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Judge scrutinizes embassy bomb suspect’s defense

By WTOP Staff

JENNIFER PELTZ
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A terror suspect’s legal defense — underwritten by the Libyan government — is getting scrutiny from a federal judge, who advised him Thursday to consider the possibility of conflicting interests in a case stemming from al-Qaida’s deadly 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa.

After an hourlong, sometimes circuitous interchange with the judge via an Arabic-language interpreter, Abu Anas al-Libi agreed to take the judge’s advice of consulting another lawyer, though al-Libi said he didn’t sense any actual conflict. He is due to say next month whether he’d like to stick with his attorney, Bernard Kleinman, who says the Libyan government has financed the defense but hasn’t steered it.

“I’ve received no direction, no agenda,” he said. “There’s no evidence whatsoever that any conflict exists.”

A message left with the Libyan Embassy in Washington wasn’t immediately returned. Prosecutors declined to comment.

Grabbed off the streets of Tripoli in October in a U.S. raid the Libyan government called a “kidnapping,” al-Libi was once on the FBI’s list of most wanted terrorists. Also known as Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai, he has pleaded not guilty to charges that he conspired in simultaneous attacks on embassies in Tanzania and Kenya that killed 224 people, including a dozen Americans. His family and former associates have denied he was ever a member of al-Qaida.

It’s legal for a third party to pay for someone’s defense in a criminal case, as long as courts are satisfied that the attorney’s loyalties aren’t divided and that the defendant understands there could be a potential for conflict.

Al-Libi, a 50-year-old Libyan citizen, said his family had been involved in choosing Kleinman and arranging for the Libyan government to pay him. The defendant, who had been an activist opposed to former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, said he didn’t believe there was “any conflict between my interest and the interest of the Libyan state since the fall of Gadhafi.”

But U.S. District Court Judge Lewis A. Kaplan suggested there could be, at least hypothetically. He pointed to a New York Times report in October that, citing unnamed senior American officials, said the Libyan government had tacitly approved the commando raid in which he was captured, despite Tripoli’s public denunciations of the operation.

Noting that he couldn’t speak to the veracity of the report, the judge asked al-Libi whether he understood that if true, it could mean that at least some officials in the government paying for his defense had quietly accepted his arrest.

“Theoretically, everything is possible, but this never became apparent to me, and if it does, I will not accept it,” al-Libi said during an extended exchange of repeated questions and answers.

However theoretical the potential for a conflict of interest, “most people would consider it very prudent to get a second opinion,” Kaplan told him.

Eventually, al-Libi agreed to have a lawyer appointed to discuss the issue with him, saying he understood Kaplan wanted to make sure his interests were being served.

“And that’s nice of the judge,” he added.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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