Padilla Ruled Competent to Stand Trial

February 28, 2007
Padilla Ruled Competent to Stand Trial

Feb. 28 (Bloomberg) -- A U.S. judge ruled that accused terrorism supporter Jose Padilla is mentally competent to stand trial, one of his defense lawyers said.

U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke in Miami rejected defense claims that Padilla was unable to assist in his defense, according to defense lawyer Andrew Patel. The defense had argued that Padilla, a 36-year-old U.S. citizen, was abused during more than three years in military custody.

The government denies abusing Padilla, and a prosecutor argued earlier today, at the end of a four-day hearing, that his unwillingness to assist in his defense was a reasoned choice and that he should stand trial April 16 as planned.

Padilla was initially accused of plotting to explode a radioactive "dirty bomb" in the U.S. After his arrest in 2002, President George W. Bush declared him an "enemy combatant," which allowed authorities to hold him in military custody without charges. In November 2005, Padilla and four co- defendants were charged with supporting terrorists and conspiring to murder people in a foreign country.