BEIJING, June 5 -- A U.S. war crimes tribunal at Guantanamo came to a screeching halt on Monday. This, when a military judge dropped all the charges against a young Canadian in a ruling that could preclude trying any of the 380 prisoners any time soon.
The judge, Army Col. Peter Brownback, said the military tribunal lacked jurisdiction over Canadian Omar Khadr because he did not meet the strict definition of those subject to trial under a law the U.S. Congress drafted last year.
The judge said a military review board had labeled Khadr an "enemy combatant" during a 2004 administrative hearing in Guantanamo. But the Military Commissions Act adopted by the
U.S. Congress in 2006 said only "unlawful enemy combatants" could be tried in the Guantanamo tribunals.
Canadian detainee Omar Khadr was 15 when he was captured after a deadly firefight in Afghanistan. Prosecutors allege that Khadr killed a U.S. Army soldier with a grenade in the firefight in which he was also wounded.
(Source: cctv.com)
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