'Terrorism Lawyer' Heads to Prison, Claims Government 'Persecution'
Stanley Cohen represented bin Laden's son-in-law, other accused terrorists.
— -- The New York lawyer best known for representing accused terrorists reported to prison himself today to serve time for tax-related convictions, while maintaining he’s being “persecuted” for his controversial work.
“It’s political persecution from the Department of Justice,” Stanley Cohen, 64, told ABC News in December. “If anyone believes this is about taxes, I got a bridge to sell you.”
After a decade of legal wrangling, Cohen pleaded guilty in April 2014 to two counts of failure to file a federal tax return and one count of obstructing the IRS. The IRS alleged that Cohen failed to file tax returns from 2005 to 2010, skipping out on taxes for some $3 million in income by the government’s estimate. He was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.
But Cohen said that he only made the deal to end the costly legal battle and that the IRS has little to do with his jail time.
The Manhattan-based attorney, who is aware of his reputation as “the terrorism lawyer”, first began working with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in 1995. At the time, he successfully defended Mousa Abu Marzook, a high-level leader in Hamas’ political wing, from extradition by Israel to stand trial for a series of bombings.
Last year, he represented Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, the son-in-law of Osama bin Laden, who was sentenced to life in prison in September for his involvement al Qaeda.
“I’m targeted because I’m someone who has publicly, for many years, spoken out against U.S. foreign policy,” Cohen told ABC News. “I’m targeted because I’ve represented groups successfully that the U.S. considers to be our enemy. This isn’t about taxes. This started out 15 years ago with an investigation around my work as an attorney for Hamas.”
Most recently, Cohen was in the news for a reported attempt to negotiate the release of American hostage Peter Kassig, who was held by ISIS. The secretive negotiation process, according to The Guardian, was arranged through contacts Cohen made during his time representing Hamas, including former Guantanamo Bay detainees.
Cohen said he came agonizingly close to securing Kassig’s release before Jordanian authorities arrested Sheikh Abu Muhammad Maqdisi, a key go-between during the hostage talks.
“I think we were within four or five days of accomplishing [Kassig’s release],” Cohen told ABC News. “Once [Maqdisi] was arrested… it basically killed it.”
A spokesperson for Kassig’s family said they were unaware of Cohen’s involvement in any attempts to free the American hostage before the Guardian report. The White House confirmed Kassig’s death at the hands of ISIS in November.
Cohen is expected to serve his time at the United States Penitentiary Canaan in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, and will lose his license to practice law while incarcerated. And the end of his sentence, however, he is eligible to reapply for his legal license.
“I suspect that when this is over I’ll get my license back,” Cohen told ABC News. Speaking about the offers he claimed to have received to work for groups abroad, he added, “I may be leaving the country to go to the Middle East.”
Related Stories
ABC News Live