Ahmed Abu Ali was valedictorian in 1999 of the Islamic Saudi Academy in Northern Virginia. Apparently he misunderstood all their instruction about how Islam is a Religion of Peace.

Courtroom Jihad, tying up Infidel time and resources: "Terrorist to appeals court: life term is too harsh," by Larry O'Dell for [1] The Associated Press, December 9 (thanks to [2] Weasel Zippers):

RICHMOND, Va. -- The life prison term given to a U.S. man who joined al-Quaida and plotted to assassinate then-President George W. Bush was unreasonably harsh when compared to sentences in comparable terrorism cases, the man's lawyer told a federal appeals court Thursday.

A government attorney countered that U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee properly concluded that Ahmed Abu Ali's case was unique and that his lack of remorse demonstrated that he would be a danger to others if ever released from prison.

A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments from both sides before taking Abu Ali's request for a new sentencing hearing under advisement. The court usually takes a few weeks to rule.

Abu Ali was born in Houston and grew up in the Washington suburb of Falls Church, where he was valedictorian of a private Islamic high school. He joined al-Qaida while attending college in Saudi Arabia and discussed numerous potential terrorist attacks, including a plot to assassinate Bush, and planned to establish a sleeper cell in the United States....

Campbell said the likelihood that Abu Ali would remain dangerous after a release was "a grave concern" that the judge had a right to consider at sentencing.

Uh, yeah.