Bin Laden's Son-in-Law in Custody in New York .

WASHINGTON—A son-in-law of Osama bin Laden and longtime suspected member of al Qaeda has been captured and brought to New York City by U.S. counterterrorism operatives, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, identified by counterterrorism officials as a spokesman for the terror group once led by his father-in-law, was recently deported from Turkey to Jordan, where U.S. agents captured him, one person familiar with the case said.

On Thursday, officials said the suspect was in federal custody in New York City and would likely make a court appearance later this week. It wasn't yet clear what specific charges he faces, but U.S. officials consider him a longtime member of the core al Qaeda terrorist group.

The suspect was flown to New York by the Federal Bureau of Investigation last week, and he has been talking to interrogators since then, according to the people familiar with the case.

After the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, Mr. Abu Ghaith appeared in al Qaeda videos condemning the U.S. air strikes on Afghanistan, saying al Qaeda would retaliate against the U.S. and Britain. After those videos appeared, Kuwait stripped him of citizenship.

Rep. Peter King (R., N.Y.) said the capture "shows again that core al Qaeda is being devastated. It goes right to the heart of al Qaeda, because it's bin Laden's son in law. That's a psychological victory for us and a psychological defeat for al Qaeda."

Write to Devlin Barrett at devlin.barrett@wsj.com

U.S. Captures bin Laden Son-in-Law - WSJ.com