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ON THE NET...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=HAMAS

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1681005/posts

Judge denies jury anonymity for man accused of funding Hamas(... They're Here !!!!!!!!!)
The State/Chicago Tribune ^ | Wed, Aug. 09, 2006 | Rudolph Bush

Posted on 08/10/2006 3:49:02 AM PDT by IrishMike

CHICAGO - A federal judge Wednesday denied prosecutors' request to seat an anonymous jury in the trial of a Bridgeview, Ill., man charged with funneling money to the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.

U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve ruled that prosecutors failed to show Muhammad Salah and his co-defendant Abdelhaleem Ashqar, of Virginia, are likely to intimidate or harass jurors.

"(T)he mere invocation of the word `terrorism,' without more, is insufficient to warrant such an anonymous jury," St. Eve wrote in a ruling released Wednesday.

Salah's attorney, Michael Deutsch, called the ruling a small but significant step toward a fair trial.

"Just because the government invokes the word `terrorism' doesn't mean they are terrorists," he said.

Deutsch argued that jurors would be unfairly prejudiced against Salah if they knew their names and backgrounds were being kept secret.

"It creates the impression in them that there is some danger associated with the defendants," he said.

In her ruling, St. Eve noted that prosecutors acknowledged Salah and Ashqar aren't dangers to their community at the men's bond hearings.

While St. Eve ruled the identity of jurors won't be kept secret from the defense or prosecution, she suggested she may place their names under seal.

That likely would prevent the public and press from learning jurors' identities.

Salah's attorneys first suggested the possibility of releasing jurors' names to the defense and prosecution but keeping them under seal.

(Excerpt) Read more at thestate.com ...