European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 24, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday december 24. 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 5 nos air verdict stuns jewish leaders smoking gun not enough to convict juror says new York apr jewish leaders were stunned sunday by the acquittal of a Muslim immigrant accused of killing extremist rabbi Meir Kahane and right Wing jewish groups threatened to March on jurors Homes. A it sounded to me like an open and shut Case and the defense sounded laughably amateurish a said Alan Dershowitz an attorney and author of chutzpah a Book about anti semitism in the United states. Al Sayyid nos air 36, an egyptian immigrant and . Citizen was acquitted saturday of killing Kahane who was fatally shot nov. 5, 1990, in new York City. A juror quoted in mondays new York times said a it was a Case of reasonable doubt. The police basically did not give us enough. We could not  the juror spoke on condition of anonymity. That assertion was corroborated by an alternate juror also speaking on condition of anonymity who told the times he had spoken with jurors after the verdict. A even though there was a smoking gun it was not positively identifiable a the alternate told the times. A they had a problem with the Way certain pieces of evidence were not preserved. There was a reas Anoble doubt in their minds a the associated press made repeated unsuccessful attempts to reach jury members for comment. One juror Hung up the Telephone when she was called. Nos air was convicted of four lesser charges weapons Possession commandeering a taxi at gunpoint and two assault counts. Defense attorney William Kunstler said he would Appeal those convictions. A i find the verdict somewhat bizarre Quot said Abraham Foxman who Heads the anti defamation league of by Nai by Rith which did t support Kahaney a extreme anti Arab views. A if they found him innocent that a one thing. But to find him guilty of lesser charges raises questions a Fox Man said. During the five week trial witnesses testified they saw nos air run front the room with a gun in his hand after Kahane was shot. Two people who were shot As nos air a an elderly Man and a postal police officer a identified him As the Man who shot them. But defense lawyers successfully argued that no one actually saw nos air kill Kahane. And that no evidence directly linked him to the killing. They said nos air was running because he was being chased by armed Kahane followers and it was one of them firing at nos air who shot the officer. The defense argued that nos air was framed by Kahane followers who they say killed the rabbi in a dispute Over Money. Kahane 58, a new York native served four years in Israel s parliament but was barred front office in 1988 by a ban on racist parties. He had campaigned to drive arabs from Israel and Arab territories it occupies. In the stars and stripes 10years ago dec. 24,1981 a Poland a military rulers arrested More than 350 people in Katowice province and demanded an end to the five Day strike at two Coal mines. The government reported that seven people had been killed since martial Law was declared. Reports from outside Poland said As Many As 200 people died. 20years ago dec. 24,1971 a president Nixon commuted the prison sentence of former teamster president James r. Hoffa freeing him from the Federal Penitentiary at Lewisburg pa., after Hoffa served nearly five years for mail fraud and jury tampering.30 years ago dec. 24,1961 acc chairman Newton Minow who recently called much of television a a vast wasteland Quot said the medium is now moving toward Quot a promised land of better programming and expanded use. However Minow served notice to the Industry that he will continue to speak out against what he considers shortcomings of broadcasters. 40 years ago dec. 24, 1951 a four american airmen whose c-47 was forced Down in communist Hungary by soviet fighter planes were tried and fined $30,000 dollars each by a military court in Hungary. The airmen were found guilty of violating the hungarian Border. World War 50 years ago today 24 dec. 1-9-4-1 More japanese troops land at the Southern end of Luzon Island in the Philippines and japanese forces in the North push southward. American and filipino units begin moving Back toward the Bataan Peninsula West of Manila. Thief ransack then torches Church Santa Monica Calif. A a thieving arsonist drove a vehicle through the front doors of a Church Early sunday set several fires and made off with sound equipment but parishioners did t let it Dampen their Christmas spirit. Five Small fires destroyed mount Olive lutheran churches Christmas tree a . Flag and a Steinway grand piano valued at about $20,000, officials said. Despite the destruction the Church held services later in the Day for about 200 members. Fans were set up to reduce the lingering smell of smoke. Police on patrol spotted flames inside the Church about 4 30 . And called firefighters. Officers found the churches front doors torn from their frames and tire tracks leading inside police sgt. Harry Kutzbach said. Parts of the Church s sound system including a Large mixing Board and Micro phones were stolen. A it just appears to be Wanton unpremeditated. Anti religious vandalism a said the Rev James Kallas the churches pastor. Kallas who had no damage estimate said Church members would Pilch in to clean up the mess before tonight s Christmas eve service. Quot we wont let this affect the Christmas Celebration a he said. Contamination shuts Down nuclear Plant North Perry Ohio up an Ohio nuclear Power Plant was shut Down sunday because a 36-Inch fibreglass pipe broke and caused a a minor radioactive contamination inside the facility. The operators of the Perry nuclear Power Plant 30 Miles East of Cleveland declared an Alert under its emergency plan and notified Federal state and local officials of the incident. The plants operator Cleveland electric illuminating co., said the pipe that broke around 2 . Carried non radioactive water from the Cooling Tower. The nuclear regulatory commission dispatched inspectors immediately. A some minor radioactive contamination of basement floor areas in the Plant resulted when floor drains backed up due to the flooding a the arc said in a statement. The arc confirmed that initial assessments by Cei operators and by its resident inspectors at the Plant indicated no safety equipment was damaged by the flooding. The arc said the broken water pipe is in the non nuclear portion of the Plant and that the reactor Cooling system was not affected by the leak. The Plant pumps water from its Cooling Tower into the plants condenser to Cool steam that has passed through the Turbine. The non radioactive condenser water is then pumped Back to the Cooling Tower to remove the heat. Source 2194 Days of War w. H. Smith Ruoh shers inc. Apfl a Home for Christmas a a needy family will get an special gift this Christmas a a new have been praised for their involvement in the habitat Organiza Home. Sex president Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalynn help build Tion were among 25 workers who Hope to wrap up the a Home for a habitat for humanity Home in Plains a. The Carters who Christmas project before the Holiday