"Padilla was the star recruit of a terrorist support cell and he was discovered right in our backyard.''

That was AUSA Brian Frazier describing Jose Padilla in his closing argument. Interesting way to put it -- "star recruit"; discovered in "our backyard." I didn't hear the closing, but these are terms that jurors relate to and are very easily understood...

Frazier, of course, hammered the application form and repeated al Qaida as much as he could:

"You are already inside the al-Qaida organization when you get this form to fill out," Frazier told jurors. "He provided himself to al-Qaida for training to learn how to murder, kidnap and maim."

Here's the Herald, the Sun-Sentinel, and the AP on the government's closings.

Michael Caruso for Jose Padilla responds tomorrow.