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Ingmar Guandique

WASHINGTON — A jury convicted a Salvadoran illegal immigrant of two counts of first-degree murder today in the killing of intern Chandra Levy, a case that was based on circumstantial evidence and lacked any DNA or forensic evidence.

The Superior Court jury reached the verdict for Ingmar Guandique, 29, on the fourth day of deliberations, capping a nine-year march to justice for the death of the Washington intern, who was romantically linked to then U.S. Rep. Gary Condit.

Chandra Levy’s mother, Susan, who attended the trial, smiled when the verdict was announced; Guandique had no reaction, WUSA-TV reported.

Afterward, she spoke outside the courthouse before a throng of reporters and thanked the prosecution, defense and judge but said she found no closure or peace in the verdict.

Chandra Levy

She called the murder of her daughter “a lifetime sentence. I live with it everyday.”

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Osma bin Laden

WASHINGTON — Yes, even Al-Qaeda is looking for a bang for its buck.

The Washington Post reports that al Qaeda “is threatening to launch a wave of small-scale attacks similar to the recent failed parcel bomb plot, which the terrorist group describes as a low-budget operation that caused fear and costly countermeasures in the West.”

The new threat was published Saturday in the latest issue of the group’s English-language magazine, Inspire.

“We will continue with similar operations and we do not mind at all in this stage if they are intercepted,” one article said, according to the Washington Post. “It is such a good bargain for us to spread fear amongst the enemy . . . in exchange for a few months of work and a few thousand bucks.”

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By Allan Lengel

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division  and the FBI are investigating a deputy U.S. Marshal who fatally shot a tattoo parlor employee while off duty during a confrontation in Los Angeles in 2008, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The local prosecutor had found inconsistencies in deputy marshal Matthew Itkowitz’s story, but declined prosecution for insufficient  of evidence.

Itkowitz shot Ryan Gonzalez, 26, in an alley after a night of drinking.

Itkowitz claimed the shooting was in self defense while he was being beaten and threatened with a gun, the LA Times reported.

“The footage, made public by The Times last week, shows Gonzalez twice knocking Itkowitz to the ground and at one point brandishing what authorities said appears to be a gun,” the LA Times reported. “But Itkowitz does not open fire until after the confrontation has ended.

“The footage shows Gonzalez walking away and apparently waving back at Itkowitz for him to do the same when Itkowitz pulls a gun from his rear waistband and tucks it behind his leg. When Gonzalez turns and begins walking back toward Itkowitz, the off-duty deputy marshal pulls out his gun and begins firing. As Gonzalez flees down the alley, Itkowitz chases after him, firing a total of five shots.”

The confrontation began after Itkowitz’s wife came running to several people in the alley asking for help, saying she feared her husband was going to hurt her, the Times reported.

Itkowitz remains on duty.

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By Allan Lengel

A federal jury in Mississippi on Saturday found FBI agent Hal Neilson not guilty on two counts relating to charges that he failed to disclose his ownership in a building housing the FBI in Oxford, Miss., and then lied about it,  News360.com reported. The jury deadlocked on three other counts and a mistrial was declared.

The news organization reported that family and friends “shrieked with joy” as the verdict was read Saturday afternoon.

The verdict capped a 10-day trial. Neilson had claimed before trial that the then-U.S. Attorney indicted him because he had been critical of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The website reported that prosecutors had not immediately whether they would go for a second trial on the hung counts.

The website reported that FBI agent Neilson, an attorney, took the stand for six hours on Wednesday, insisting he was not part of the company when it first leased the building to the FBI and that he’d gotten permission from the FBI to enter into the business.