Suspect in Assassination Plot Convicted
Tue Nov 22, 7:20 PM ET - File photo shows friends and relatives of Ahmed Omar Abu Ali outside the Federal Courthouse in Washington February 24, 2005. Abu Ali was found guilty on Tuesday of conspiring with al Qaeda and plotting to assassinate President Bush. (Jason Reed/Reuters)
Nov 22, 2005 - 3:07 PM US/Eastern
By MATTHEW BARAKAT - Associated Press Writer
ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- An Arab-American college 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 include conspiracy to assassinate the president and providing support to al-Qaida.
Abu Ali told authorities 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.
The jury deliberated for 2 1/2 days. Abu Ali swallowed hard before the verdict was read but otherwise showed little emotion.
Israel hit from the North by Hizubullah missile barrage
This is an image from television footage aired by Hezbollah's Al-Manar television on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005. Hezbollah's Al-Manar television said the viedotape showed scenes from Monday's violence on the border between Lebanon and Israel. This image claims to show one of a volley of Hezbollah rockets crashing into the Israeli military outpost in the border village of Ghajar. (AP Photo/Al-Manar)
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
TEL AVIV — The Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah has launched its biggest rocket barrage against Israel in years.
Israeli sources said Hizbullah fired hundreds of mortars and rockets toward Israeli military positions and communities along the northern border.
The sources said 11 Israeli soldiers were injured in a coordinated rocket and ground force attack, which took place on the eve of Lebanon's Independence Day.
In the first battle since June 2005, Israeli artillery batteries and aircraft returned fire and targeted a Hizbullah command post, Middle East Newsline reported. The exchange of fire was said to have lasted more than four hours.
"Our assessment is that behind the Hizbullah fire stand Syrian and Iranian interests to heat up the border," Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said.
"Hizbullah used its full arsenal against us -- mortar shells, Katyusha rockets, anti-tank missiles and sniper fire," Maj. Gen. Udi Adam, the head of the Israeli military's Northern Command, said. "No IDF activity was carried out in the area prior to this attack. This attack had been in the planning for a long time, and we haven't seen such a wide scale coordinated attack by Hizbullah in a long time."
Officials said the Hizbullah attack began with a mortar and rocket barrage on Israeli military outposts along the disputed Shebaa Plateau. After several minutes, Hizbullah fighters on motorcycles and dune buggies stormed an Israeli position in the border town of Rajar, divided between Israeli- and Lebanese-controlled sectors.
Israeli soldiers opened fire and five Hizbullah fighters were killed in a fierce battle. Military sources said Hizbullah sought to capture the Israeli outpost and abduct soldiers.
"Hizbullah cells carried out a number of attacks against Israel Defense Force posts in the Rajar and Mount Dov regions in an attempt to kidnap IDF soldiers," an Israeli military statement said. "IDF forces were successful in preventing these attempts and were able to disable the Hizbullah cells."
At that point, Hizbullah gunners opened Katyusha and anti-tank fire toward Israeli border communities. Authorities ordered Israeli residents to take refuge in bomb shelters.
Hours later, an Israel Navy helicopter opened fire toward a Hizbullah squad near the Lebanese village of Nakoura along the Israeli border. There were no reports of injuries.
Military sources said Israel intends to maintain its high alert along the Lebanese border until at least Dec. 15, the deadline for the submission of a United Nations report into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Military sources said Hizbullah plans to either launch a rocket attack or abduct an Israeli soldier.
Officials said Hizbullah has 15,000 rockets and missiles, with ranges of up to 110 kilometers. They said at least 10,000 of the missiles were supplied by Iran.