CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
Prosecutors began their cases Tuesday against three men accused of plotting to firebomb political targets during the NATO summit in Chicago.
They have been indicted on state terrorism charges, and appeared in court Tuesday.
The out-of-state protesters allegedly plotted to attack President Barack Obama's campaign headquarters and Mayor Rahm Emanuel's home with Molotov cocktails last month.
Brian Church, 22, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Jared Chase, 27, of Keene, N.H.; and Brent Vincent Betterly, 24 of Oakland Park, Fla., are being called "NATO 3," and are charged under anti-terrorism laws which were enacted shortly after the September 11th attacks.
They appeared in court with chains on their legs and wearing orange jail jumpsuits as their lawyers and a dozen supporters looked on.
The formal charges will be presented at their July 2 arraignments.
"Why can't we have some formal charges? These guys have been in jail for almost 30 days now and there's been no specific charge leveled against them," defense attorney Michael Deutsch said.
During Tuesday's brief hearing, Church's lawyer asked prosecutors for a copy of the indictment, but he was refused.
"I don't understand," Deutsch said, prompting Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. to respond: "I don't either, but that's the way they're doing it. It seems a little strange, but that's the way it is."
Outside of court, Chase's attorney acknowledged that indictments are never available until the day of arraignment. Still, attorney Thomas Durkin assailed prosecutors for charging the three men with terrorism.
"This is not a terrorism case... This is an informant-created case," Durkin said, referring to the fact that the three were arrested following an investigation that included undercover police officers.
The men are also accused of planning to firebomb police stations and squad cars, declaring that after the NATO Summit, "the city will never be the same," according to police and prosecutors.
The case is unusual in that state, rather than federal, charges have been brought in a terrorism-related case. Federal prosecutors have taken the lead in the majority of terrorism cases nationwide since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. This is the first time Illinois has invoked anti-terrorism laws adopted after 9/11.
Defense attorneys admitted that their clients could spend months or years waiting for a trial if they challenged the constitutionality of the state's terrorism law. So they'd rather go to trial quickly and try to win in front of a jury.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
