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Osama bin Laden son-in-law agreed to help terror campaign, court hears Osama bin Laden son-in-law agreed to help terror campaign, court hears
(6 months later)
Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law conspired with him to recruit a new wave of jihadists even as the American buildings attacked on September 11 were still burning, a New York court heard on Wednesday.Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law conspired with him to recruit a new wave of jihadists even as the American buildings attacked on September 11 were still burning, a New York court heard on Wednesday.
Suleiman Abu Ghaith confessed to FBI officials after his capture in Jordan last year that he “agreed to help” Bin Laden’s campaign against the west by using “the murderous power of his words” as al-Qaida’s mouthpiece in propaganda videos and speeches, US prosecutors said.Suleiman Abu Ghaith confessed to FBI officials after his capture in Jordan last year that he “agreed to help” Bin Laden’s campaign against the west by using “the murderous power of his words” as al-Qaida’s mouthpiece in propaganda videos and speeches, US prosecutors said.
“Literally hours after the attacks of September 11, Osama bin Laden turned to this man, Suleiman Abu Ghaith,” assistant US attorney Nicholas Lewin told a jury, who will consider terrorism charges against the most senior alleged al-Qaida operative tried in America.“Literally hours after the attacks of September 11, Osama bin Laden turned to this man, Suleiman Abu Ghaith,” assistant US attorney Nicholas Lewin told a jury, who will consider terrorism charges against the most senior alleged al-Qaida operative tried in America.
“Osama bin Laden asked that man to deliver al-Qaida’s murderous decree to the entire world,” Lewin went on, in his opening statement in the Kuwaiti’s trial. “And what did the defendant do? He agreed. While our buildings still burned, he agreed”.“Osama bin Laden asked that man to deliver al-Qaida’s murderous decree to the entire world,” Lewin went on, in his opening statement in the Kuwaiti’s trial. “And what did the defendant do? He agreed. While our buildings still burned, he agreed”.
Lewin showed the jury of nine women and three men a still from a clip recorded the day after September 11 – “the most important moment in al-Qaida’s savage history” – that he said showed Abu Ghaith sitting with Bin Laden and his deputy Ayman Al-Zawahiri in an Afghan cave.Lewin showed the jury of nine women and three men a still from a clip recorded the day after September 11 – “the most important moment in al-Qaida’s savage history” – that he said showed Abu Ghaith sitting with Bin Laden and his deputy Ayman Al-Zawahiri in an Afghan cave.
“On the very next day, September 12, with his AK-47 by his side, the defendant sat with al-Qaida’s leaders and delivered his proclamation,” said Lewin. “On September 12, 2001, the defendant called out for more fighters” and “urged Muslims around the world to pick up arms and fight for al-Qaida”.“On the very next day, September 12, with his AK-47 by his side, the defendant sat with al-Qaida’s leaders and delivered his proclamation,” said Lewin. “On September 12, 2001, the defendant called out for more fighters” and “urged Muslims around the world to pick up arms and fight for al-Qaida”.
“He invoked his twisted view of Islam and declared: ‘Fight thee against the friends of Satan. Fight with al-Qaida against America’,” said Lewin.“He invoked his twisted view of Islam and declared: ‘Fight thee against the friends of Satan. Fight with al-Qaida against America’,” said Lewin.
Abu Ghaith, 48, is charged with conspiring to kill Americans, conspiring to provide support to terrorists, and providing support to terrorists. Wearing a black suit, sky blue shirt, dark blue tie and plimsolls, he sat frowning and looked over his rectangular spectacles towards the jury as the government outlined its case, which was translated into Arabic for him.Abu Ghaith, 48, is charged with conspiring to kill Americans, conspiring to provide support to terrorists, and providing support to terrorists. Wearing a black suit, sky blue shirt, dark blue tie and plimsolls, he sat frowning and looked over his rectangular spectacles towards the jury as the government outlined its case, which was translated into Arabic for him.
The cleric, who is balding and has a mostly white beard, is married to Bin Laden’s eldest daughter, Fatima. She is one of nearly two dozen children believed to have been fathered by the al-Qaida leader before he was killed in a raid by US navy Seals in Pakistan in 2011.The cleric, who is balding and has a mostly white beard, is married to Bin Laden’s eldest daughter, Fatima. She is one of nearly two dozen children believed to have been fathered by the al-Qaida leader before he was killed in a raid by US navy Seals in Pakistan in 2011.
Abu Ghaith’s trial is the most significant involving al-Qaida in New York since Eric Holder, the US attorney general, reversed his attempts to have leading figures including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-professed mastermind of September 11, tried in the city’s civilian courts, amid protests from local figures about the potential disruption and security risk.Abu Ghaith’s trial is the most significant involving al-Qaida in New York since Eric Holder, the US attorney general, reversed his attempts to have leading figures including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-professed mastermind of September 11, tried in the city’s civilian courts, amid protests from local figures about the potential disruption and security risk.
The jury at Manhattan’s federal courthouse, a few blocks from Ground Zero, heard that Abu Ghaith, who was “known as a fiery speaker and orator”, had moved to Afghanistan from Kuwait earlier in 2001. He is said to have visited jihadist training camps to deliver rousing speeches to thousands of new recruits in during the summer before the September attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.The jury at Manhattan’s federal courthouse, a few blocks from Ground Zero, heard that Abu Ghaith, who was “known as a fiery speaker and orator”, had moved to Afghanistan from Kuwait earlier in 2001. He is said to have visited jihadist training camps to deliver rousing speeches to thousands of new recruits in during the summer before the September attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
“The defendant’s job was a critical one, but it was not to plan terrorist attacks. The defendant did not plan 9/11,” said Lewin. “The defendant’s job was not to carry out terrorist attacks; the defendant did not carry out 9/11. His job was to help provide al-Qaida with its very lifeblood –fighters, personnel, young men inspired to fight and to die for al-Qaida.”“The defendant’s job was a critical one, but it was not to plan terrorist attacks. The defendant did not plan 9/11,” said Lewin. “The defendant’s job was not to carry out terrorist attacks; the defendant did not carry out 9/11. His job was to help provide al-Qaida with its very lifeblood –fighters, personnel, young men inspired to fight and to die for al-Qaida.”
A month after the attack, Abu Ghaith is alleged to have warned the US that “the storm of airplanes will not stop” in another video message, threatening suicide bombings. “And that very moment,” said Lewin, “al-Qaida was in fact secretly plotting another attack with airplanes”. A month after the attack, Abu Ghaith is alleged to have warned the US that “the storm of airplanes will not stop” in another video message, threatening suicide bombings. “And that very moment,” said Lewin, “al-Qaida was in fact secretly plotting another attack with airplanes”.
Weeks after Abu Ghaith had “issued a chilling warning” by saying “we strongly advise Muslims in America and Britain not to board airplanes,” Richard Reid attempted to detonate explosives in his shoes while on a flight from Paris to Miami, said Lewin.Weeks after Abu Ghaith had “issued a chilling warning” by saying “we strongly advise Muslims in America and Britain not to board airplanes,” Richard Reid attempted to detonate explosives in his shoes while on a flight from Paris to Miami, said Lewin.
Lewin explained that the prosecution would centre on recordings of Abu Ghaith’s speeches, physical evidence naming him as a senior al-Qaida operative, the confession he is said to have given FBI officials after his capture last year, and the testimony of two co-operating witnesses. One of them, Saajid Badat, a 33-year-old Briton convicted of terrorism offences, is due to testify via video link from London on Monday.Lewin explained that the prosecution would centre on recordings of Abu Ghaith’s speeches, physical evidence naming him as a senior al-Qaida operative, the confession he is said to have given FBI officials after his capture last year, and the testimony of two co-operating witnesses. One of them, Saajid Badat, a 33-year-old Briton convicted of terrorism offences, is due to testify via video link from London on Monday.
Capitalising on an earlier caution to the jury from Judge Lewis Kaplan that opening statements should be considered like “movie trailers” rather than definitive pictures of what happened, Stanley Cohen, Abu Ghaith’s attorney, opened his remarks by telling jurors: “You’ve just been to the movies, ladies and gentlemen.”Capitalising on an earlier caution to the jury from Judge Lewis Kaplan that opening statements should be considered like “movie trailers” rather than definitive pictures of what happened, Stanley Cohen, Abu Ghaith’s attorney, opened his remarks by telling jurors: “You’ve just been to the movies, ladies and gentlemen.”
Accusing the government of trying to transform his client into Bin Laden, Cohen said: “This is Suleiman Abu Ghaith. He is a Muslim, an Arab from Kuwait. He is a husband, he is a father, and yes, he is an imam. He is a talker. He’s an ideologue.”Accusing the government of trying to transform his client into Bin Laden, Cohen said: “This is Suleiman Abu Ghaith. He is a Muslim, an Arab from Kuwait. He is a husband, he is a father, and yes, he is an imam. He is a talker. He’s an ideologue.”
Conceding that “some of what he has said is stupid; it’s dumb,” Cohen insisted that the government could not prove he was an active al-Qaida operative. “At the end of the day there is no evidence,” he said. “There is the substitution of evidence with fright, with alarm”. He added: “After 13 years it comes down to words and association, words and association”.Conceding that “some of what he has said is stupid; it’s dumb,” Cohen insisted that the government could not prove he was an active al-Qaida operative. “At the end of the day there is no evidence,” he said. “There is the substitution of evidence with fright, with alarm”. He added: “After 13 years it comes down to words and association, words and association”.
Cohen has claimed that his client’s statements to the FBI came only after he “was subjected to a variety of deprivation techniques and harsh treatment which constitute torture”. He signalled that he would argue some of the evidence is about another man with the same name, and dismissed the alleged significance of the the co-operating witnesses.Cohen has claimed that his client’s statements to the FBI came only after he “was subjected to a variety of deprivation techniques and harsh treatment which constitute torture”. He signalled that he would argue some of the evidence is about another man with the same name, and dismissed the alleged significance of the the co-operating witnesses.
“They sit around and talk and he gives them what they want,” Cohen said of Badat. “He is one of their key underground people. But when asked 10 years ago ‘who is Suleiman Abu Ghaith?’, you don’t hear a word. He says: ‘I don’t know’. At one point, he says the name rings a bell.”“They sit around and talk and he gives them what they want,” Cohen said of Badat. “He is one of their key underground people. But when asked 10 years ago ‘who is Suleiman Abu Ghaith?’, you don’t hear a word. He says: ‘I don’t know’. At one point, he says the name rings a bell.”
He warned the jury that they would be “outraged” by some of his client’s past remarks and would flinch at or even lose sleep over them. “We are 10 blocks from one of the worst nightmares in the history of this country,” he said. “I don’t envy you”.He warned the jury that they would be “outraged” by some of his client’s past remarks and would flinch at or even lose sleep over them. “We are 10 blocks from one of the worst nightmares in the history of this country,” he said. “I don’t envy you”.
But he stressed: “This is not about the attack of 9/11, no matter how painful it was to the people of this city, this country and the world,” later adding: “9/11 hangs heavy over this courtroom.But he stressed: “This is not about the attack of 9/11, no matter how painful it was to the people of this city, this country and the world,” later adding: “9/11 hangs heavy over this courtroom.
“It hangs heavy over every one of us. It was a painful, terrible nightmare and we can’t turn back the clock.”However, he compared his client’s situation to that of Captain John Preston, the British army officer who was charged with murder after the Boston Massacre of 1770 but cleared at trial after being defended by the future president John Adams.“It hangs heavy over every one of us. It was a painful, terrible nightmare and we can’t turn back the clock.”However, he compared his client’s situation to that of Captain John Preston, the British army officer who was charged with murder after the Boston Massacre of 1770 but cleared at trial after being defended by the future president John Adams.
“I am not John Adams, and he is not Captain Preston,” said Cohen. “But you are doing what juries in this country have done for hundreds and hundreds of years – to sit there dispassionately, and not get swept away in hatred, and passion, and revenge, and to fulfil your oath.“I am not John Adams, and he is not Captain Preston,” said Cohen. “But you are doing what juries in this country have done for hundreds and hundreds of years – to sit there dispassionately, and not get swept away in hatred, and passion, and revenge, and to fulfil your oath.
He went on: “I have faith that you good men and women can prove our greatness, can prove our fairness, can prove that a man from another country, another culture, another colour and another religion, can have his day in court”.He went on: “I have faith that you good men and women can prove our greatness, can prove our fairness, can prove that a man from another country, another culture, another colour and another religion, can have his day in court”.