About an American student

Don’t miss the Washington Post rundown on yesterday’s hearing in the case involving the conspiracy to assassinate President Bush: “N. Va. man admitted terror plot, agent says.” I love the lede: “A federal judge denied bail yesterday for an American student charged in an alleged conspiracy to kill President Bush after an FBI agent testified that the man had admitted plotting with al Qaeda to conduct a Sept. 11-style terror attack in the United States.” Despite the Post’s attempt to take the edge off, the article is chilling in several respects.

Above is the photo accompanying the story. The Post caption reads: “Leaving a court hearing for Ahmed Omar Abu Ali are, from left, family friend Shaker Elsayed, and Abu Ali’s parents, Faten Abu Ali and Omar Abu Ali. (Dudley M. Brooks — The Washington Post)”