Judge seeks more evidence in Padilla case

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?"

Hassoun, Padilla, Kifah Wael Jayyousi and two others who are in custody overseas are charged with being part of a North American terror support cell that provided money, recruits and supplies to al-Qaida and other violent Islamic extremist organizations. All have pleaded not guilty, with trial scheduled for this fall.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060621/ap_on_re_us/padilla_terror_charges