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Last update - 05:15 23/05/2008 Prosecutor: Seattle Jewish center shooter 'used murder' to get out message By The Associated Press Tags: Seattle, U.S., Israel  A prosecutor told jurors a man charged with a fatal shooting at a Jewish center knew right from wrong and used murder to get out a message. "The cost of that message was high and now it must be paid," prosecutor Don Raz said Thursday in his closing argument in the trial of Naveed Haq, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murder and attempted murder. Raz said the way Haq went about killing a woman and wounding five others at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle in July 2006 showed he clearly could perceive the nature of his actions and was not insane. Advertisement Before the case went to the jury Thursday afternoon, defense attorney C. Wesley Richards told jurors that Haq could not tell right from wrong and had intended to take hostages, not to kill. "Mr. Haq had a delusional belief that by coming to the Jewish center and getting on CNN he could change the course of two wars," the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Richards said. "He thought he was going to save lives. He thought he was doing God's will." Haq walked through the Jewish center's downtown Seattle office, ranting against Israel and the Iraq war as he fired, hitting some people at their cubicles and killing Pamela Waechter as she fled down a stairwell. Raz said Haq, 32, planned the shooting for days before driving from his Tri Cities home to Seattle, left a shotgun in his truck because he believed carrying it with him would draw too much attention, hid in the foyer of the center to avoid detection and picked his victims in the small office. "He's not shooting randomly. He's hitting people and these are people he wants to control, people who have called 911 or are trying to get away," he said. Defense attorneys cited Haq's long history of mental illness in arguing that he was insane and should be committed to a state mental hospital rather than prison. Jurors heard conflicting testimony from mental health experts. Richards showed jurors a large, cartoonish diagram of a lit stick of dynamite, to illustrate the types of pressures that Haq was under, including financial stress, a long history of mental illness and a change in medication that worsened his condition. He spoke about Haq's history of paranoia and auditory hallucinations and said, "Ask yourself if someone with those kinds of conditions could really premeditate the shootings of five women in 20 seconds," referring to the first five victims. Raz said the state does not dispute that Haq had a mental defect that prevented him from making friends, dating women and holding down a job, but he said Haq did have a basic understanding of the world around him and knew what he was doing. Haq did not mention to psychiatrists the notion that he was being controlled by voices or by God until many months after the shootings. "Imagine if your teenage son or daughter came in and said 'Mom, dad, remember when I wrecked the car 18 months ago? God was driving,'" Raz told the jurors. If convicted, Haq faces life in prison without parole. Related articles: Seattle prosecutor: Much of Jewish center shooter's statement inadmissible American Jews are in great danger. Here's the proof Trial begins for U.S. Jewish center gunman who killed woman Bookmark to del.icio.us   Jet error Israeli warplanes come close to shooting down Tony Blair's plane. Rehab (live) Report: Singer Amy Winehouse is to undergo drug rehab in Israel.   1.   Blind leading the blind 07:50  |  Mr.Smith 23/05/08   2.   What happened to the death penalty for premeditated murder? 16:58  |  Realist 24/05/08

Read & React Bradley Burston: The Palestinians' time is running out Responses: 371 West backs Lebanese gov't capitulation to Hezbollah Responses: 172 Obama promises 'unshakable commitment' to Israel if elected Responses: 203 Hamas: Olmert too weak to negotiate peace agreement with Syria Responses: 197 McCain rejects pastor's support after 'God sent Hitler' jibe Responses: 109 Rosner's Domain Rosner's Guests: can "decisive victory" against guerilla achieved? Blame the Israel Lobby for Clinton's loss? (WTR) Poll: Peace between Israel & Syria? Should American Jews Embrace Living Double Lives? Why Obama needs Florida Jews? (WTR) More Headlines 18:30 Ex-IDF chief: Golan Heights not indispensable 21:01 Israel denies entry to high-profile critic Norman Finkelstein 17:12 Hamas: Olmert too weak to negotiate peace agreement with Syria 15:51 UN: No. of roadblocks in W. Bank up 7 percent from last Sept. 20:53 Chelsea axes Grant after losing Champions League final to Red Devils 13:22 Teenager stabbed to death at high school in Galilee village 18:43 MK Sneh to announce split from Labor to form new party 03:38 Report: Singer Amy Winehouse to undergo drug rehab in Israel 14:56 Tourist in critical condition after jumping from Tiberias hospital 16:08 Clinton 'regrets' Kennedy assassination reference in defending her candidacy 11:18 Egypt police shoot Sudanese migrant at Israel border 08:12 Syria hesitant to let IAEA inspect alleged nuke site hit by IAF Previous Editions Select Day 23 may 22 may 21 may 20 may 19 may 18 may 16 may 15 may 14 may 13 may 12 may 11 may

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