By MIKE MATHIS
phillyBurbs.com
CAMDEN — Federal prosecutors want an anonymous jury to hear the case of six men charged with plotting to kill soldiers in an armed attack at Fort Dix.
Keeping the identities of jurors secret will protect them and their families from public scrutiny and from possible threats from the defendants, their families and sympathizers, according to court documents filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Camden.
“Prospective jurors reasonably might fear that anyone who is willing to engage in potentially suicidal attacks on armed military personnel inside a fortified military base in order to further a politically or religiously inspired agenda to attack the United States government would have few qualms about injuring or threatening to injure jurors selected to decide their guilt or innocence,” prosecutors said.
“Jurors who are asked to sit in judgment of these defendants could reasonably fear retaliation from at-large sympathizers of al-Qaida, regardless of whether or not retaliation is actually in the works,” they said.
Michael Riley, the attorney who represents defendant Shain Duka, said yesterday the government's request would be prejudicial to his client, despite assertions by prosecutors that U.S. District Court Judge Robert B. Kugler could inform the jury that anonymity is a routine occurrence in federal court.
“We have some obvious concerns because it raises the implication to the jurors that they may be in personal jeopardy,” Riley said.
A hearing on the request has not been scheduled, but the issue could be addressed during a routine hearing Friday.
Mohamad Ibrahim Shnewer, 22; Eljvir Duka, 23; Dritan Duka, 28; and Shain Duka, 26, all of Cherry Hill; and Sedar Tatar, 23, of the Bustleton section of Philadelphia are charged with conspiracy to kill members of the military. The Duka brothers also are charged with unlawfully possessing firearms as aliens. The five face life sentences if convicted.
A sixth man, Agron Abdullahu, 24, of Buena Vista, N.J., is charged with aiding and abetting the illegal purchase of firearms and faces 10 years in prison if convicted. Prosecutors allege Abdullahu provided the weapons that were to be used in the attack.
All six have pleaded innocent. They have been held in a federal detention center in Philadelphia without bail since they were arrested May 7.
Kugler previously said the case would be tried in early October and that as many as 1,000 prospective jurors could be summoned because of the intense pretrial publicity. The trial is expected to last about four weeks.
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How would they do this ,,, just not name the jury, or would they be seated behind a screen????
“..potential jurors might fear for their safety because of the nature of the charges..”
This is how things will be in the future when dealing with members of Al-Qaeda. Prosecuters will be hard pressed to find jury members just like in the Al Capone days. His gangsters were mere boy scouts compared to what we have seen so far of the terrorists. There will come a time when family members of prominent politicians will need 24-hour/day protection.
the answer to this is simple : slay the perps...
end of story
You’ve got to see this ping.