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Miami – A jury was seated Tuesday to hear the trial of alleged al-Qaeda operative Jose Padilla and two co-defendants, accused of being part of a North American support cell for Islamic extremists around the world.

The 36-year-old U.S. citizen was held as an enemy combatant for 3 1/2 years. The government initially claimed he was on an al-Qaeda mission to detonate a radioactive “dirty bomb” inside the United States, but that allegation is not part of the Miami case.

Padilla was indicted along with Adham Amin Hassoun and Kifah Wael Jayyousi on charges of conspiracy to “murder, kidnap and maim” people overseas as well as terrorism support. All three have pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they face possible life sentences.

The jurors, seven men and five women, were selected from a final pool of 88 people after nearly a month of questioning. Opening statements are to begin Monday. The trial is expected to last into August.

In the selection process, prosecutors contended defense lawyers were seeking to unfairly exclude white and Latino men; defense lawyers cried foul over removal of black women and one Muslim.

The jury consists of five blacks, four whites and three Latinos, and the alternates are five Latinos and one woman of Egyptian heritage who said she was born Muslim but does not practice.