WASHINGTON, May 11 (UPI) -- A U.S. student suspected of terrorism claims he was tortured as part of his interrogation in Saudi Arabia at the request of the FBI.
Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, 24, is scheduled to be tried for conspiring to kill U.S. President George Bush Aug. 22 in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., but in papers filed with the court claims he was tortured "at the direct behest" of the FBI, whose agents did nothing to stop the abuse in September 2003.
The filing indicated defense attorneys intend to use the torture allegations to get Abu Ali's statements to Saudi interrogators thrown out.
The government claims Abu Ali confessed to the assassination plot against Bush and admitted discussing his plans to conduct a Sept. 11-style terrorist attack in the United States with members of al-Qaida.
A Justice Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Washington Post: "The suggestion that the government tacitly encouraged torture of Abu Ali is completely without merit."
