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U.S. Indicts Padilla After 3 Years in Pentagon Custody. After being held incommunicado for years, an American citizen finally faces charges of conspiracy to kill people overseas. Prosecution just dropped the dirty bomb issue entirely. The fact that this case can be tried in a military court is positively mind-boggling. [Correction 11/23: the case is being moved to civilian court.]

Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen held for three years as an enemy combatant suspected of plotting a “dirty bomb” attack in this country, has been indicted on charges that he conspired to “murder, kidnap and maim” people overseas.

A federal grand jury in Miami returned the indictment against Padilla and four others. While the charges allege Padilla was part of a U.S.-based terrorism conspiracy, they do not include the government’s earlier allegations that he planned to carry out attacks in America.