Terrorism Trials: Magistrate Questions Sufficiency of Evidence

The government is prosecuting seven men in North Carolina for conspiring to engage in terrorist activities. The men recently appeared before US Magistrate Webb, who questioned the sufficiency of the government's probable cause. However, the Magistrate also ordered the men detained.

How can the government argue that statements such as, "I want to go to the beach" is sufficient evidence to detain and indict individuals; and what was the motivation of the confidential informant?


'But Webb pressed on. He pointed out the prosecutor's argument that the suspects were sometimes talking in code, with Hysen Sheriff once talking about "going to the beach." Prosecutors argued that the "beach" really meant violent jihad. Webb balked at the idea that he was supposed to consider "beach" as the "functional equivalent of jihad" without knowing why the witness was credible. The judge's concerns weren't enough to allow any of the men to go free until trial, despite promises from some family members that they could take care of the suspects outside of prison and the arguments from attorneys that the men had strong ties to the community. " Huffington Post.