Deadlock By Jury In Sears Tower Plot

MIAMI (AP) -- One of seven Miami men accused of plotting to join forces with al-Qaida to blow up Chicago's Sears Tower has been acquitted. A mistrial has been declared for the six others after the

Thursday, December 13th 2007, 8:02 pm

By: News On 6

MIAMI (AP) -- One of seven Miami men accused of plotting to join forces with al-Qaida to blow up Chicago's Sears Tower has been acquitted. A mistrial has been declared for the six others after the federal jury in the case failed to reach a verdict during nine days
of deliberations. Prosecutors in Miami say they will retry the six men next year.

The outcome is a setback for the Bush administration. It cited the case to illustrate the dangers of homegrown terrorism and to trumpet the government's post-9/11 success breaking up terror plots in their earliest stages.

Prosecutors say the group swore allegiance to al-Qaida and hoped to carry out bombings against America's tallest skyscraper and federal buildings. But the group never made contact with al-Qaida, instead reaching an FBI informant posing as an al-Qaida emissary.