Feds oppose ex-sailor request for new trial

[unhappycamper]

Feds oppose ex-sailor request for new trial
By John Christoffersen - Associated Press Writer
Posted : Monday Dec 22, 2008 15:30:33 EST

NEW HAVEN, Conn.— Federal prosecutors say a former sailor was properly convicted of leaking details about ship movements to suspected terrorist supporters and shouldn’t get a new trial.

Hassan Abu-Jihaad was the only member of the military communicating with the group and had access to the classified information, prosecutors said in court documents in New Haven. Abu-Jihaad was convicted in March of providing material support to terrorists and disclosing classified national defense information.

Abu-Jihaad, who was a signalman aboard the destroyer Benfold, was accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group’s formation to pass through the dangerous Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf on April 29, 2001. The details also included statements such as, “They have nothing to stop a small craft with RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) etc., except their SEALS’ stinger missiles.”

The ship was not attacked.

The leak came amid increased wariness on the part of Navy commanders whose ships headed to the Persian Gulf in the months after a terrorist ambush in 2000 killed 17 sailors aboard the destroyer Cole.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/12/ap_sailor_terror_122208/%2e