Libya terror suspect Abu Anas al-Liby in New York court

A suspected Libyan militant leader seized earlier this month in a US raid in Tripoli has appeared for a second time in a federal court in New York, the BBC reported.

Abu Anas al-Liby was represented by a lawyer paid for by the Libyan government, a source involved in the case told the BBC.

Mr Liby is accused of having links with al-Qaeda and of involvement with the bombings of two US embassies in 1998.

He has pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges.

Mr Liby, 49, whose real name is Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai, appeared in court to discuss his legal counsel.

At his previous hearing, Mr Liby was represented by court-appointed public defenders, having said he could not afford an attorney of his own.

A source involved in the case told the BBC's Nada Tawfik at the court that the Libyan government had decided to hire a lawyer to represent him.

His lawyer, Bernard Kleinman, declined to say who had retained him but said there was no conflict of interest.

Mr Kleinman told the court that it would take several months to sort through hundreds of thousands of documents before the case could proceed.

He also requested the return of Mr Liby's personal copy of the Koran which he said had been confiscated during his capture.

Mr Kleinman said he had met Mr Liby for the first time earlier on Tuesday.

He told the judge that he represents at least one prisoner held at the US detention centre in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Mr Liby's next court appearance was set for 12 December.