A federal judge in Camden today rejected arguments from defense lawyers asking to overturn the convictions of five men found guilty of plotting to attack Fort Dix.
The five men, immigrants from Albania, Turkey and Jordan, were convicted in December and face life in prison.
"Was it a fair trial? Boy it sure was," U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler said. "Was there a miscarriage of justice? No."
The five defendants did not speak during the hearing. After Kugler announced his decision, they traded shouts of "Allah Akbar" -- Arabic for "God is great" -- with some of their supporters in the court room.
During the eight-week trial, prosecutors cast the men as homegrown terrorists. They said the men, who grew up in America, had become so hardened by their religious beliefs that they studied jihadist videos and lectures, trained with guns, and scouted Fort Dix and other nearby bases for a possible attack.
Defense lawyers for the men argued the alleged plot was all talk, saying they weren't seriously planning anything and were manipulated by two paid FBI informants. They asked
The judge scheduled sentencing for three of the men, brothers Dritan, Shain and Eljvir Duka, April 22. He said he would sentence the other two, Mohamad Shnewer and Serdar Tatar, the next day.