Jurors reminded US Govt. has to prove allegations

Jun 28, 2010 News

JFK terror plot…

As the trial involving three Guyanese who have been accused in the plot to commit a terrorist act at the John F Kennedy Airport gets underway, the jurors have been given their instructions as it relates to their duty.
The jurors were reminded that it is their duty to find the facts from all the evidence in this case and that they were the sole judges of the facts.

Abdel Nur

“Therefore, it is for you and you alone to pass upon the weight of the evidence, resolve such conflicts as may have appeared in the evidence, and draw such inferences as you deem to be reasonable and warranted from the evidence or lack of evidence in this case.”
It was explained that the indictment that was filed against the defendants is the means by which the government gives them notice of the charges against them and brings them before the court. “The indictment is an accusation, and nothing more. The indictment is not evidence and you are to give it no weight in arriving at your verdict.”
The jury was instructed that the defendants are presumed to be innocent until their guilt has been proven by the government beyond a reasonable doubt, and that presumption alone, unless overcome, is sufficient to acquit the defendants.
“The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless you, the jury, decide unanimously that the government has proven them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
It was pointed out that the defendants are not obligated to offer any evidence or to testify on their own behalf and it is the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Abdul Kadir

The jury was also instructed to treat defendants separately, noting that although all four of the defendants have been tried together, the jurors must consider the guilt or non-guilt of each defendant separately, as guilt is personal and individual.
The jurors were instructed to bear in mind that the government has the burden of proof at all times and that, “you must be convinced of the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt as to each and every element of the offenses charged in order to return a guilty verdict…If you find that this burden has not been met, you must return a verdict of not guilty.”
Russell DeFreitas is the Guyana-born US resident who has been implicated along with Abdel Nur, Kareem Ibrahim and Abdul Kadir in a terror plot to blow up the JFK International Airport in the United States of America by, inter alia, exploding airport fuel tanks and part of the connecting pipeline.
The US Government is contending that in connection with the plot, the defendants performed physical surveillance, made video recordings of JFK Airport and its buildings and facilities, located satellite images of JFK Airport and its buildings and facilities on the internet, and sought expert advice, financing and explosives.
On or about June 1, 2007, warrants were issued in the Eastern District of New York for the arrests of Kadir, DeFreitas, Ibrahim and Nur.
DeFreitas was arrested in New York pursuant to an extradition treaty between the United States and Trinidad and Tobago.

Kareem Ibrahim

The United States requested that the government of Trinidad and Tobago execute provisional arrest warrants against defendants Kadir, Ibrahim and Nur, all of whom were present in Trinidad and Tobago on June 1, 2007.
Trinidadian law enforcement officials arrested Kadir on June 1, 2007 at Piarco International Airport in Trinidad, as he was attempting to travel through Venezuela to Iran.
On or about June 3, and June 10, 2007, Guyanese police obtained and executed two warrants to search Kadir’s residence in Linden, Guyana.
DeFreitas is a naturalised United States citizen, but was born in Guyana and maintained a residence there.