Padilla Pleads Not Guilty to Terrorism Charges

Former U.S. “dirty bomb” suspect Jose Padilla pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges that he supplied funding and recruits for global terrorism activities, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Jan. 6).

“Absolutely not guilty,” Michael Caruso, one of Padilla’s lawyers, said when asked to enter a plea for his client in federal court in Miami.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Garber set an early September trial date and denied bail. Prosecutors had argued that Padilla was a flight risk and remained dangerous due to allegations that he attended an al-Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan, according to AP.

“How much more dangerous can someone be than someone who attended a terrorist training camp?” said prosecutor Stephanie Pell (Curt Anderson, Associated Press/Washington Post, Jan. 12).

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