Expect only seven more captives to be charged at the war court, the chief Pentagon prosecutor said Sunday, offering a much reduced vision of the scope of the special court after a federal court setback.
Six prisoners await death-penalty trials — Khalid Sheik Mohammed, 48, and four other alleged plotters accused of killing 2,976 people in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks plus a Saudi man accused of engineering al-Qaida’s USS Cole bombing that killed 17 U.S. sailors. Seven others have already been convicted of al-Qaida foot-soldier crimes.
But, recently, a federal court overturned the 2008 conviction of Osama bin Laden’s driver, concluding that providing material support for terror was not a viable war crime for many held captive at Guantánamo.
Based on that decision, the total number of prisoners “who can be realistically prosecuted” number around 20, chief prosecutor Army Brig. Gen. Mark Martins told reporters on the eve of resumption of pre-trial hearings in the Sept. 11 case.
Now, with 166 men left here, that means about 150 will never be charged with a crime.
TVNL Comment: American justice: detention without charges. Imprisonment without trial. Doesn't that make you proud? Just asking....
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