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Terrorist Held for COnspiring to Assassinate President Bush
AP/Drudge Headline ^ | 2-22-05 | Mathew Barakat

Posted on 02/22/2005 9:56:45 AM PST by Tactical

Feb 22, 10:51 AM (ET)

By MATTHEW BARAKAT

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - A former Virginia high school valedictorian who had been detained in Saudi Arabia as a suspected terrorist was charged Tuesday with conspiring to assassinate President Bush and with supporting the al-Qaida terrorist network.

Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, 23, a U.S. citizen, made an initial appearance Tuesday in U.S. District Court but did not enter a plea. He claimed that he was tortured while detained in Saudi Arabia since June of 2003 and offered through his lawyer to show the judge his scars.

The federal indictment said that in 2002 and 2003 Abu Ali and an unidentified co-conspirator discussed plans for Abu Ali to assassinate Bush. They discussed two scenarios, the indictment said, one in which Abu Ali "would get close enough to the president to shoot him on the street" and, alternatively, "an operation in which Abu Ali would detonate a car bomb."

According to the indictment, Abu Ali obtained a religious blessing from another unidentified co-conspirator to assassinate the president.

More than 100 supporters of Abu Ali crowded the courtroom and laughed when the charge was read aloud alleging that he conspired to assassinate Bush.

When Abu Ali asked to speak, U.S. Magistrate Liam O'Grady suggested he consult with his attorney, Ashraf Nubani.

"He was tortured," Nubani told the court. "He has the evidence on his back. He was whipped. He was handcuffed for days at a time."

When Nubani offered to show the judge his back, O'Grady said that Abu Ali might be able to enter that as evidence on Thursday at a detention hearing.

"I can assure you you will not suffer any torture or humiliation while in the (U.S.) marshals' custody," O'Grady said.

Abu Ali is charged with six counts and would face a maximum of 80 years in prison if convicted.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Virginia; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: abu; abuali; ali; assassinate; assassination; bush; islam; jihad; muslim; plot; president; saudi
More than 100 supporters of Abu Ali crowded the courtroom and laughed when the charge was read aloud alleging that he conspired to assassinate Bush.

Hope the FBI jotted down all of the 100 names that laughed!

1 posted on 02/22/2005 9:56:46 AM PST by Tactical
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To: Tactical

I wonder what name he posts under at DU.


2 posted on 02/22/2005 9:58:26 AM PST by KidGlock (W-1)
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To: Tactical

Gee, old Abu sure has a lot of friends.

But...don't they have jobs? What are they all doing in court?


3 posted on 02/22/2005 9:59:00 AM PST by RexBeach
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To: Tactical

Hell, I'll show you my scar too!

4 posted on 02/22/2005 10:03:59 AM PST by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
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To: Tactical

johnny jihad ping


5 posted on 02/22/2005 1:07:12 PM PST by Rakkasan1 (no government program is ever a failure-it's just 'underfunded'...)
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