posted July 14, 2006 03:45 PM              

MIAMI - Amid tight security, alleged Al Qaeda operative Jose Padilla is being permitted to personally view U.S. government secrets in advance of his trial on charges of conspiring to wage and support international terrorism.
Under a federal judge's order, Padilla, a U.S. citizen, is being allowed to examine classified documents and videotapes detailing his statements during 3-1/2 years in Defense Department custody as an unlawful "enemy combatant." That designation was dropped last fall when he was charged in a Miami terrorism case.

Defense lawyers in terrorism cases are regularly permitted to examine such classified material if they obtain government security clearances, but it is unusual for an actual terror suspect to be given direct access to secrets.

Padilla's attorneys said they must examine the materials with their client to discover whether he was mistreated by interrogators, to refresh his memory and find possible leads for their defense.

The Associated Press