- Title: USA-SECURITY/UJAAMA Witness in U.S. terror trial of London cleric spared prison
- Date: 23rd October 2015
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 23, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF JAMES UJAAMA LEAVING U.S. FEDERAL COURTHOUSE AT 500 PEARL STREET UJAAMA'S LAWYER, PETER OFFENBECHER, LEAVING COURTHOUSE VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF COURTHOUSE
- Embargoed: 7th November 2015 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: United Kingdom
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVABLAXCXLYWIK7J6PDRWOLPJUEU
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3
A former follower of radical London imam Abu Hamza al-Masri avoided prison on Friday (October 23) after providing what a U.S. prosecutor said was over a decade of "unprecedented" cooperation in terrorism investigations that led to the conviction of his onetime mentor.
James Ujaama, 49, was sentenced to time served by U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest in Manhattan after testifying last year at Abu Hamza's trial about his role trying to establish a training camp that prosecutors said was aimed at supporting al Qaeda.
Ujaama, who already spent six years in prison, initially pleaded guilty in 2003 in federal court in Seattle, where he lived, to conspiring to provide goods and services to the Taliban and agreed to cooperate.
Out of prison, he fled to Belize in 2006 in violation of the plea deal, an act Forrest attributed to his fear of testifying. Following his arrest, Ujaama pleaded guilty in 2007 to more serious terrorism-related charges but continued cooperating.
He testified in 2014 against Abu Hamza, who was convicted on terrorism-related charges and sentenced in January to life in prison.
Ujaama also cooperated against two of Abu Hamza's followers, Oussama Abdullah Kassir, who following a trial was sentenced in 2009 to life in prison, and Haroon Aswat, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced last week to 20 years in prison.
Prosecutor John Cronan said that testimony was only a fraction of Ujaama's overall cooperation, which largely remains confidential.
At Abu Hamza's trial, Ujaama testified that he discussed with Abu Hamza in 1999 creating a training camp in Bly, Oregon, which prosecutors said was intended to support al Qaeda.
In a fax to Abu Hamza, Ujaama said the land "looks just like Afghanistan," and that Oregon was a "pro-militia and fire-arms state" where stockpiling weapons for training would be easy.
Following that fax, Abu Hamza directed Aswat and Kassir, both of whom lived in London, to travel to Oregon to assist establishing the camp, prosecutors said.
Peter Offenbecher, Ujaama's lawyer, said his client intended to assist the Taliban, not al Qaeda.
Ujaama is studying for a doctorate and in court said he wanted "to move on with my life."
"I wish I had never gotten involved with Abu Hamza, and I think he's a bad man," he said.
Abu Hamza had gained notoriety for his incendiary sermons at the Finsbury Park Mosque in London, which U.S. and U.K. authorities said helped inspire a generation of militants, including the would-be shoe bomber Richard Reid. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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