Friday, February 29, 2008

Pipe bomb evidence can be used in Florida Muslim students' case

Naive Kids Update: They tried to get this evidence thrown out on the grounds that the arresting officer was racist -- evidently because he mentioned the Taliban, which is not a race -- but common sense prevailed this time. "Judge says USF student evidence can be used," from My Fox Tampa Bay (thanks to Bill Warner):

TAMPA - A federal judge says controversial evidence against two USF students accused of having explosives can be used in their trial.

Defense lawyers had challenged the use of evidence seized in a search of Ahmed Abdellatif Sherif Mohamed and Youssef Samir Megahed's car because of statements made over the radio by the deputies who stopped them in South Carolina.

The men used terms like "terrorist" and Taliban" to describe the students, and lawyers argued that showed bias, and that the deputies didn't have probable cause to search the car.

Despite those arguments, a judge says the search was legal, and the evidence gathered - including pipe bombs and a computer - can be used.

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