Bin Laden son-in-law to be tried on US soil
Source: Agencies |
March 9, 2013, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
Osama bin Laden's son-in-law pleaded not guilty yesterday to plotting against Americans in his role as al-Qaida's top spokesman as a landmark case trying a terror suspect on US soil moves toward trial next month.
Sulaiman Abu Ghaith entered the plea through a lawyer to one count of conspiracy to kill Americans after being arrested in Jordan on February 28.
Abu Ghaith gave an "extensive post-arrest statement" that totaled 22 pages and arrived in the US on March 1, Assistant US Attorney John P. Cronan said. The prosecutor gave no details on the statement.
Abu Ghaith nodded yes when asked, through an interpreter, if he understood his rights. He shook his head no when asked whether he had money to hire an attorney.
Bail was not requested, and none was set. The judge said he would set a trial date on April 8. Prosecutors said a trial would last about three weeks.
The case marks a legal victory for the Obama administration, which has long sought to charge senior al-Qaida suspects in US federal courts instead of holding them at the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Charging foreign terror suspects in federal courts was a top pledge by US President Barack Obama shortly after he took office in 2009,- aimed, in part, to close Guantanamo Bay.
Republicans have fought the White House to keep Guantanamo open, and bringing Abu Ghaith to New York led to an outcry. Republicans in Congress do not want high-threat terror suspects brought into the United States, fearing that outcomes in a civilian jury trial are too unpredictable.
Attorney General Eric Holder announced the capture of Abu Ghaith on Thursday, saying "no amount of distance or time will weaken our resolve to bring America's enemies to justice."
The day after September 11, 2001, prosecutors say Abu Ghaith appeared with bin Laden and al-Zawahri and called for battle against Jews, Christians and Americans.
Sulaiman Abu Ghaith entered the plea through a lawyer to one count of conspiracy to kill Americans after being arrested in Jordan on February 28.
Abu Ghaith gave an "extensive post-arrest statement" that totaled 22 pages and arrived in the US on March 1, Assistant US Attorney John P. Cronan said. The prosecutor gave no details on the statement.
Abu Ghaith nodded yes when asked, through an interpreter, if he understood his rights. He shook his head no when asked whether he had money to hire an attorney.
Bail was not requested, and none was set. The judge said he would set a trial date on April 8. Prosecutors said a trial would last about three weeks.
The case marks a legal victory for the Obama administration, which has long sought to charge senior al-Qaida suspects in US federal courts instead of holding them at the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Charging foreign terror suspects in federal courts was a top pledge by US President Barack Obama shortly after he took office in 2009,- aimed, in part, to close Guantanamo Bay.
Republicans have fought the White House to keep Guantanamo open, and bringing Abu Ghaith to New York led to an outcry. Republicans in Congress do not want high-threat terror suspects brought into the United States, fearing that outcomes in a civilian jury trial are too unpredictable.
Attorney General Eric Holder announced the capture of Abu Ghaith on Thursday, saying "no amount of distance or time will weaken our resolve to bring America's enemies to justice."
The day after September 11, 2001, prosecutors say Abu Ghaith appeared with bin Laden and al-Zawahri and called for battle against Jews, Christians and Americans.
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