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Sulaiman Abu Ghaith to be tried in New York | Sulaiman Abu Ghaith to be tried in New York |
(about 7 hours later) | |
A man described as a spokesman for Osama Bin Laden has been arrested and will be tried in New York City, the US has confirmed. | A man described as a spokesman for Osama Bin Laden has been arrested and will be tried in New York City, the US has confirmed. |
Sulaiman Abu Ghaith was captured within the last week in Jordan, Congressman Peter King said on Thursday. | Sulaiman Abu Ghaith was captured within the last week in Jordan, Congressman Peter King said on Thursday. |
Mr Abu Ghaith is Bin Laden's son-in-law and played a role in plotting the attacks of 9/11, US officials said. | Mr Abu Ghaith is Bin Laden's son-in-law and played a role in plotting the attacks of 9/11, US officials said. |
Bin Laden was killed in a May 2011 raid on his hideout in Pakistan by a team of US commandos. | Bin Laden was killed in a May 2011 raid on his hideout in Pakistan by a team of US commandos. |
Mr Abu Ghaith is scheduled to appear in a federal court on Friday on charges of conspiracy to kill United States nationals. | Mr Abu Ghaith is scheduled to appear in a federal court on Friday on charges of conspiracy to kill United States nationals. |
"Sulaiman Abu Ghaith held a key position in al-Qaeda, comparable to the consigliere in a mob family or propaganda minister in a totalitarian regime," said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos in a statement. | "Sulaiman Abu Ghaith held a key position in al-Qaeda, comparable to the consigliere in a mob family or propaganda minister in a totalitarian regime," said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos in a statement. |
"He used his position to threaten the United States and incite its enemies." | "He used his position to threaten the United States and incite its enemies." |
'One by one' | 'One by one' |
US authorities have released little information about Mr Abu Ghaith's capture. | |
But Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported that he was caught on his way to Kuwait, shortly after leaving Turkey. | |
According to the paper, Mr Abu Ghaith had already been taken into custody more than a month ago in the Turkish capital Ankara, but police decided to release him because he had not committed any crime. | |
Reports also indicate that the FBI took the lead role in the operation, as part of a multi-agency body, the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group. | |
The group was set up after President Barack Obama shut down a controversial CIA programme, which had detained suspects in a network of secret prisons under George W Bush's administration. | |
A teacher and mosque preacher in Kuwait, Mr Abu Ghaith was stripped of his Kuwaiti citizenship after 9/11. | A teacher and mosque preacher in Kuwait, Mr Abu Ghaith was stripped of his Kuwaiti citizenship after 9/11. |
Justice department officials say Mr Abu Ghaith served alongside Bin Laden from May 2001 to 2002, speaking on behalf of al-Qaeda and warning that attacks similar to 9/11 would continue. | Justice department officials say Mr Abu Ghaith served alongside Bin Laden from May 2001 to 2002, speaking on behalf of al-Qaeda and warning that attacks similar to 9/11 would continue. |
Specifically, on 12 September 2001, he appeared with Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri to warn the US that a "great army is gathering against you" and called upon "the nation of Islam" to do battle against "the Jews, the Christians and the Americans," according to court records. | Specifically, on 12 September 2001, he appeared with Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri to warn the US that a "great army is gathering against you" and called upon "the nation of Islam" to do battle against "the Jews, the Christians and the Americans," according to court records. |
He was reportedly smuggled to Iran with two other senior al-Qaeda leaders in 2002. Unconfirmed reports said they were held under house arrest by the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). | |
A Jordanian security official told the Associated Press that Mr Abu Ghaith was handed over last week to US officials under both countries' extradition treaties. | A Jordanian security official told the Associated Press that Mr Abu Ghaith was handed over last week to US officials under both countries' extradition treaties. |
Mr King called the arrest a "very significant victory" in the fight against al-Qaeda. | Mr King called the arrest a "very significant victory" in the fight against al-Qaeda. |
"One by one, we are getting the top echelons of al-Qaeda," the Republican congressman said. "I give the administration credit for this. It's steady and it's unrelenting and it's very successful." | "One by one, we are getting the top echelons of al-Qaeda," the Republican congressman said. "I give the administration credit for this. It's steady and it's unrelenting and it's very successful." |
Mr Abu Ghaith's trial will mark one of the first prosecutions of senior al-Qaeda leaders on US soil. | Mr Abu Ghaith's trial will mark one of the first prosecutions of senior al-Qaeda leaders on US soil. |
Since 9/11, 67 foreign terror suspects have been convicted in US federal courts, according to data obtained by the group Human Rights First. | Since 9/11, 67 foreign terror suspects have been convicted in US federal courts, according to data obtained by the group Human Rights First. |
Some US lawmakers disagreed with the decision to try Mr Abu Ghaith in New York. | Some US lawmakers disagreed with the decision to try Mr Abu Ghaith in New York. |
"When we find somebody like this, this close to Bin Laden and the senior al-Qaeda leadership, the last thing in the world we want to do, in my opinion, is put them in a civilian court," said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on Thursday. | "When we find somebody like this, this close to Bin Laden and the senior al-Qaeda leadership, the last thing in the world we want to do, in my opinion, is put them in a civilian court," said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on Thursday. |
"This man should be in Guantanamo Bay," he said. | "This man should be in Guantanamo Bay," he said. |
A senior administration official told the BBC that Mr Obama's national security team "unanimously agreed" that prosecution of Mr Abu Ghaith in federal court was in the US' national security interests. | A senior administration official told the BBC that Mr Obama's national security team "unanimously agreed" that prosecution of Mr Abu Ghaith in federal court was in the US' national security interests. |
"The administration is seeking to close Guantanamo, not add to its population," the official said. | "The administration is seeking to close Guantanamo, not add to its population," the official said. |