http://www.crisscross.com/us/news/34596
Israeli agents to don disguises at trial
By MIKE ROBINSON - Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 16:38 EDT
CHICAGO — Two Israeli security agents expected to testify at the trial
of two men accused of fundraising for the Palestinian militant group
Hamas may wear disguises and use aliases on the witness stand, a judge
ruled Tuesday.
The courtroom will be cleared of everyone but the jury, attorneys, the
defendants and their families while the Israeli agents testify, U.S.
District Judge Amy St. Eve ruled.
The ruling came in the case of Muhammad Salah, 53, of suburban
Bridgeview and Abdelhaleem Ashquar, 48, of Alexandria, Va., both
accused of funneling money to Hamas to pay for murders, kidnappings
and other acts of terrorism aimed at the Israeli government.
Their trial on racketeering conspiracy and other charges is scheduled
to start on Oct. 12.
In her order, St. Eve agreed with federal prosecutors who have said
extraordinary precautions must be taken to protect the identities of
the two agents against disclosure and possible retaliation by Hamas.
Messages were left Tuesday evening at the law offices of Salah's
attorney Michael E. Deutsch of Chicago and Ashquar's attorney William
Moffitt of Reston, Va., who had objected to the high degree of
secrecy.
The agents were among those who questioned Salah after he was arrested
in Israel in 1993. Police found $97,000 in cash in his East Jerusalem
hotel room and claimed he was delivering the money to Hamas
terrorists.
He served almost five years in Israeli prisons on the charge.
Deutsch had argued that without knowing the true identities of the
agents it would be impossible to know if they were who they claimed to
be.
But St. Eve said Salah would be able to tell if they were the men who
questioned him. His conviction in Israel was based on statements he
made to agents. He says the statements were tortured out of him.
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