Bin Laden son-in-law pleads not guilty to conspiring to kill Americans

By Reuters News Service (573)

As of Friday, March 8, 2013
© Copyright 2013 Albany Herald

Suleiman Abu Ghaith

NEW YORK — A son-in-law of Osama bin Laden pleaded not guilty Friday in a federal court in New York, where he is charged with conspiracy to kill Americans.

Suleiman Abu Ghaith, a militant who appeared in videos representing al Qaeda after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, was arrested in Turkey and brought to New York City to stand trial, U.S. government sources said.

Abu Ghaith is one of the highest-ranking al Qaeda figures to be brought to the United States to face a civilian trial.

"Among other things, Abu Ghaith urged others to swear allegiance to bin Laden, spoke on behalf of and in support of al Qaeda's mission, and warned that attacks similar to those of September 11, 2001 would continue," according to the indictment, which was announced on Thursday.

It accuses him of acting in a conspiracy that "would and did murder United States nationals anywhere in the world," listing actions before and after Sept. 11, 2001.

Authorities said Abu Ghaith would be arraigned on Friday morning at U.S. District Court in downtown Manhattan, only blocks from the site of the World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the Sept. 11 attacks.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder previously had announced plans to try defendants in the Sept. 11 attacks in the same courthouse, but public opposition forced him to back down, and the trials were moved to the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Abu Ghaith initially was picked up in Turkey, deported to Jordan and brought to the United States in the last few days in an operation led by Jordanian authorities and the FBI, the sources said.

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RedEric 2 months, 1 week ago

This is insane. His religion almost requires him to lie in such circumstances. The oath means nothing to him. Holder and Obama know this. Everything in his defense will be a lie, but it must be considered as equal to what is submitted against him. Also, since when does an enemy combatant get a civilian trial. This is insane.

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