Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, an American citizen, has been found guilty of joining al-Qaeda and plotting to assassinate President Bush. Abu Ali, 24, is a resident of Virginia. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Abu Ali confessed to the crimes but later claimed he was tortured in a Saudi prison. His defense attorney, Ashraf Nubani, told jurors her client said things like 'Just stop the pain, I'll say anything.' Defense counsel said Abu Ali was flogged for 40 days and received 'one lash after another.' They also claim he was threatened with beheading and dismemberment. The prosecution said that Abu Ali's confession was voluntary.
'He betrayed his country by joining forces with our most lethal enemy overseas,' said Assistant U.S. Attorney David Laufman. Laufman also said Abu Ali 'received terrorist training in weapons, explosives and document falsification.'
Among the plots the prosecution said Abu Ali was involved in were an attempt to smuggle al-Qaeda operatives into the U.S. through Mexico to kill high ranking Army officials and members of Congress, an attempt to assassinate President Bush and air piracy. He also took $1,300 from an al-Qaeda leader to buy a laptop computer to research the location of nuclear power plants in the U.S.
Ms. Nubani, Abu Ali's defense attorney, claimed during the trial that 'There is a mountain of reasonable doubt in this case.'
