9/11 suspects face Guantanamo arraignment
The US military expects a confrontational hearing when the accused mastermind of the September 11 terrorist attacks and four alleged confederates are brought before a Marine colonel presiding over their war-crimes tribunal.
During the arraignment today, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed will make his first public appearance since he was captured in Pakistan in 2003.
He was later held in CIA custody at secret sites and transferred to the US Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 2006.
Air Force Brigadier General Tom Hartmann, a top tribunal official, told dozens of journalists late yesterday that he expects defence lawyers will robustly argue points with prosecutors and Judge Ralph Kohlmann on behalf of their clients, who face the death penalty.
“Expect to see challenges tomorrow,” Brig Gen Hartmann said at a briefing in an abandoned aircraft hangar near the courthouse at the isolated US base in Cuba.
Mohammed is represented by two officers from the Navy and the Air Force. The Pakistani also will be represented by two civilian attorneys from Idaho.
Defence attorneys for the five detainees accused in the September 11 attacks that killed 2,973 people say the US is rushing the case to trial to influence the presidential elections.
The military expects the joint arraignment of the five to last just one day.
All five are charged with murder in violation of the law of war, conspiracy, attacking civilians, terrorism and other crimes.
The four defendants due to appear with Mohammed are: Ramzi Binalshibh, said to have been the main intermediary between the hijackers and al-Qaida leaders; Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali, known as Ammar al-Baluchi, a nephew and lieutenant of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed; al-Baluchi’s assistant, Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi; and Waleed bin Attash, a detainee known as Khallad, who allegedly selected and trained some of the 19 hijackers.
During the arraignment today, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed will make his first public appearance since he was captured in Pakistan in 2003.
He was later held in CIA custody at secret sites and transferred to the US Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 2006.
Air Force Brigadier General Tom Hartmann, a top tribunal official, told dozens of journalists late yesterday that he expects defence lawyers will robustly argue points with prosecutors and Judge Ralph Kohlmann on behalf of their clients, who face the death penalty.
“Expect to see challenges tomorrow,” Brig Gen Hartmann said at a briefing in an abandoned aircraft hangar near the courthouse at the isolated US base in Cuba.
Mohammed is represented by two officers from the Navy and the Air Force. The Pakistani also will be represented by two civilian attorneys from Idaho.
Defence attorneys for the five detainees accused in the September 11 attacks that killed 2,973 people say the US is rushing the case to trial to influence the presidential elections.
The military expects the joint arraignment of the five to last just one day.
All five are charged with murder in violation of the law of war, conspiracy, attacking civilians, terrorism and other crimes.
The four defendants due to appear with Mohammed are: Ramzi Binalshibh, said to have been the main intermediary between the hijackers and al-Qaida leaders; Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali, known as Ammar al-Baluchi, a nephew and lieutenant of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed; al-Baluchi’s assistant, Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi; and Waleed bin Attash, a detainee known as Khallad, who allegedly selected and trained some of the 19 hijackers.
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