...and pulling out of Iraq would influence him how, Dr. Dean??
Posted on 10/11/2005 11:54:06 PM PDT by Susannah
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A U.S. citizen accused of joining al-Qaida and plotting to assassinate President Bush said in a videotaped confession that he was motivated by hatred of American support for Israel.
Ahmed Omar Abu Ali also said on the tape, played in court for the first time Tuesday, that a top al-Qaida operative in Saudi Arabia "made it clear I became one of them and that I could speak in the name of al-Qaida."
The 13-minute confession was videotaped in 2003 by authorities in Saudi Arabia, where Abu Ali attended college.
His attorneys want the confession thrown out. They argue that the 24-year-old falsely confessed after being tortured and whipped by the Saudis, and they say U.S. authorities were complicit in the torture. Prosecutors deny Abu Ali was mistreated.
U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee viewed the videotape Tuesday over defense objections, saying he wanted to observe Abu Ali's demeanor.
At several points on the black-and-white videotape, Abu Ali could be seen yawning and chuckling to himself. When he discussed his training with a Kalashnikov rifle, he pantomimed a rifle attack.
Other parts of the tape appeared to be a monotone regurgitation of a statement that prosecutors have acknowledged was written for him by the Saudis. Prosecutors also have said he was given an opportunity to revise the statement.
In the confession, Abu Ali says he "was interested in jihad and the idea of mujaheedin" because of "my hatred of the United States for support of Israel against the Palestinian people."
He said he discussed numerous possible terrorist acts with two al-Qaida leaders in Saudi Arabia, Ali abd al-Rahman al-Faqasi and Sultan Jubran Sultan al-Qahtani. They encouraged him to return to America, integrate into society and establish an al-Qaida cell, he said.
Abu Ali said he favored the idea of assassinating Bush rather than attacks on military targets or plane hijackings "because it would be easier to carry out because he appears in so many public places."
Prosecutors allege that Abu Ali, who grew up in Virginia, joined al-Qaida while in Saudi Arabia and confessed to plotting terrorist acts, including assassinating the president and U.S. senators.
He is charged with conspiracy to assassinate the president, conspiracy to commit aircraft piracy and contributing services to al-Qaida, and could face life in prison if convicted.
The defense argues that U.S. authorities worked with the Saudis to investigate and denied Abu Ali's constitutional rights to an attorney and to remain silent. Several FBI agents testified Tuesday that the Saudis investigated and interrogated Abu Ali on their own.
The pretrial hearing on the validity of Abu Ali's confession is expected to continue into next week.
In the confession, Abu Ali says he "was interested in jihad and the idea of mujaheedin" because of "my hatred of the United States for support of Israel against the Palestinian people."
...and pulling out of Iraq would influence him how, Dr. Dean??
Oh please. These freaks hate Israel no matter what anyone would or would not do.
Don't they know Dick Cheney is next in line?
I wouldn't want to cross a guy with a name like that!!!
Does anyone know his real name?
"my hatred of the United States for support of Israel"
At what point do we leave Citizenship and become Expatriates?!? Methinks about this point.
Since he hates US support of Israel and also lived in Virgina, he might be more of a fan of Senator Byrd of West Virginia. Byrd is the only one in the Senate who voted both against the war in Iraq AND against the alliance with Israel in the war on terrorism.
5-2-2002
Lieberman Amdt. No. 3389; To express solidarity with Israel in its fight against terrorism.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00102
NAYs: Byrd (D-WV), Hollings (D-SC)
Not Voting: Bennett (R-UT), Bunning (R-KY), Helms (R-NC), Torricelli (D-NJ)
There were more in the House that voted against the alliance with Israel:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2001/roll474.xml
(House of Representatives votes expressing solidarity with Israel in the fight
against terrorism, 12-5-2001)
YEAs: 384, NAYs: 11, answered "Present": 21, Not voting: 17
NAYS in the House of Representatives:
Abercrombie (D-HI),Dingell (D-MI),Hilliard (D-AL),Hinchey (D-NY),Jackson (D-IL),McKinney (D-GA),Mink (D-HI),Paul (R-TX),Rahall (D-WV),Rush (D-IL),Thompson (D-MS)
He is the spawn of Jordan-born, naturalized U.S. citizens, could be his real name.
Must be his real name because wikipedia usually has info on people who changed their names. They did cover the name change of Malcolm X, for example.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Omar_Abu_Ali
wikipedia is not a dependable source - it is always a work in progress and quite changeable - someone needs to research this guy's real name, birthplace, and then notify wikipedia to update their info.
Kavorka? Not unless he is rabid.
No, I'm afraid its the same old and tiresome "religion" of hate and war ... islam.
As has been said repeatedly, not all Mid-Eastern muslims are terrorists, but all Mid-Eastern terrorist are muslims, and we should take no prisoners.
If found not guilty, Ahmed should join Cindy Sheehan's anti-war campaign.
But Saudi Arabia is the home of Islam and the center of the terrorist Wahabbi sect...they wouldn't use torture would they? /sarcasm
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