US Citizen Faces Terrorism Trial After 3â½ Years in Custody

Jose Padilla, a US citizen held without charge for more than three years after being accused of planning to detonate a radioactive "dirty bomb" in a large American city, was yesterday indicted on the lesser charges of conspiring to "murder, kidnap and maim persons" overseas.

The original allegations against Mr Padilla, a Brooklyn-born Muslim convert who until yesterday was being held as an "enemy combatant" at a navy prison in South Carolina, were used by the White House as evidence of the continued threat posed by al-Qaida to the US homeland.

Announcing the charges against Mr Padilla yesterday, the attorney general, Alberto Gonzales, refused to comment on why no allegations involving attacks on America were included. The indictment alleges that Mr Padilla received jihad training in Afghanistan and "operated and participated in a North American support cell that sent money, physical assets and mujahideen recruits to overseas conflicts for the purposes of fighting a violent jihad".

Also indicted were Adham Amin Hassoun; Muhammad Hesham Youssef; Kifah Wael Jayyousi and a Canadian national, Kassem Daher. All were charged with conspiracy to murder, kidnap and maim people in a foreign country; conspiracy to provide material support for terrorists and providing material support for terrorists.

Mr Padilla was arrested in May 2002 after returning from Pakistan. As well as the dirty bomb allegations, he was accused of planning to blow up apartment buildings. Last week he was handed over to the justice department for civilian proceedings and the case will go to trial in September next year.