 Attorneys for three terrorism defendants told jurors yesterday that the men were never associated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and had innocent explanations for comments that were wiretapped by investigators.
| "Pure as the driven snow, that's us!" |
Federal prosecutors say Sameeh Hammoudeh, Ghassan Zayed Ballut, Hatem Naji Fariz and their co-defendant, Sami Al-Arian, a fired University of South Florida professor, worked to raise money in the United States to further the goals of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The group, listed as a terrorist organization by the State Department, is blamed for more than 100 deaths in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip. But in opening statements yesterday, lawyers for the three men being tried along with Al-Arian painted them as family men who supported the Middle East peace process and were dedicated to providing legitimate charity to the needy in Palestinian territories. Al-Arian's attorneys and prosecutors had presented their opening statements Monday. Defense lawyers maintain prosecutors will be able to provide no evidence directly tying the men to the terrorist group or any criminal activity. |