Conviction in Lodi Terrorist Trial
04/26/2006
A+
|
a-
Print Friendly and PDF
Residents in my hometown of Lodi, CA. are surprised that a local man, U.S. citizen Hamid Hayat, was convicted on charges of lying to the F.B.I. about attending an al-Queda sponsored camp in Pakistan. Local coverage of the trial had suggested that the government's presentation was weak. And a juror dismissed earlier in the year said that she felt the government had not made its case.

Nevertheless, Hayat who is expected to appeal, faces up to 37-years in jail.

The case against Hayat's 48-year-old U.S. citizen father, Umer, was declared a mistrial with the jury "decisively deadlocked." Whether there will be a second trail or not is unclear.

Throughout the case, the mainstream media consistently described Lodi's Pakistani community as fearful of violent repercussions against it. But no incidents occured. As far as I could tell, Pakistanis went about their business normally.

Print Friendly and PDF