The defendants insist they are innocent. The government insists the defendants were planning a massacre. The judge was convinced of their guilt and expressed concern that they showed no remorse.
By Troy Graham
Philadelphia Inquirer
CAMDEN, N.J. — Three of the five men convicted of plotting a terrorist attack on Fort Dix were sentenced to life in prison yesterday, and two of them were given an additional 30 years for gun charges.
All three of the Duka brothers – Dritan, Eljvir and Shain – vociferously proclaimed their innocence before their sentences were announced.
At the end of his statement, Eljvir Duka, 25, turned toward his large family, seated in the gallery, and urged them to “be patient, don’t worry.”
“Being in prison and knowing you’re innocent is a great feeling in the sight of God,” he said. “The government knows what they did.”
District Court Judge Robert B. Kugler noted that the defendants showed no remorse for their actions, and said “a harsh, punitive sentence is necessary.”
