United States v. Hassoun
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
2007 WL 4180844 (2007)
Adham Hassoun, Jose Padilla, and Kifah Jayyousi (defendants) were convicted of conspiring to murder, kidnap, or maim people abroad while taking steps in the United States to further the plot. The government showed Hassoun used coded language, Padilla attended an overseas al Qaeda training camp, and Jayyousi funded and recruited people for jihad; all three claimed they only intended humanitarian aid. After conviction, the defendants moved for acquittal, arguing the evidence did not prove they specifically intended murder, kidnapping, or maiming.
Whether a jury may find that a defendant intended to conspire to murder, kidnap, or maim persons abroad based solely on circumstantial evidence of the defendant's conduct, without direct evidence of that intent.