AKRON, Ohio -- A jury has been selected in the trial of an Islamic cleric charged with lying about terrorist ties.

Imam Fawaz Damra faces a number of charges. NewsChannel5 reported that the government's case will be limited to evidence before Damra became a citizen in 1994.

Jurors will not hear not hear about Osama bin Laden or al-Qaida, under a judge's order.

Judge James S. Gwin told prosecutors Monday that they cannot discuss either subject, saying the relevance to the case against Imam Fawaz Damra was minimal "but the risk of inflaming the jury is great."

Leaflets passed out at the Islamic Center of Cleveland, the largest one in Ohio, called on backers to turn out in force at the trial to support Damra. But the crowd in the courtroom for the morning session was limited to mostly lawyers and reporters.

Damra, 41, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of obtaining U.S. citizenship in 1994 by providing false information.

Damra's trial could take up to two weeks. He could face up to five years in prison and deportation if convicted.

Video

Imam Damrah Interview

The jury eight women and four men selected in about 2.5 hours includes a gas station manager, a self-employed businesswoman, a student, a dental assistant and a telephone company worker.

Gwin also told prosecutors to make sure they and their witnesses avoid comments such as "dangerous global jihad" or holy war because the jury could consider the comments inflammatory. The judge said he would consider allowing the terms only if the government can prove they are relevant to the case.

The government's case will be limited to evidence before Damra became a citizen in April 1994.

Gwin barred evidence about the federal government's designation of Palestinian Islamic Jihad as a terrorist group because the designation came after 1994 and because the defense would not have a chance to question the government about how it made that decision.

Prosecutors said evidence will show Damra knew the groups had terrorist activity even before the government made the official designation.

But Gwin allowed other government evidence and testimony about the groups, including video tapes showing Damra allegedly fund-raising for Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Maktab al-Khidmat. The judge also said he would allow evidence about terrorist acts connected to the groups that occurred before Damra's application.

Damra, who has shunned interviews since his arrest at his suburban Strongsville home on Jan. 13, has denied having ties to terrorist groups.

The trial for the Palestinian-born Damra, also known as Fawaz Mohammed Damrah, was originally set for Cleveland but was moved when the defense raised questions about media coverage there.

The government witness list includes officers involved in Damra's arrest Jan. 3, 1989, at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on an accusation of assaulting a security guard. The case was dropped, but the government said the alleged failure to disclose the arrest on the citizenship application violated the law.

The defense hasn't indicated whether Damra will testify.