Chicago:
Raja Khan walked into court, awkwardly raised his shackled hands to his mouth and blew a kiss to his family and friends assembled in the federal courthouse in Chicago. As he was presented before the judge he kept turning back to look around the room and mouthed 'I Love you' to his wife Diane who was seated in court.
Khan is charged with attempting to provide material aid to terrorism by sending cash to Pakistan-based leader of the Harakat-ul-Jihad-aI-Islami (HUJI) Iliyas Kashmiri.
Defense attorney Thomas A. Durkin said, "The complaint that has been filed is an incredibly one sided document, that only paints with a broad brush and presents only what the government perceives as it's best points."
A naturalized American citizen of Pakistani origin, Khan is now married to an American woman Diane who brushed away tears as she watched her husband in court.
About half a dozen fellow cab drivers were present in court some of which greeted Khan with a "namaste" as he entered. One man even stood up and thumped his clenched fist in the air as if to signal to Khan that they are going to beat these charges.
"A lot of these cab drivers knew him and the fact that they are all here in court speaks a lot about his character.", added Thomas A. Durkin.
While Khan's lawyers maintain that he is innocent until proven guilty. He is not the first Pakistani American or American with alleged contacts in Pakistan to have been arrested for involvement in terror plots. David Headley's plea bargain and now the charges against Khan again seem to highlight the role of Pakistan as an epicenter of Global terrorism.
Khan is charged with attempting to provide material aid to terrorism by sending cash to Pakistan-based leader of the Harakat-ul-Jihad-aI-Islami (HUJI) Iliyas Kashmiri.
Defense attorney Thomas A. Durkin said, "The complaint that has been filed is an incredibly one sided document, that only paints with a broad brush and presents only what the government perceives as it's best points."
A naturalized American citizen of Pakistani origin, Khan is now married to an American woman Diane who brushed away tears as she watched her husband in court.
About half a dozen fellow cab drivers were present in court some of which greeted Khan with a "namaste" as he entered. One man even stood up and thumped his clenched fist in the air as if to signal to Khan that they are going to beat these charges.
"A lot of these cab drivers knew him and the fact that they are all here in court speaks a lot about his character.", added Thomas A. Durkin.
While Khan's lawyers maintain that he is innocent until proven guilty. He is not the first Pakistani American or American with alleged contacts in Pakistan to have been arrested for involvement in terror plots. David Headley's plea bargain and now the charges against Khan again seem to highlight the role of Pakistan as an epicenter of Global terrorism.
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