Va. Man Pleads Innocent to Terror Plot

Mar 14, 1:49 PM (ET)
By MATTHEW BARAKAT

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - A former high school valedictorian accused of joining al-Qaida and plotting to assassinate President Bush pleaded innocent Monday in federal court to providing material support to terrorists and other charges.

Despite defense protests, an Aug. 22 trial date was scheduled for Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, 23, of Falls Church. He was indicted last month and charged with six counts that would allow a maximum prison term of 80 years.

Prosecutors say Abu Ali, a U.S. citizen who was valedictorian of his class at an Islamic private school in northern Virginia, joined al-Qaida while studying overseas in Saudi Arabia.

Prosecutors allege that Abu Ali discussed numerous terrorist acts with other al-Qaida members, including a plan in which he would either shoot Bush or detonate a car bomb.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050314/D88QTPL00.html

Abu Ali's lawyer Ashraf Nubani pressed for a May 4 trial, arguing the August trial date would violate federal speedy trial rules and said the government wanted the additional time to "concoct its case."

Prosecutors said they needed a later trial date because of the complexity of the case.

snip>
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Laufman said federal rules requiring a speedy trial should be waived because extensive foreign evidence, combined with the amount of classified information lawyers would have to review, made it "an unusual and complex case.'' He urged an Oct. 3 trial date.

"Obtaining that evidence will require substantial diplomatic and logistical coordination with the government of Saudi Arabia and other U.S. government agencies,'' Laufman said.

Nubani said he was "baffled" by the request since Abu Ali spoke to FBI agents and other U.S. government officials while in Saudi custody. "They had 20 months to deal with these issues,'' said Nubani, who requested an earlier trial.

"For the government to come now and say they require additional time,'' he added, "says nothing to me other than that the government does not have a case and needs time to concoct a case.''

Lee granted the prosecution's request to extend the speedy trial requirements but not as long as they wanted, setting an Aug. 22 trial date.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33747-2005Mar14.html

I'm afraid this guy is getting hosed.

This story has not shown up on MSM yet. For now all we have is this Aljazeera story. As always with the subject matter, I would suggest being wise with your comments.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/470AB739-F809-41F8-A3E2-3967BA55D985.htm



complete story: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/470AB739-F809-41F8-A3E2-3967BA55D985.htm

And I'll be surprised if we ever hear this story on ABCNBCFAUXCNNetc.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33747-2005Mar14.html

Also reported back in Feb
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1256919

but the plea was entered just today.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1311240

wasn't suggesting they lied, rather agreeing that there was no reason for them to do so.

Bush could send our dear Skinner to be tortured in Saudi Arabia, and within a short amount of time he will be signing a confession that he is a Freeper.

It is a fact that torture has no intelligence value. People being torture will say anything to stop the abuse. It is also a fact that those that commit or condone torture are criminals.

exactly what you wannt, truth or not.

If someone has an electrode to my sensative naughty bits I'll confess to killing JFK years befoore I was a glint in my parent's eyes. I don't like pain and will do whatever I can to avoid it, guilty or not.

Aren't you supposed to do that before you bring charges? That is, have a case where you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person accused of a crime is guilty? I work on the civil side, but that's always been my understanding: You don't charge someone with a crime until you've gathered the evidence.

Don't tell me I wasted all that time watching Perry Mason and Matlock!