US drops charges against Saudi in Sept. 11 attacks

AP ^ | May 13 | Ben Fox

[Aristotelian]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The Pentagon has dropped charges against a Saudi at Guantanamo who was alleged to have been the so-called "20th hijacker" in the Sept. 11 attacks, his U.S. military defense lawyer said Monday.

Mohammed al-Qahtani was one of six men charged by the military in February with murder and war crimes for their alleged roles in the 2001 attacks. Authorities say al-Qahtani missed out on taking part in the attacks because he was denied entry to the U.S. by an immigration agent.

But in reviewing the case, the convening authority for military commissions, Susan Crawford, decided to dismiss the charges against al-Qahtani and proceed with the arraignment for the other five, said Army Lt. Col. Bryan Broyles, the Saudi's military lawyer.

Crawford dismissed the charges Friday without prejudice, meaning they can be filed again later, but the defense only learned about it Monday, Broyles told The Associated Press.

(snip)

The five defendants include Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the suspected mastermind of the terrorist attacks in 2001 that killed nearly 3,000 people, and Ramzi Binalshibh, who is said to have been the main intermediary between the hijackers and al-Qaida leaders. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for all of them.

Their trial is the first capital case thus far before the military tribunals at Guantanamo, where the U.S. holds about 270 men on suspicion of terrorism or links to al-Qaida and the Taliban. The military has said it plans to prosecute about 80 prisoners in the first U.S. military war crimes tribunals since World War II.

[Aristotelian]

This matter should become clearer once the Office of Military Commissions makes an official announcement. Stay tuned.

[Pontiac]

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for all of them.

An appropriate form of punishment would be to through the prisoner off of a 100 story building in to a large pool of burning aviation fuel.

[oneolcop]

...wrapped in pigskin...

[DoughtyOne]

At the time, he had more than US$2,400 in cash, no return plane ticket and lead hijacker Mohamed Atta was waiting for him, the military has said.

Oh. Okay. Let him go...

What the hell?

[Pontiac]

Yes that would be appropriate

But I would feel bad for the pig.

[Pontiac]

But I would feel bad for the pig.

Maybe we could just fill their mouths with Pig Droppings and tape their mouths shut.

[lexusppd]

I believe placing them on a very tall tower with a platform on top, setting the tower on fire and leaving them NO option then to burn to death or else jump to their death, would be the more appropriate and poetic form of payback.

[50sDad]

Hope he has that Digital Angel chip in his butt.

[TheBattman]

I am truly puzzled...

[this is my name not yours]

Critics of the tribunals have faulted a rule that allows judges to decide whether to allow evidence that may have been obtained with "coercion." U.S. authorities have acknowledged that Mohammed was subjected to waterboarding by CIA interrogators and that al-Qahtani was treated harshly at Guantanamo.

Al-Qahtani in October 2006 recanted a confession he said he made after he was tortured and humiliated at Guantanamo.

The alleged torture, which he detailed in a written statement, included being beaten, restrained for long periods in uncomfortable positions, threatened with dogs, exposed to loud music and freezing temperatures and stripped nude in front of female personnel.

If this man was tortured by the government to extract evidence of a crime then they might as well have handed him a "Get Out of Jail Free" card.

Unfortunately, he was probably guilty.

[DoughtyOne]

It would be something if they were letting him go to lead them straight to other problematic people.

Still, I say just waste his arse. Be done with it.

[oneolcop]

Roger that!!!

[Pontiac]

Excellent