NEW YORK, Mar 17: Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law Suleiman Abu Ghaith, on trial in New York, had no role in al Qaeda military operations, said Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the Sept 11 attacks, according to court documents filed late.
Abu Ghaith’s lawyers submitted Mohammed’s responses to their written questions along with a request to allow his testimony at the nearly two-week-old jury trial at which Abu Ghaith is charged with conspiring to kill Americans.
The US Government contends that Abu Ghaith, 48, became a leader of al Qaeda militants after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks as a spokesman and recruiter of fighters, and that he knew of planned attacks against the United States. Abu Ghaith’s lawyers argue there is no evidence that he knew of future attacks.
Mohammed, who is being held at the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, said Abu Ghaith “was not a military man and had nothing to do with military operations,” according to the defense filings.
On the strength of Mohammed’s remarks, Abu Ghaith’s lawyers asked US District Judge Lewis Kaplan, presiding over his trial, to order Mohammed’s testimony be taken via live closed circuit television, or that his testimony be preserved through deposition.
“Mr Mohammed is unavailable to physically appear at trial, and his testimony is necessary to prevent a failure of justice in this matter,” the lawyers, led by Stanley Cohen, wrote to the judge. (AGENCIES)
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