Bin Laden son-in-law convicted at NYC terror trial

In this courtroom sketch, Osama bin Laden's son-in-law Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, right, testifies at his trial Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in New York, on charges he conspired to kill Americans and aid al-Qaida as a spokesman for the terrorist group. Listening to testimony are Judge Lewis Kaplan, center, and defense attorney Stanley Cohen, at podium. In his surprise testimony, Abu Ghaith recounted the night of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when the al-Qaida leader sent a messenger to drive him into a mountainous area for a meeting inside a cave in Afghanistan. "Did you learn what happened? We are the ones who did it," Abu Ghaith, recalled bin Laden telling him.
In this courtroom sketch, Osama bin Laden's son-in-law Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, right, testifies at his trial Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in New York, on charges he conspired to kill Americans and aid al-Qaida as a spokesman for the terrorist group. Listening to testimony are Judge Lewis Kaplan, center, and defense attorney Stanley Cohen, at podium. In his surprise testimony, Abu Ghaith recounted the night of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when the al-Qaida leader sent a messenger to drive him into a mountainous area for a meeting inside a cave in Afghanistan. "Did you learn what happened? We are the ones who did it," Abu Ghaith, recalled bin Laden telling him.

NEW YORK — Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law, the voice of fiery al-Qaida propaganda videotapes after the Sept. 11 attacks, was convicted Wednesday of conspiring to kill Americans for his role as the terror group’s spokesman.

The verdict came after about six hours of deliberation over two days in the case against Kuwaiti imam Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, the highest-ranking al-Qaida figure to face trial on U.S. soil since the attacks.

As the verdict was read, Abu Ghaith remained composed as he had throughout the trial. Just before he was led out of the courtroom, he turned toward a spectator — a longtime friend from Kuwait — and smiled.

Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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