But the judge is out of town, so we have to wait until Monday to see if the case against these supporters of terrorism was proven beyond a reasonable doubt to the jury.

In an unusual twist in the closely watched and long-running trial of a Muslim charity accused of financing Palestinian terrorists, jurors reached a verdict on Thursday, but their decision was sealed until Monday because the presiding judge was out of town.

Paul D. Stickney, a magistrate judge who accepted the verdict from the jury forewoman about 3:15 p.m., said that he did not have the authority to read it and that it would remain sealed until the return of Chief Judge A. Joe Fish.

Judge Fish is at a conference in West Palm Beach, Fla., his office said in an e-mail message.

The jury spent 19 days considering 197 counts against the Holy Land Foundation, which at one time was the largest Muslim charity in the United States, and five of its organizers and supporters. The case is widely seen as a test of the governmentÂ’s tactics in trying to cut off what it says is American financial support for terrorist groups.

Here's hoping for a guilty verdict Monday morning, sending the clear message that funding terrorists will not be tolerated, whether directly or indirectly.

Next up -- indict the unindicted co-conspirators in this case, including CAIR.

Posted by: Greg at 10:24 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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