WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- An Arab-American college student was found guilty by a federal jury on Tuesday of conspiring to assassinate President George W. Bush.

    The student, Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, was found guilty on nine counts, including conspiracy to kill Bush, conspiracy to hijack a plane and providing support to al Qaeda.

    Abu Ali, 24, could face life in prison.

    His defense lawyers said he was tortured into making false statements in Saudi Arabia, where he was arrested in June 2003, but the federal jury rejected that claim.

    Abu Ali, a resident of Falls Church, Virginia, went to study at a university in Saudi Arabia in 2002.

    He told authorities shortly after his arrest in June 2003 that he joined al Qaeda and discussed various terrorist plots, including a plan to personally assassinate Bush.

    His lawyers countered that he was tortured by the Saudi security force into making the false statements, but prosecutors said he was never mistreated and confessed voluntarily. Enditem