Padilla, 36, and his foreign-born co-defendants, Adham Amin Hassoun and Kifah Wael Jayyousi, were convicted of conspiracy to murder, kidnap and maim people overseas, which carries a penalty of life in prison. All three were also convicted of two terrorism material support counts, which carry potential 15-year sentences each.
Jurors deliberated a day and a half after a three-month trial. U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke set a Dec. 5 sentencing date.
The three were accused of being part of a North American support cell that provided supplies, money and recruits to groups of Islamic extremists. The defense contended they were trying to help persecuted Muslims in war zones with relief and humanitarian aid.
The White House thanked the jury for a "just" verdict.
"We commend the jury for its work in this trial and thank it for upholding a core American principle of impartial justice for all," said Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House. "Jose Padilla received a fair trial and a just verdict."
Of course, to the wingnuts, this means that everything that was done to Padilla over the last three and a half years was fine. Here's Ed Morrissey, writing just before the verdict came in:
... If the Department of Justice loses this case, recriminations will fly over their handling of Padilla and the evidence they had to toss from their initial handling of Padilla's incarceration. If Padilla gets convicted, it may take a lot of steam out of the protests over this case and others like it -- although it could also turn into an argument for handling terrorism as a crime rather than an act of war.
Horrors.
