Washington sniper ‘should die’

A US jury recommended yesterday that John Allen Muhammad should be executed for masterminding the deadly sniper attacks that terrorised the Washington area for three weeks last autumn.

As the verdict was read, Muhammad maintained the same unflinching demeanour he had shown through most of his trial.

The jury deliberated for five hours over two days before reaching the verdict against the 42-year-old former soldier who had asked police to "Call me God" during the October 2002 spree. Jurors in Virginia Beach, Virginia, had convicted him of murder a week ago and then heard testimony in the sentencing phase.