NEW HAVEN, Conn. – A British citizen has been sentenced to more than 12 years in prison by a judge who said he supported the Taliban regime in Afghanistan while it was protecting Osama bin Laden.
Judge Janet Hall sentenced Babar Ahmad (BAH'-bar AH'-mahd) on Wednesday to 12 years and six months but gave him credit for the 10 years he already served.
Hall said Ahmad helped enable bin Laden to be protected when he was plotting the Sept. 11 attacks by supporting the Taliban. But she said Ahmad had no knowledge of the plot and there was no evidence he supported bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist group.
Ahmad's attorney has said he publicly condemned the Sept. 11 attacks. Ahmad told the judge he supported the Taliban because it was under attack, not because he supported bin Laden or Al-Qaida.
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