Jury Deadlocked in Terrorism Trial

MIAMI (AP) - A jury in Miami has acquitted one of seven
defendants charged with plotting to destroy Chicago's Sears Tower
and wage war against the U.S. A mistrial has been declared for the
remaining six after the federal jury deadlocked.
Federal prosecutors say the government plans to retry the six
next year. The federal judge set a January seventh date to start
picking a new jury.
The jury gave up on the others after nine days of deliberations,
following a nearly two-month trial. The jury twice sent notes to
the judge saying they couldn't reach verdicts but were told to keep
trying. The mistrial came after their third note.
Prosecutors say the "Liberty City Seven" swore allegiance to
al-Qaida and hoped to forge an alliance to carry out bombings
against America's tallest skyscraper, the FBI's Miami office and
other federal buildings.
The group never actually made contact with al-Qaida. Instead, a
paid FBI informant posed as an al-Qaida emissary.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)