TerrorismBin Laden's son-in-law captured, will appear in NYC court this morning
Usama bin Laden’s son-in-law, who is one of al Qaeda’s top spokesmen, has been captured overseas and charged in the United States with conspiracy to kill Americans, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday. Administration’s sources said he was apprehended “some time ago,” without giving specifics. Abu Ghaith is dues to appear today (Friday) in a federal court in New York City to face the charges. Some GOP lawmakers criticized his court appearance, saying he should have sent directly to Guantanamo.
Video capture of bin Laden son Abu Ghaith // Source: henu.edu.cn
Usama bin Laden’s son-in-law, who is one of al Qaeda’s top spokesmen, has been captured overseas and charged in the United States with conspiracy to kill Americans, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday.
Fox News reports that Representative Peter King (R-New York), former chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, first revealed that Sulaiman Abu Ghaith was captured in Jordan. “I commend our CIA and FBI, our allies in Jordan, and President Obama for their capture of al-Qaeda spokesman Sulaiman Abu Ghaith,” King said in the statement. “I trust he received a vigorous interrogation, and will face swift and certain justice. The propaganda statements in which Abu Ghaith and his late father-in-law, Usama bin Laden, praised the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 are alone enough to merit the most serious punishment.”
Sources told Fox News he was apprehended “some time ago,” without giving specifics.
Abu Ghaith is dues to appear today (Friday) in a federal court in New York City to face the charges.
“It has been 13 years since Abu Ghaith allegedly worked alongside Usama Bin Laden in his campaign of terror, and 13 years since he allegedly took to the public airwaves, exhorting others to embrace al Qaeda’s cause and warning of more terrorist attacks like the mass murder of 9/11,” U.S. Attorney Bharara said in a news release announcing Abu Ghaith’s arrest. “The memory of those attacks is indelibly etched on the American psyche, and today’s action is the latest example of our commitment to capturing and punishing enemies of the United States, no matter how long it takes.”
Attorney General Eric Holder added, “No amount of distance or time will weaken our resolve to bring America’s enemies to justice.”
The news was greeted with criticism in some quarters. Fox News notes that Republican senators Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) and Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire), said the Obama administration’s decision to bring Abu Ghaith to court in New York is wrong, “sneaky,” and against the will of Congress.
Graham says Abu Ghaith is clearly an enemy combatant and should have been sent straight to the Guantanamo Bay detainee facility in Cuba for extended questioning.
The Washington Post reports that Abu Ghaith caught the headlines in late 2001 when he appeared on pan-Arab satellite television urging Muslims everywhere to fight the United States and warning of more attacks similar to those of 9/11.
King said Abu Ghaith was involved in the planning in the 9/11 attacks against the World Trade Center and Pentagon. “Definitely, one by one, we are getting the top echelons of Al Qaeda,” King said. “I give the (Obama) administration credit for this: It’s steady and it’s unrelenting and it’s very successful.”
King sad yesterday that Ghaith’s capture is a “very significant victory” in U.S. efforts against al Qaeda. “The propaganda statements in which Abu Ghaith and his late father-in-law, Usama bin Laden, praised the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 are alone enough to merit the most serious punishment,” King said.
