Judge denies requests for new trial, acquittal for two men convicted in terrorism case

5/15/2009

A judge in U.S. District Court in Toledo has denied a request for a new trial and motion for acquittal for two of the three local men who were convicted last year on terrorism-related charges.

Judge James Carr denied the requests from Mohammad Amawi and Marwan El-Hindi, who were convicted in June on two counts each of conspiring to kill or injure people in the Middle East including U.S. soldiers in Iraq and of providing support and resources to terrorists overseas.

They also were found guilty on two counts of distributing information regarding explosives.

The men have not been sentenced for their crimes.

Attorneys for El-Hindi and Amawi recently argued motions before Judge Carr, requesting new trials for their clients and for judgments of acquittal.

To grant the motions for acquittal, Judge Carr, who presided over the case, would have to determine that the evidence for the convictions was insufficient and the jury somehow lost its way while deciding the case.