Budget Woes Could Delay Trial For bin Laden Kin

A judge in New York says he finds it "stunning" that federal budget woes could delay the start of a terrorism trial for Osama bin Laden's son-in-law.

Judge Lewis Kaplan made the comment Monday as he set deadlines for defense lawyers to submit pre-trial arguments on behalf of Sulaiman Abu Ghaith.

Ghaith was brought to the United States last month. He's charged with conspiring to kill Americans in his alleged role as al-Qaida's top propagandist after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He has pleaded not guilty.

Kaplan suggested he might set a trial date as early as September. But Ghaith's lawyer complained, saying public defenders are being furloughed for more than five weeks because of automatic budget cuts.

The judge called that "extremely troublesome."

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