Philadelphia: A high school honors student
has pleaded not guilty in federal court in Philadelphia to
charges he helped the American terror suspect dubbed "Jihad
Jane" raise money and recruits.
Eighteen-year-old Mohammad Hassan Khalid of Ellicott
City, Maryland, entered the plea Monday at his first public
court appearance since his arrest in July.
US prosecutors say Khalid tried to recruit men to wage
jihad in Europe and South Asia, and women with passports. The
indictment filed last week says he met Colleen "Jihad Jane"
LaRose of Pennsylvania in an Internet chat room.
Neither family nor friends were in court to support
Khalid. He faces a 15-year prison term and deportation to his
native Pakistan if convicted.
Defence lawyer Jeffrey Lindy says his client's online
posts are less sinister than the government believes.
PTI
First Published: Monday, October 24, 2011, 23:45