intersting when the defense begins on Monday

i really hope there will reporting on this.

[timtom]

2. I'm sure we've all seen this, right?

http://intelwire.egoplex.com/padillaOKC011104.html

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. The "dirty bomber" who had no access to any bombs &

who ended up getting tried on nebulous charges for the purpose of FBI face saving.

A victim of the post 9/11 witch hunt hysteria.