Muslim Charity Case Ends In Mistrial

DALLAS (AP) -- It's a mistrial for four of five defendants in the Dallas trial of a Muslim charity charged with financing Middle Eastern terrorists.<br/><br/>The judge in the case made the declaration

Monday, October 22nd 2007, 2:30 pm

By: News On 6

DALLAS (AP) -- It's a mistrial for four of five defendants in the Dallas trial of a Muslim charity charged with financing Middle Eastern terrorists.

The judge in the case made the declaration after chaos broke out in the courtroom when the verdict was read.

Three of the defendants were found not guilty. But three jurors protested, saying the verdict was read incorrectly. The judge sent the panel back to resolve the differences, but most felt they were at a stalemate.

One of the defendants still ended up acquitted of most charges.

The former leaders of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief were on trial for allegedly providing aid to the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The mistrial was at least a temporary victory for the five former Holy Land leaders, who said they ran a legitimate charity that helped Muslim children and families left homeless or poor by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.