Posted on 02/22/2005 7:38:01 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
Virginia man charged in alleged plot to assassinate Bush By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press Writer
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) -- A former high school valedictorian in Virginia was charged Tuesday with conspiring to assassinate President Bush and conspiracy to support the al-Qaida terrorist network.
Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, 23, a U.S. citizen, made an initial appearance Tuesday in U.S. District Court. 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 indictment said that in 2002 and 2003 Abu Ali and an unidentified coconspirator 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."
Ummm.... Mormon?
I agree with you that most readers can ascertain his religion, but I'd still like to see the PC MSM call a spade a spade.
....I hear ya.
How did I know how the MSM would be covering this story? I turned on MSNBC and before I heard anyone say a word, I predicted they would start talking about civil liberties being denied. That's exactly how they covered it.
The MSM has become so predictable. They really think we are idiots.
If you looked at my comment, you would have noticed that there was not a link at the time of posting. I overlooked the (AP) in the post. But then, you just want to make a gratuitous swipe, so y'all have a good day, and I hope it made you feel better...
Sheetheads..
I believe you are mistaken. It sounds more French than Norwegian. There are a lot of folks around Paris and Marseilles with names like that.
Great image!
What's his screenname on DU?
LOL!
Great find.
Well, he's freed from Saudi prison, now let's fry him
This is a fear of mine. I keep President Bush and the Secret Service who protect him in my prayers. There are some real hateful sickos out there.
Oddly, the press doesn't seem curious as to what he was DOING Saudi when he was arrested. Having a little armed chat with local security, perhaps? How was he arrested? Why was he arrested?
Yep, another one of those danged head-chopping, wife-beating, car-bomb-exploding Lutherans!
"Fart towards Mecca" Alert.
They're not mentally ill; they're spiritually ill. They are evil.
MORE
Abu Ali was born in Houston and moved to Falls Church, Va., where he was valedictorian of his high school class. Federal prosecutors say Abu Ali joined an al-Qaida cell in Saudi Arabia in 2001. The alleged Bush plot occurred while he was studying in that country.
His family contends that U.S. officials were behind his detention by Saudi authorities and wanted him held in that country so he could be tortured for information. A lawsuit brought on their behalf in U.S. District Court in Washington seeks to compel the government to disclose what it knows about Abu Ali and his detention.
Abu Ali’s appearance in federal court here was a surprise because the government never publicly disclosed that he had left Saudi Arabia.
According to the indictment, Abu Ali obtained a religious blessing from another unidentified co-conspirator to assassinate the president. One of the unidentified co-conspirators in the plot is among 19 people the Saudi government said in 2003 was seeking to launch terror attacks in that country, according to the indictment.
More than 100 supporters of Abu Ali crowded the courtroom Tuesday 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. The charges include conspiracy to provide material support to al-Qaida, providing material support to al-Qaida, conspiracy to provide support to terrorists, providing material support to terrorists and contributing service to al-Qaida.
Think of the potential disaster there.
You bet.
He's undoubtedly a renegade Mennonite.
:-)
The guys defense seems to be that he had a good reason to want to assassinate the President. That's not the way our legal system works.
Are his supporters laughing because they think he is being railroaded or because murder plots are inherently amusing to them?
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