Ant10708
Feb 22nd, 2005, 11:49 PM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4288333.stm
A US citizen formerly detained in Saudi Arabia has been charged with conspiring to assassinate President Bush. An indictment read out in a US district court in the state of Virginia said Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, 23, had discussed two scenarios with a co-conspirator.
It was proposed that Mr Abu Ali would shoot Mr Bush on the street or detonate a car bomb, the indictment said.
The alleged conspirator told the court he had been tortured during his detention, which began in June 2003.
Federal prosecutors say Mr Abu Ali, who was born in Houston, joined an al-Qaeda cell in Saudi Arabia 2001 and the plot was discussed while he was studying there.
He is said to have received religious blessing for the plot.
His departure from Saudi Arabia had not been publicly disclosed before his court appearance.
The White House has made no comment on the charges.
A US citizen formerly detained in Saudi Arabia has been charged with conspiring to assassinate President Bush. An indictment read out in a US district court in the state of Virginia said Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, 23, had discussed two scenarios with a co-conspirator.
It was proposed that Mr Abu Ali would shoot Mr Bush on the street or detonate a car bomb, the indictment said.
The alleged conspirator told the court he had been tortured during his detention, which began in June 2003.
Federal prosecutors say Mr Abu Ali, who was born in Houston, joined an al-Qaeda cell in Saudi Arabia 2001 and the plot was discussed while he was studying there.
He is said to have received religious blessing for the plot.
His departure from Saudi Arabia had not been publicly disclosed before his court appearance.
The White House has made no comment on the charges.