Posted on 02/23/2005 5:28:56 PM PST by Indy Pendance
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia (CNN) -- An American citizen handed over by Saudi Arabia should remain in custody because "he presents an exceptionally grave danger to the community and a serious flight risk," the lead prosecutor said in court papers filed Wednesday.
U.S. Attorney Paul McNulty filed his motion ahead of a detention hearing for 23-year-old Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, an alleged al Qaeda member. Abu Ali was detained for 20 months in Saudi Arabia before being transferred to U.S. custody this week.
Abu Ali is charged with providing material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization -- al Qaeda. Prosecutors also allege he discussed the possibility of assassinating President Bush.
The detention hearing will be held Thursday afternoon at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Abu Ali is said to be a flight risk because of his extensive overseas contacts, the charges he faces and his Jordanian citizenship, according to McNulty's filing -- much of which echoed Tuesday's indictment. (Full story)
"He is demonstrably a grave danger to the community -- and to the nation," the prosecutor wrote. "At the same time, he presents a serious risk of flight. There is no condition or combination of conditions that will adequately safeguard the American people or assure the defendant's appearance for trial."
Abu Ali was arrested after the May 2003 bombings in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in which 23 people were killed, including nine Americans. Sources familiar with the case have said Abu Ali is suspected of having connections to individuals involved in that bombing.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
While the left and the press seem to want to paint this guy as just another innocent-average-American-citizen-target, I got a feeling there is LOTS more to this story. Something tells me the assassination talk was just the tip of the iceberg. Whatever it is, I do hope his arrest put a stop to whatever that planned iceberg was.....
Perhaps you can give me some of your opinion.
Please comment on my post reply.
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