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U nited States Action |
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| 074. Accused
Al-Qaeda Jihadist Jose Padilla Sentenced January 22, 2008 http://counterterrorismblog.org/2008/01/jose_padilla_news_summary.php Accused Al-Qaeda Jihadist Jose Padilla SentencedBy Jeffrey Imm
U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke sentenced Jose Padilla (aka Abu Abdullah al Mujahir) today to 17 years, 4 months in prison based on his August 16, 2007 conviction on conspiracy and material support charges. Jose Padilla faced up to life in prison. AP reported that District Judge Marcia Cooke gave Padilla credit for the 3 1/2 years served when Padilla was held as an enemy combatant. Reuters also reported that Judge Cooke's sentencing also took into consideration his imprisonment conditions: "I do find that the conditions were so harsh for Mr. Padilla ... that they warrant consideration of the court" in sentencing. Per AP,
Judge Cooke also sentenced
Adham Amin Hassoun to 15 years, 8 months in prison and sentenced
Kifah Wael Jayyousi to 12 years, 8 months in prison. Both were also
convicted
on conspiracy and material support charges. Attorneys for Padilla,
Hassoun, and Jayyousi stated that they plan to appeal the sentencing. In August 2007,
AP reported
that "Padilla and co-defendants Adham Amin Hassoun and Kifah Wael
Jayyousi face life in prison because they were convicted of conspiracy
to murder, kidnap and maim people overseas. All three were also
convicted of two terrorism material support counts that carry potential
15-year sentences each." However in
today's sentencing by Judge Cooke, per
Reuters, "U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke rejected prosecutors'
contention that the crimes deserved life prison sentences, noting that
while they were 'serious,' there were no acts of terrorism on U.S. soil,
no attacks on officials nor any plot to overthrow the U.S. government."
Reuters also reported Judge Cooke as stating:
"There was no evidence the defendants had
personally killed or maimed anyone." Judge Cooke also
stated: "The sentence will serve to inform others ... that
conspiracy to support murder, maiming and kidnapping will not be
tolerated in this country." Jose Padilla was arrested on May 8, 2002 in Chicago and was designated as an enemy combatant on June 9, 2002. GlobalSecurity.org states that Padilla "[a]llegedly worked on constructing a dirty bomb in Lahore, Pakistan. Met with senior al-Qaeda leadership in Summer 2001 and Spring 2002". Jose Padilla was indicted on November 17, 2005, along with Kifah Wael Jayyousi and Adham Amin Hassoun, as part of a "North American support cell to participate in violent jihad" that followed and supported Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman. In January 2006, Padilla was transferred to a Miami Florida jail to face criminal conspiracy charges along with Jayyousi and Hassoun. A key piece of evidence in Padilla's trial was a "Mujahideen Data Form" that prosecutors stated Jose Padilla completed on July 24, 2000 in preparation for violent jihad training in Afghanistan. Per the
indictment, Kifah Wael Jayyousi "founded the American Islamic Group"
and "operated the American Worldwide Relief Organization" (after the
death of Mohamed Zaky). "Through the American Islamic Group, Jayyousi
published The Islam Report, a newsletter that promoted violent jihad as
a religious obligation, delivered information on violence committed by
mujahideen, and solicited donations to support mujahideen operations and
mujahidden families. Jayyousi actively recruited mujahideen fighters
and raised funds for violent jihad."
January 22, 2008 - Department of Justice Press Release: "Jose Padilla
and Co-defendants Sentenced on Terrorism Charges
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