A Libyan man abducted in his home country by US Special Forces has pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges after appearing before a court in New York.


Abu Anas al-Libi, 49, arraigned in the federal court in the Southern District of New York on Tuesday - his first court appearance since his October 5 abduction in Tripoli.

Judge Lewis Kaplan read out a list of charges that accused Libi of conspiring to murder, kidnap, maim, kill, destroy properties and attack US defense buildings.

Speaking through a translator, Libi, only confirmed his name and age, and that he has understood the proceedings.

After a brief session of less than 15 minutes, the judge ordered him detained and adjourned the next hearing until October 22.

US officials accuse Libi of involvement in the 1998 twin bombings of US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, which reportedly killed over 220 people.

Al-Libi, also known as Nazih al-Ragye, was on the most-wanted list of the FBI. Washington had offered a USD five-million reward for information leading to his capture after he was indicted in 2000.

After his kidnapping, the American forces took Libi to a US warship the Mediterranean Sea, where they interrogated him.

Libi’s family condemned his arrest as “an act of piracy by a foreign force,” saying he should have been put on trial in Libya.

On October 8, the Libyan government called in the US ambassador to Libya, Deborah Jones, over the kidnapping and demanded explanation.

Scores of people also took to the streets in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi last week and burned the US flag in a show of protest against Libi’s abduction.