The 12-member jury of a federal court here on Wednesday held deliberations against Tahawwur Rana, charged with involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks, planning of a similar strike in Denmark and providing material support to Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Tayyaba.
If convicted on the three counts, 50-year-old Rana, a Pakistani Canadian, faces a possible life sentence.
After two-hours of intensive deliberations in a closed room in a federal court, the jury broke for lunch. There was no official word as to when the jury would arrive at a consensus on the charges against Rana.
It could even spill over to the next week or even further, court officials said adding that the verdict depends solely on the jury, which deliberates in a closed door room.
Rana has been charged by the US Government of being involved in the Mumbai terrorist attack, planning of a similar terrorist attack in Denmark and providing material support to Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, a banned Pakistan-based terrorist outfit.
A large contingent of media, including a number of foreign journalists, waited outside the courtroom for the verdict, reflecting the huge interest the case has generated the world over. Family members of Rana, including his wife Samraz, were also seen anxiously waiting outside the courtroom.
In an informal chat with reporters, she said, her husband was innocent and has been wrongly implicated and dragged into by Rana's childhood friend David Coleman Headley.
"I have full faith in the American judiciary system. I am confident that we will get justice," she said.
Rana himself, his attorneys said, has resorted to praying and hoping for the best from the jury's verdict.
Once the verdict is given, the judge would then set a sentencing date, which is expected to be a few months later. Comprising of representation from various sections of the society in Chicago, the jury began its deliberations at 9.30am local time under closed door settings.
The jury was also provided with copies of the audio and videotapes along with transcripts, besides a set of all the exhibits including the large number of email exchanges of Rana, Headley and many others related to the case, which were shown as evidences by the defence and federal attorneys during the trial that lasted more than two weeks.
Officials were tightlipped as to when the jury would be able to give its verdict against Rana, who has been charged on three counts. During the closing arguments, the government attorney accused Rana of complicity with Headley.
Headley has pleaded guilty and has been spared the death penalty in exchange for his testimony against Rana. The defence attorney, however, again attempted to paint Headley, the government's star witness, as a duplicitous friend and serial liar.
Defence Attorney Patrick Blegen told the jury that Headley ‘is a lifelong liar, manipulator and conman….’ Soon after the closing arguments concluded, the judge Harry D. Leinenweber issued detailed instructions to the jury on the procedures to be adopted to reach their conclusion and how they can reach it.