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Judge Says Lindh Not Entitled to More Details on the Charges
Tuesday, April 2, 2002
(2:27 AM ET)
By Larry Margasak
Associated Press Writer

Lindh is charged with conspiring to murder U.S. nationals, providing support and services to foreign terrorist organizations including al-Qaida and using firearms and destructive devices during crimes of violence. Three of the 10 charges carry a maximum life sentence; the other seven have prison terms of up to 90 years.

ALEXANDRIA, Va -- AP
John Walker Lindh's defense team is not entitled to a more detailed account of his alleged plans to kill Americans while he was a Taliban soldier, a federal judge says.

U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III ruled Monday the broad conspiracy indictment does not require prosecutors to spell out who Lindh was planning to kill or all the personal services he provided the Taliban.

Rather, Ellis said, the government "alleged a conspiracy to kill a class of people" -- Americans around the world. "The government will have to prove at trial that this conspiracy existed" and that Lindh "knowingly joined the conspiracy."

"I don't read the indictment as pointing to a specific murder," the judge said.
(More: New Jersey Online News Source)
2002 © The Associated Press.

Dan