[JURIST] US District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee ruled Monday that federal prosecutors can use a confession made by Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, a US citizen charged [indictment, PDF; JURIST report] with conspiracy to assassinate the president, conspiracy to commit aircraft piracy, providing material support to al Qaeda and various other crimes. Abu Ali has said that he was tortured [JURIST report] into confessing to the assassination plot by Saudi Arabian security officers after he was arrested in Saudi Arabia in 2003 while enrolled at the Islamic University of Medina. Saudi Arabia has denied the torture accusations and prosecutors argued that the confession was made voluntarily and scars on Abu Ali's back were not proof of flogging, rather could have been self imposed to support his claim of torture. Judge Lee issued a one page order [PDF text] allowing the confession, but promised to explain his reasoning in a forthcoming opinion. AP has more.

Previously on JURIST's Paper Chase...

• Saudi Arabia denies torturing man accused of plotting Bush assassination
• Student accused in Bush assassination plot alleges Saudi torture led to confession
• Taped confession of Bush assassination plot suspect shown in federal court
• Federal judge orders al Qaeda suspect to produce evidence in Saudi torture claim
• Federal judge says Bush plot suspect can be examined for signs of torture