Al-Qaida suspect linked to cartoonist plot extradited to US

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — An al-Qaida suspect linked to a plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist has been extradited to Philadelphia to be tried in civilian court rather than face trial at Guantanamo Bay.

Court officials say 52-year-old Ali Charaf Damache, of Algeria, appeared in court Friday and will be arraigned next month.

U.S. prosecutors say Damache was part of a terror cell based in Ireland that included a Pennsylvania woman known as Jihad Jane. He married a Colorado woman who traveled there to meet him in 2009.

Damache, known as Black Flag, had been fighting extradition. Officials say the cell wanted to kill a cartoonist who had offended Muslims.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has long favored the hard-line approach of sending terror suspects to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

A lawyer appointed Friday for Damache has no immediate comment.

—

This story has been corrected to show Damache’s arraignment is scheduled for August, not next week.