Judge Seeks More Evidence in Padilla Case

Judge Seeks More Evidence in Padilla Case

By CURT ANDERSON
The Associated Press
Wednesday, June 21, 2006; 11:49 AM

MIAMI -- A federal judge ordered prosecutors to turn over more evidence to back up
allegations that Jose Padilla and two co-defendants conspired to kill, injure or
kidnap people overseas as part of a global Islamic terrorist network.

U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke said Tuesday she agreed with claims made by defense
attorneys that the indictment against Padilla and the others is "very light on facts"
that would link the defendants to specific acts of terrorism or victims.

"We are so shooting in the dark," said Jeanne Baker, one of the attorneys representing
defendant Adham Amin Hassoun. "The government has to tell us, what are these acts
they conspired to commit?"

Cooke ordered the government to flesh out its charges by providing defense lawyers
with names of unindicted co-conspirators, broad descriptions of intended victims
of alleged acts of violence and specifics about false statements Hassoun allegedly made
about the meaning of phone calls intercepted by the government.