This image made available by Al-Jazeera shows Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law and spokesman.NEW YORK – A senior al-Qaida leader and son-in-law of Osama bin Laden, captured in Jordan in the past week, pleaded not guilty today in federal court in New York to plotting against Americans in his role as the terror network’s top spokesman.
Sulaiman Abu Ghaith was brought into the largest courtroom at the federal courthouse shortly after 10 a.m. and entered the plea through a lawyer to one count of conspiracy to kill Americans in a case that marks a legal victory for President Barack Obama’s administration.
Black cuffs bound his hands behind him as he was led into a courtroom with about 80 spectators, mostly journalists, lawyers and court employees. He was bearded and wearing a blue prison uniform. The cuffs were taken off, and he was seated next to his court-appointed lawyer, federal defender Philip Weinstein.
Abu Ghaith was arrested overseas the night of Feb. 28, gave an “extensive post-arrest statement” that totaled 22 pages, and arrived here March 1, Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Cronan said. The prosecutor gave no details on the statement.
Through an interpreter, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan asked whether Abu Ghaith understood his rights. Abu Ghaith nodded yes. Asked whether he had money to hire an attorney, Abu Ghaith shook his head no. He nodded when asked whether he had signed an affidavit describing his financial situation.