It looks like the Holy Land Foundation case will need to be retried in Dallas, given yesterday's bizarre happenings when the verdict was read.

A deadlocked federal jury here did not convict any leaders of a Muslim charity who were charged with supporting Middle Eastern terrorists, and the judge today declared a mistrial in what has been widely viewed as the governmentÂ’s flagship terror-financing case.

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The case involved a total of 197 counts, including providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, years of investigation and preparation, almost two months of testimony and more than 1,000 exhibits, including documents, wiretaps, transcripts and videotapes dug up in a backyard in Virginia.

After 19 days of deliberations, the jury acquitted one of the five individual defendants on all but one charge, on which it deadlocked. A majority of the jurors also appeared ready to acquit two other defendants of most charges, and could not reach a verdict on charges against the two principal organizers and the foundation itself, which had been the largest Muslim charity in the United States until the government froze its assets in late 2001.

It seems pretty clear that this case will be tried again. Here's hoping that it is better presented to the jury with a clearer narrative that will bring about a conviction. After all, money is fungible -- therefore any money given to a terrorist organization has the effect of paying for terrorism, even if it is earmarked for "charitable" purposes.

Posted by: Greg at 09:37 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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