U.S. court sentences Osama’s son-in-law to life in prison

A New York judge has sentenced Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law and al-Qaeda spokesman to life in prison for his conviction in a terrorism case.

Sulaiman Abu Ghaith was sentenced by Judge Lewis Kaplan on Tuesday morning. Abu Ghaith was convicted in March on charges he conspired to kill Americans in his role as a spokesman for al-Qaeda.

The Kuwaiti imam became the voice of al-Qaeda recruitment videotapes after the September 11, 2001, attacks. He warned in one that “the storm of planes” wouldn’t stop.

Abu Ghaith testified at trial that his role was strictly religious.

Defence attorney Stanley Cohen asked the judge to impose a 15-year sentence. A prosecutor called for life in prison.