Osama Bin Laden’s Son-in-Law Sentenced to Life in Prison
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(NEW YORK) — The son-in-law of the late Osama bin Laden was sentenced Tuesday in a Manhattan courtroom to life in prison for his role in conspiring to kill Americans and assisting al Qaeda while serving as the terror group’s spokesman after the Sept. 11th attacks.
Arrested last year overseas, Sulaiman Abu Ghaith is the most senior member of al Qaeda to be found guilty of connections to the 9/11 attacks in a trial on U.S. soil.
In a statement, Attorney General Eric Holder said, “Justice has been served. This outcome ensures that Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, a senior member of al-Qaida and an associate of Osama bin Laden, will never again set foot outside a prison cell.”
U.S. attorney Preet Bharara also called Ghaith, 48, “the mouthpiece of murder and menace” for al Qaeda.
The defense was hoping for a term no longer than 15 years, arguing that Ghaith was convicted for his words, not his actions.
During the trial earlier this year, Ghaith tried to convince the jury that he unwillingly spoke on al Qaeda’s behalf many years ago and was actually trying to curtail bloodshed.
He also denied recruiting for al-Qaeda as alleged, saying “only Sheikh Osama could do that.” Ghaith said he had no knowledge of the attacks in advance, denied being privy to Richard Reid’s shoe bomb plot and said he never discussed terrorism with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of 9/11.