ctober 20, 2010 - 12:36 PM | by: Ruth Ravve
CHICAGO- A 22 year old who allegedly thought being a terrorist would make him some quick cash, plead "not guilty" today in federal court. Lebanese immigrant Sami Samir Hassoun is charged with attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.
Police say Hassoun placed a backpack, that he thought was stuffed with explosives, near a busy intersection just outside Chicago's Wrigley Field. Hassoun thought the backpack was lethal because undercover FBI agents told him so, as part of a sting operation.
Hassoun, wearing the standard orange jailhouse jumpsuit, gave a big smile to his family who were sitting in the courtroom. Defense attorney Myron Auerbach, who told the judge he needs more time to go through "more than 100 hours of video surveillance tape" says "my client is not a terrorist...arresting authorities made it clear that he has no terrorist connections". Instead Auerbach characterizes Hassoun as "a troubled young man who got himself into something that took him way beyond where someone else would've gone.....he's a big talker...he just talks too much". While he won't go so far as to use the term "entrapment", Auerbach does blame the FBI for giving Hassoun the (fake) bomb and cash for the deal.
The next status hearing for Hassoun is scheduled for November 3rd, although Auerbach says he will try to postone that date so he will have time to go through all the evidence against his client.
