Wiretapping May Void Va. Terror Case

[TexasLawyer]

Yet another reason why warrantless wiretapping is bad. FYI-- the U.S. 4th Circuit is VERY politically conservative.

Wed. April 26, 2006

Wiretapping May Void Va. Terror Case
by UPI Wire
Apr 26, 2006


ALEXANDRIA, Va. - April 26, 2006 (UPI) -- The Bush administration's use of warrantless wiretaps may have backfired, with the reversal by an appellate court of a Virginia terror conviction.

The case involves prominent Muslim cleric Ali al-Timimi, a U.S. citizen who was convicted last year of inciting his Northern Virginia followers to train for violent jihad against the United States. He was sentenced to life in prison.

Tuesday, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond sent the case back to the convicting judge, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, in Alexandria, the Washington Post reported. Al-Timimi's attorneys argued the controversial National Security Agency program President George Bush authorized may have resulted in "undisclosed intercepts" that would be a violation of his rights and could void the conviction.

Al-Timimi's attorney, Jonathan Turley, said Timimi often made the type of overseas calls that were monitored and that "there was considerable overlap in the dates and details of the investigation of al-Timimi and the NSA operation."

<snip>
http://www.postchronicle.com/news/breakingnews/article_21216108.shtml

[SpiralHawk]

1. Nice work, you Republicon clods

the republicons could screw up a free lunch.

If it ain't their corruption, it's their treason

[TexasLawyer]

3. Right--

and it's not like FISA is so hard to comply with!

This is a pretty nuts-and-bolts reason for sticking with the law-- you can actually get a conviction that stands up to scrutiny.

[electropop]

2. Glad the wiretaps are so effective in the WarOnTerra

:sarcasm:

[eppur_se_muova]

4. first of many more to come ... nt

[BigDDem]

5. Soft on crime! Soft on terra!!

[bee]

6. wow. rec'd. n/t