The innocent and the jihadist
Mohamed Mohamud could spend the rest of his life in prison when sentenced. His lawyers will probably appeal, so watch for a lot more dragged out courtroom shenanigans and more excuses, victimization and blame.
From OregonLive January 31 by Brian Denson
Mohamed Mohamud guilty verdict: No reaction from defendant, lawyers plan to appeal
Silence fell across a Portland courtroom Thursday as U.S. District Judge Garr M. King read the verdict in the terrorism case of Mohamed Osman Mohamud, whose attempt to bomb the city's town square two years ago stunned the nation.
Jurors found the 21-year-old Somali American guilty of trying to detonate a weapon of mass destruction in Pioneer Courthouse Square -- a four-block walk from where they sat in the downtown courthouse.
Mohamud, whose lawyers argued that the FBI entrapped their client in a sophisticated sting that went too far, showed no reaction.
Wearing a sweater and slacks, he rose from his seat, looked back at his lawyers and waved as deputy U.S. marshals ushered him out of the courtroom. The proceeding took seven minutes.
"It's good to have closure on the case," Ethan D. Knight, the government's chief prosecutor, told a crush of reporters atop the steps of the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse.
"But an instance such as this is also sad in the sense that this defendant's conduct impacted a number of people, including his family," Knight said. "We believe that the evidence showed in court makes clear that this investigation and this prosecution rightfully addressed a significant threat and dangerous situation."
Mohamud's legal team said it will appeal the decision, returned after less than seven hours of deliberation. Chief defense lawyer Stephen R. Sady said the team will work until Mohamud's May 14 sentencing to show reasons he should receive a much-reduced punishment from the potential life prison term he faces.
"We're disappointed with the verdict," said Sady, who spoke briefly with his client after court. "We obviously thought he was entrapped."
Mohamud's conviction made him the ninth person to raise an entrapment defense after being snared in a post-9/11 FBI terrorism sting, said Karen J. Greenberg, director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law School in New York.
All have been convicted, she said.
Jurors found the 21-year-old Somali American guilty of trying to detonate a weapon of mass destruction in Pioneer Courthouse Square -- a four-block walk from where they sat in the downtown courthouse.
Mohamud, whose lawyers argued that the FBI entrapped their client in a sophisticated sting that went too far, showed no reaction.
Wearing a sweater and slacks, he rose from his seat, looked back at his lawyers and waved as deputy U.S. marshals ushered him out of the courtroom. The proceeding took seven minutes.
"It's good to have closure on the case," Ethan D. Knight, the government's chief prosecutor, told a crush of reporters atop the steps of the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse.
"But an instance such as this is also sad in the sense that this defendant's conduct impacted a number of people, including his family," Knight said. "We believe that the evidence showed in court makes clear that this investigation and this prosecution rightfully addressed a significant threat and dangerous situation."
Mohamud's legal team said it will appeal the decision, returned after less than seven hours of deliberation. Chief defense lawyer Stephen R. Sady said the team will work until Mohamud's May 14 sentencing to show reasons he should receive a much-reduced punishment from the potential life prison term he faces.
"We're disappointed with the verdict," said Sady, who spoke briefly with his client after court. "We obviously thought he was entrapped."
Mohamud's conviction made him the ninth person to raise an entrapment defense after being snared in a post-9/11 FBI terrorism sting, said Karen J. Greenberg, director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law School in New York.
All have been convicted, she said.
If the conviction is not overturned, then all their blathering means nothing.
What would it take for you to blow up a bomb and kill hundreds, if not thousands?
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