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Judge rules media can get records in Arizona terrorism case

Posted at 7:48 PM, Feb 12, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-12 21:48:34-05

PHOENIX, Ariz. — A judge has ruled police and court records in a criminal case against an Arizona man facing a terrorism charge must be made available to the media.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sally Duncan ruled Tuesday the probable-cause statement should be released as soon as possible with other records available by Friday.

Several media organizations challenged county Attorney’s Office efforts to seal a probable-cause statement, a police report, 911 calls and footage of the incident that led to 18-year-old Ismail Hamed’s Jan. 7 arrest.

County sheriff’s officials say Hamed told a dispatcher he had an affiliation with a terror group.

Hamed also was charged with aggravated assault for allegedly throwing rocks at a sheriff’s sergeant and brandishing a knife outside a sheriff’s substation in the Phoenix suburb of Fountain Hills.