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| U.S. Seeks to Use Letters Found in Bin Laden Raid in Terrorism Trial | U.S. Seeks to Use Letters Found in Bin Laden Raid in Terrorism Trial |
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| In the year before Osama bin Laden was killed by United States forces, letters from a Libyan man described as a loyal follower made their way to the Qaeda leader’s hiding place in Abbottabad, Pakistan. | In the year before Osama bin Laden was killed by United States forces, letters from a Libyan man described as a loyal follower made their way to the Qaeda leader’s hiding place in Abbottabad, Pakistan. |
| “You may know the place you hold in my heart, and so I ask Allah to bring us together,” Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai wrote to Bin Laden on Oct. 13, 2010, the government said. | “You may know the place you hold in my heart, and so I ask Allah to bring us together,” Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai wrote to Bin Laden on Oct. 13, 2010, the government said. |
| At the time, Mr. Ruqai had been released from an Iranian prison and was seeking to reconnect with Bin Laden, the authorities said. | At the time, Mr. Ruqai had been released from an Iranian prison and was seeking to reconnect with Bin Laden, the authorities said. |
| Now, with Mr. Ruqai facing a terrorism trial in Manhattan, federal prosecutors are asking that they be allowed to introduce the correspondence, saying the letters reveal “powerful direct proof” of Mr. Ruqai’s “knowing and intentional participation” in Al Qaeda’s conspiracies to bomb and kill Americans. | Now, with Mr. Ruqai facing a terrorism trial in Manhattan, federal prosecutors are asking that they be allowed to introduce the correspondence, saying the letters reveal “powerful direct proof” of Mr. Ruqai’s “knowing and intentional participation” in Al Qaeda’s conspiracies to bomb and kill Americans. |
| The government said that in addition to Mr. Ruqai’s letter to Bin Laden, there is a letter from Mr. Ruqai to another Qaeda official and four letters from Bin Laden’s chief deputy to his boss that cite Mr. Ruqai, including one recommending him for a position of responsibility within the terrorist group. | The government said that in addition to Mr. Ruqai’s letter to Bin Laden, there is a letter from Mr. Ruqai to another Qaeda official and four letters from Bin Laden’s chief deputy to his boss that cite Mr. Ruqai, including one recommending him for a position of responsibility within the terrorist group. |
| The letters are part of a trove of documents recovered in Bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad. Some of those documents — 17 letters, a number by and to Bin Laden — were released a year after his death in a May 2012 report by the Combating Terrorism Center at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Others remain classified. | The letters are part of a trove of documents recovered in Bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad. Some of those documents — 17 letters, a number by and to Bin Laden — were released a year after his death in a May 2012 report by the Combating Terrorism Center at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Others remain classified. |
| The letters involving Mr. Ruqai remain under seal, but prosecutors quoted translated excerpts in their filing on Friday. They have asked permission to use them from Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of Federal District Court. | The letters involving Mr. Ruqai remain under seal, but prosecutors quoted translated excerpts in their filing on Friday. They have asked permission to use them from Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of Federal District Court. |
| The office of Preet Bharara, the United States attorney in Manhattan, said in a court filing that the letters, dated June 2010 to April 2011, are admissible despite having been written years after the conduct for which Mr. Ruqai was charged. The defendant, also known as Abu Anas al-Libi, faces charges of conspiring in plots that included the 1998 bombings of two American embassies in East Africa, which killed 224 people. | The office of Preet Bharara, the United States attorney in Manhattan, said in a court filing that the letters, dated June 2010 to April 2011, are admissible despite having been written years after the conduct for which Mr. Ruqai was charged. The defendant, also known as Abu Anas al-Libi, faces charges of conspiring in plots that included the 1998 bombings of two American embassies in East Africa, which killed 224 people. |
| The letters show Mr. Ruqai had “both the means and the motivation” to communicate directly with Bin Laden, “then the most wanted man in the world,” the government said. The letters also reflect his “personal relationship with, and affection for” Bin Laden, his knowledge of and position of trust within Al Qaeda, and “his ongoing commitment to jihad and achieving martyrdom,” prosecutors said. | The letters show Mr. Ruqai had “both the means and the motivation” to communicate directly with Bin Laden, “then the most wanted man in the world,” the government said. The letters also reflect his “personal relationship with, and affection for” Bin Laden, his knowledge of and position of trust within Al Qaeda, and “his ongoing commitment to jihad and achieving martyrdom,” prosecutors said. |
| Mr. Ruqai’s lawyer, Bernard V. Kleinman, declined to comment. He is expected to respond in his own pleading. | Mr. Ruqai’s lawyer, Bernard V. Kleinman, declined to comment. He is expected to respond in his own pleading. |
| Mr. Ruqai had served eight years in prison in Iran. He went there after fleeing Afghanistan after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The letters showed that immediately upon being freed from Iran, Mr. Ruqai sent his family back to Libya and chose to rejoin Al Qaeda in Pakistan, the government said. | |
| The filing also revealed that Mr. Ruqai admitted to law enforcement officials after his arrest that he joined Al Qaeda in 1989, received training in security, bomb-making, intelligence collection and forging passports, and that he served as Bin Laden’s “chief personal bodyguard.” It said he claimed to be unaware of Al Qaeda’s “intention of targeting the West.” | The filing also revealed that Mr. Ruqai admitted to law enforcement officials after his arrest that he joined Al Qaeda in 1989, received training in security, bomb-making, intelligence collection and forging passports, and that he served as Bin Laden’s “chief personal bodyguard.” It said he claimed to be unaware of Al Qaeda’s “intention of targeting the West.” |
| In one of the Abbottabad letters, dated June 19, 2010, Bin Laden’s deputy, Atiyah Abd al Rahman al Liby, updated his boss on various Qaeda matters, including personnel, and noted Mr. Ruqai was among “the last brothers” to return to Pakistan from Iran. He “came only a week ago and I met him and sat with him,” the deputy, known as Atiyah, said. | In one of the Abbottabad letters, dated June 19, 2010, Bin Laden’s deputy, Atiyah Abd al Rahman al Liby, updated his boss on various Qaeda matters, including personnel, and noted Mr. Ruqai was among “the last brothers” to return to Pakistan from Iran. He “came only a week ago and I met him and sat with him,” the deputy, known as Atiyah, said. |
| Atiyah wrote that he had assigned Mr. Ruqai to serve on Al Qaeda’s security committee, and pointed out that he would need assistance from others: “It is normal for any person after a long absence, especially in jail, that he needs some time to figure out how things work.” | Atiyah wrote that he had assigned Mr. Ruqai to serve on Al Qaeda’s security committee, and pointed out that he would need assistance from others: “It is normal for any person after a long absence, especially in jail, that he needs some time to figure out how things work.” |
| Mr. Ruqai “asks about you a lot and wants reassurance about you,” Atiyah told Bin Laden, adding, “If you can consider sending him a letter, he will really appreciate it.” | Mr. Ruqai “asks about you a lot and wants reassurance about you,” Atiyah told Bin Laden, adding, “If you can consider sending him a letter, he will really appreciate it.” |
| In a five-page letter from Mr. Ruqai to Bin Laden, dated Oct. 13, 2010, he described how Qaeda “brothers” fled to Iran at the instruction of the Taliban leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, and were detained, including “your sons” and other Qaeda leaders like Sulaiman Abu Ghaith (the Bin Laden son-in-law who was later tried and convicted in New York). “Your forever lover, Your brother,” Mr. Ruqai signed the letter. | In a five-page letter from Mr. Ruqai to Bin Laden, dated Oct. 13, 2010, he described how Qaeda “brothers” fled to Iran at the instruction of the Taliban leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, and were detained, including “your sons” and other Qaeda leaders like Sulaiman Abu Ghaith (the Bin Laden son-in-law who was later tried and convicted in New York). “Your forever lover, Your brother,” Mr. Ruqai signed the letter. |
| About a month later, Bin Laden’s deputy wrote to Bin Laden and included Mr. Ruqai on a list of people he recommended to take on additional leadership responsibilities. “You know him,” Atiyah told Bin Laden, adding Mr. Ruqai was “determined” and “visionary,” but could be “difficult somewhat.” | About a month later, Bin Laden’s deputy wrote to Bin Laden and included Mr. Ruqai on a list of people he recommended to take on additional leadership responsibilities. “You know him,” Atiyah told Bin Laden, adding Mr. Ruqai was “determined” and “visionary,” but could be “difficult somewhat.” |
| Atiyah noted that Mr. Ruqai had violated Al Qaeda’s security protocols by “contacting his family in Libya, despite knowing that we don’t allow any communications.” | Atiyah noted that Mr. Ruqai had violated Al Qaeda’s security protocols by “contacting his family in Libya, despite knowing that we don’t allow any communications.” |
| “He knows that he was wanted by the Americans,” the deputy wrote to Bin Laden. “He contacted them via phone repeatedly!” | “He knows that he was wanted by the Americans,” the deputy wrote to Bin Laden. “He contacted them via phone repeatedly!” |
| In March 2011, Mr. Ruqai sought permission to return to Libya with others, referring to the Libyan uprising against Muammar el-Qaddafi and saying they must “move out sooner rather than later” to avoid becoming prisoners of war. | In March 2011, Mr. Ruqai sought permission to return to Libya with others, referring to the Libyan uprising against Muammar el-Qaddafi and saying they must “move out sooner rather than later” to avoid becoming prisoners of war. |
| The letter was eventually forwarded to Bin Laden by Atiyah, who himself was in hiding. Atiyah said he granted Mr. Ruqai permission to travel to Libya, adding that Mr. Ruqai was “a little upset with me for the delay in getting back to him.” | The letter was eventually forwarded to Bin Laden by Atiyah, who himself was in hiding. Atiyah said he granted Mr. Ruqai permission to travel to Libya, adding that Mr. Ruqai was “a little upset with me for the delay in getting back to him.” |