Prosecutor derides doctor in NY terrorism trial

By Staff
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NEW YORK, May 15 (Reuters) A federal prosecutor has mocked claims by a Florida doctor, who is on trial for supporting al Qaeda, that he misunderstood an oath to serve the militant Islamist group.

Prosecutor Victor Hou questioned Rafiq Sabir's claim that he misunderstood the pronunciation of ''al Qaeda'' given to him by an undercover FBI agent when the doctor was taped pledging support in Arabic to the group in May 2005.

Sabir faces up to 30 years in prison under charges of supporting al Qaeda. The case does not include any violent plot, but centers on the oath that prosecutors say show Sabir agreed to help treat wounded al Qaeda fighters.

Sabir, 52, a strict Muslim born and raised in New York, claims he thought the oath he took was a general declaration of allegiance to Islam and did not know that when he pledged support to ''Sheikh Osama'' it referred to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

But in a series of questions Hou got Sabir to admit al Qaeda had been mentioned at least 14 times during the taped meeting and asked Sabir why he did not ask who the militant group was if he had not understood.

''When I heard the term al Qaeda I did not know it was referring to a group,'' Sabir said, before comparing his ignorance of ''Sheikh Osama'' during the meeting to that of U.S.

voters.

''When we (in the United States) have an election, it is the same thing, you don't know who you are voting for,'' said Sabir, who also claims he was confused because his understanding of Arabic is limited.

Three other defendants in the case have already pleaded guilty, including New York jazz musician and martial arts teacher Tarik Shah, the central figure who organized the meeting with Sabir.

Closing arguments were expected today.

Reuters PDS VP0625

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