This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-26755985
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Sulaiman Abu Ghaith: Bin Laden's son-in-law convicted | Sulaiman Abu Ghaith: Bin Laden's son-in-law convicted |
(35 minutes later) | |
Osama Bin Laden's son-in-law Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, who was an al-Qaeda spokesman after 9/11, has been convicted of terrorism-related charges at a trial in New York. | |
He could face life in prison when he is sentenced in September for conspiracy to kill Americans and aiding al-Qaeda. | |
The Kuwaiti clergyman was captured in Jordan last year and brought to the US. | |
He is the highest-ranking al-Qaeda figure to face trial on US soil since the attacks. | He is the highest-ranking al-Qaeda figure to face trial on US soil since the attacks. |
The jury returned a guilty verdict on three charges: conspiracy to kill Americans, conspiring to provide support to al-Qaeda, and providing support to al-Qaeda. The verdict came after about five hours of deliberation. | The jury returned a guilty verdict on three charges: conspiracy to kill Americans, conspiring to provide support to al-Qaeda, and providing support to al-Qaeda. The verdict came after about five hours of deliberation. |
Videos showing Abu Ghaith threatening America with no end to the "storm of airplanes'' were shown to jurors, but he argued his role was a purely religious one, aimed at encouraging all Muslims to rise up against their oppressors. | Videos showing Abu Ghaith threatening America with no end to the "storm of airplanes'' were shown to jurors, but he argued his role was a purely religious one, aimed at encouraging all Muslims to rise up against their oppressors. |
He testified that Bin Laden had asked him to be al-Qaeda's spokesman on the night of the 9/11 attacks. | He testified that Bin Laden had asked him to be al-Qaeda's spokesman on the night of the 9/11 attacks. |
On Monday, during closing arguments, Assistant US Attorney John Cronan highlighted what he said was the importance of Abu Ghaith's post-9/11 status. | On Monday, during closing arguments, Assistant US Attorney John Cronan highlighted what he said was the importance of Abu Ghaith's post-9/11 status. |
"Going to that man was the very first thing Osama Bin Laden did on September 11 after the terror attacks," he said. "The defendant committed himself to al-Qaeda's conspiracy to kill Americans, and he worked to drive other people to that conspiracy." | "Going to that man was the very first thing Osama Bin Laden did on September 11 after the terror attacks," he said. "The defendant committed himself to al-Qaeda's conspiracy to kill Americans, and he worked to drive other people to that conspiracy." |
Denying he was an al-Qaeda recruiter, Abu Ghaith insisted he had agreed to meet with Bin Laden in a cave on the night of September 11 out of respect for Bin Laden's standing as a sheikh. | Denying he was an al-Qaeda recruiter, Abu Ghaith insisted he had agreed to meet with Bin Laden in a cave on the night of September 11 out of respect for Bin Laden's standing as a sheikh. |
One witness at the trial was a British man who was supposed to join Richard Reid in the attempted shoe-bomb airline attack of December 2001. The man left the plot after his parents warned him against involvement in terrorism. | |
He did not know Abu Ghaith, but prosecutors introduced evidence to show Abu Ghaith knew there were detailed plans for more air attacks on the US, as he promised. | He did not know Abu Ghaith, but prosecutors introduced evidence to show Abu Ghaith knew there were detailed plans for more air attacks on the US, as he promised. |
Abu Ghaith's defence lawyer, Stanley Cohen, argued there was "zero evidence" that the 48-year-old former teacher knew of the conspiracies and warned jurors not to let prosecutors "intimidate you and to frighten you into returning verdicts not based upon evidence, but fear". | Abu Ghaith's defence lawyer, Stanley Cohen, argued there was "zero evidence" that the 48-year-old former teacher knew of the conspiracies and warned jurors not to let prosecutors "intimidate you and to frighten you into returning verdicts not based upon evidence, but fear". |
Abu Ghaith is married to Bin Laden's eldest daughter Fatima. | Abu Ghaith is married to Bin Laden's eldest daughter Fatima. |