Saying they are close to finalizing a deal with the government to submit questions to top al Qaeda official Khalid Sheik Mohammed at Guantanamo Bay, defense lawyers for alleged al Qaeda conspirator Sulaiman Abu Ghayth asked Southern District Judge Lewis Kaplan Tuesday to postpone his trial for 45 days.
With jury selection scheduled for Feb. 24, the Abu Ghayth legal team, led by Stanley Cohen, told the judge in papers that Mohammed was a key witness and, given security constraints, it was impossible to submit questions to him and get responses in time to prepare for trial and mount a defense.
