Suspect in Assassination Plot Convicted

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Suspect in Assassination Plot Convicted
By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press Writer
4 minutes ago

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - An American Muslim student was convicted Tuesday
of joining al-Qaida and plotting to assassinate President Bush.

The federal jury rejected Ahmed Omar Abu Ali's claim that Saudi authorities
whipped and tortured him to extract a false confession.

Abu Ali, a 24-year-old U.S. citizen born to a Jordanian father and raised
in Falls Church, Va., could get life in prison on charges that included
conspiracy to assassinate the president, conspiracy to hijack aircraft and
providing support to al-Qaida.

The jury deliberated for 2 1/2 days. Abu Ali swallowed hard before the
verdict was read but otherwise showed little emotion. He did not testify at
his trial.

"Obviously the jury has spoken, but the fight is not over," defense attorney
Khurrum Wahid said. "We intend to use the justice system to prove our
client's innocence."

Abu Ali told authoritiees shortly after his arrest at a Medina, Saudi Arabia,
university in June 2003 that he joined al-Qaida and discussed various
terrorist plots, including a plan to personally assassinate Bush and to
establish himself as a leader of an al-Qaida cell in the United States.

But the defense countered that he was tortured by the Saudi security
force known as the Mubahith.

Wahid suggested that an al-Qaida member arrested by the Saudis falsely
fingered Abu Ali to protect other cell members still at large. "You think the
al-Qaida guys are going to give up a fellow al-Qaida, or did they pick
some patsy from the University of Medina?" Wahid said in closing
arguments.

Prosecutors said he was never mistreated and confessed voluntarily.

Prosecutors said Abu Ali went to Saudi Arabia in 2002 with the notion of
becoming a terrorist and later met al-Qaida's No. 2 man in Medina.

"The true focus of his education quickly became apparent," prosecutor
Stephen Campbell said. "Instead of studying Islamic law, he began
attending secret terrorist training sessions."
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Another one bites the dust.




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