Examiner : Jury hears closing arguments in ex-sailor's terrorism trial

Jury hears closing arguments in ex-sailor's terrorism trial

The Associated Press | March 4, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Final arguments were presented today in federal court in Connecticut in the terrorism trial of a former Navy signalman accused of leaking ship movements to suspected terrorists.

Federal prosecutors urged the jury to convict 32-year-ol Hassan Abu-Jihaad of Phoenix, saying he sympathized with the enemy and admitted disclosing military intelligence during taped phone calls with associates.

But Abu-Jihaad's attorney says the four-year investigation failed to turn up proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked details of ship movements and their vulnerability to attack. The defense also rejected the claim that Abu-Jihaad admitted to leaking Navy secrets, saying the conversation cited by prosecutors happened years after he left the service and that it was not clear what Abu-Jihaad was referring to.

Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in Connecticut because the federal investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

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