Correction: Neither the New York trial of Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law, Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, nor a witness who testified in that case Tuesday is connected to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. This headline misstated the connection.
NEW YORK - A British man testifying in the terror trial of Osama bin Laden’s son-in law said Tuesday that he flew on planes over the Middle East and Europe with explosives in a shoe after the Sept. 11 attacks but didn’t detonate them because he was saving the bomb for an attack over America.
Saajid Badat revealed details of the plot as he testified for a second day at the New York City trial of Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, bin Laden’s son-in-law and al-Qaida’s spokesman after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Prosecutors are using the 34-year-old Badat’s testimony to show Abu Ghaith played a pivotal role with al-Qaida when he warned Americans “the storm of aircrafts will not stop” on videotapes widely distributed after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Abu Ghaith could face life in prison if he is convicted of conspiring to kill Americans and providing material support to al-Qaida. He is the highest-ranking al-Qaida figure to face trial on U.S. soil since 9/11.
Front Section, Pages 4 on 03/12/2014