Jury Deliberations in Terrorism Trial

We have previously written about jury selection and dropped charges in the trial of Mohammed Salah, who is charged with racketeering in connection with the militant Palestinian group Hamas. Prosecutors say Salah, a former Chicago grocer, served as a high-ranking military leader, trained militants in the U.S., delivered money to fighters in the Occupied Territories and lied about his ties to Hamas in a civil lawsuit. ^[1]

Abdelhaleem Ashqar, a former assistant professor of business at Howard University, is accused of serving as a communications link between Hamas leaders in the U.S. and abroad and is on trial along with Salah.^[2]

After a three month trial focusing on the men’s alleged work for Hamas in the early 1990’s, jury deliberations began yesterday afternoon. ^[3]

Both men deny they are Hamas members and contend they are justified in helping Palestinian militants because the Israeli presence in the region has resulted in squalid living conditions.^[4] Prosecutors said in their two days of closing arguments the men furnished funds and recruits to spread “death, destruction, fear and terror.”^[5]

[1] Chris Hack, Jury Deliberation Begins in Salah Case, Daily Southtown News, January 12, 2007.
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] Mike Robinson, 'Not Killer' but Palestinian Aid, Associated Press, January 11, 2007.