Jury Complains of "Mental Fatigue" in Salah Case

Jurors in the trial of Muhammad Salah, who is charged with furnishing money and recruits to Hamas terrorists complained, Thursday, January 25, that they are getting tired and must cut their work hours.^[1] ''We have taken very few breaks,'' the jurors said in a note to U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve who is presiding at the trial, “[We are suffering from] ''mental fatigue.''^[2]

Salah, a former Chicago grocer,^[3] who has been discussed in this blog previously, is charged with racketeering, conspiracy, and other offenses.^[4] Salah allegedly has been funneling thousands of dollars through American bank accounts to Hamas terrorists who are seeking to topple the government of Israel.^[5]

Salah claims that any money furnished to Hamas was intended to be used for such purposes as clinics and day-care centers.^[6] Hamas has been blamed for numerous murders, bombings and kidnappings, however the group also operates various charities and holds a 60 percent majority in the Palestinian legislative council.^[7]

---

^[1] Mike Robinson, Terrorism Jury Suffering Mental Fatigue, AP (via Jerusalem Post), January 26, 2007.
^[2] Id.
^[3] Mike Robinson, Feds Drop Count in Hamas Terrorism Trial, AP (via Yahoo!), Sep. 22, 2006.
^[4] Robinson, supra note 1.
^[5] Id.
^[6] Id.
^[7] Id.