Once accused in ‘dirty bomb’ plot, Padilla gets 17 yrs; judge doubts terror ties

Jose Padilla, an American once accused of plotting with the al-Qaeda...

Jose Padilla, an American once accused of plotting with the al-Qaeda to detonate a radioactive “dirty bomb”, was sentenced to a relatively lenient 17-year prison term on unrelated terror support charges.

Prosecutors, who long ago dropped the “dirty bomb” claim that made Padilla infamous, had sought life sentences for Padilla and two co-defendants, but a federal judge said authorities never even proved Padilla was a terrorist.

“There is no evidence that these defendants personally maimed, kidnapped or killed anyone in the United States or elsewhere,” US District Judge Marcia Cooke said on Tuesday. “There was never a plot to overthrow the US Government.”

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Cooke took into account the harsh, isolated conditions Padilla faced during the three-and-a-half years he was held in a brig, without charge, as an enemy combatant after his 2002 arrest. Defence lawyers claim he was tortured by the military, but US officials denied that and Cooke never used the word torture.

Padilla (37), and co-defendants Adham Amin Hassoun (45) and Kifah Wael Jayyousi (46) were convicted in August of terrorism conspiracy and material support after a three-month trial. Jurors concluded they were part of a support cell that sent recruits, money and supplies to Islamic extremists worldwide, including al-Qaeda.