News Digest

Osama bin Laden’s terrorist son-in-law sentenced to life in U.S. prison

Suleiman Abu Ghaith, a son-in-law of Osama bin Laden, was sentenced to life in prison today in New York following his conviction on terrorism charges. A Manhattan federal jury in March found the Kuwaiti-born 48-year-old guilty of conspiring to kill Americans, conspiring to provide material support for terrorists and providing such support. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan imposed the sentence a few minutes after a seemingly unrepentant Abu Ghaith delivered a statement in Arabic, quoting the Koran and declaring he would not ask for mercy from anyone but God.

Today, at the same moment when you are shackling my hands and intend to bury me alive, you are at the same time unleashing the hands of hundreds of Muslim youths. And they will join the rally of the free man.

Suleiman Abu Ghaith, speaking through an interpreter before his sentencing

Kaplan noted Abu Ghaith had expressed no remorse for his actions and cited a video in which Abu Ghaith appeared amused by Al Qaeda’s attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, which killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States. Prosecutors had painted Abu Ghaith as a charismatic spokesman for al Qaeda in the days and weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, saying he recorded inflammatory videos the group could use to recruit new members. Lawyers for Abu Ghaith argued that their client was guilty only of delivering fiery speeches and had no knowledge in advance of any Al Qaeda plots.

You, sir, in my assessment, are committed to doing everything you can to assist Al Qaeda in its mission to kill Americans.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan