WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The White House and
the Pentagon hailed on Wednesday the first trial of terrorist suspects detained
in the U.S. Guantanamo prison, saying it was "fair" for a former driver of Osama
bin Laden to be convicted.
"We're pleased that Salim Hamdan received a fair
trial," White House spokesman Tony Fratto said in a statement.
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Defendant Salim Hamdan attends his trial
inside the war crimes courthouse at Camp Justice, the legal complex of the
U.S. Military Commissions, at Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base in this
photograph of a sketch by courtroom artist Janet Hamlin, reviewed by the
U.S. Military, July 22, 2008. ((Xinhua/Reuters,
File Photo)
Photo Gallery>>> |
Earlier the day, a six-member jury at a military
court convicted the Yemen national of supporting terrorism that carries a life
sentence, but cleared charges of conspiracy against him.
"The Military Commission system is a fair and
appropriate legal process for prosecuting detainees alleged to have committed
crimes against the United States or our interests," Fratto said. "We look
forward to other cases moving forward to trial."
For its part, the defense department spokesman, Bryan
Whitman, said that Hamdan's verdict was made "based on the law and facts
presented in court."
He also said that the Pentagon would push forward
with additional prosecutions on the 20 other cases that are currently in the
military commission system.
Hamdan was the first of the charged terrorist
suspects who was tried before the special "war crime court" set by a U.S.
military trial at the Guantanamo base. He was charged with "conspiracy" and"
material support for terrorism," and faced life imprisonment if convicted.
According to CNN's report, Hamdan's attorney said
that the defendant cried as the verdict was read.
Hamdan was captured in November, 2001, in
Afghanistan, and transferred to Guantanamo prison in May, 2002. In a preliminary
hearing, Hamdan claimed that he was tortured and humiliated during detention and
interrogation at the Navy base.
Prosecutors alleged that Hamdan had overheard
conversations about the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks at the United States, showing he
was part of bin Laden's inner circle. On the other hand, defense lawyers said
that he only worked for the al Qaida leader for wages not to wage attacks
against America.
U.S. human right activists have been questioning the
fairness of the military trial system.
"The military commission system at Guantanamo Bay is
deeply flawed, that Mr. Hamdan could not and did not receive a fair trail," said
Carol Chodroff, a director for Human Rights Watch.
Former driver: Bin Laden "happy about
the results" of Sept. 11, 2001, attacks
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Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden speaks
in a video released on a web site Sept. 7, 2007.((Xinhua/Reuters
File Photo)
Photo Gallery>>> |
WASHINGTON, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Osama bin Laden's
former driver has heard the al-Qaida leader express satisfaction with the death
toll of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks at the U.S. which was more than his
expectation, according to a news report on Wednesday.
Citing a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, the
Washington Post report said that the arrested driver, Salim Ahmed Hamdan, told
U.S. interrogators at the Guantanamo detention center bin Laden was "happy about
the results" of the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000, while his
expectation on the death toll was "only" 1,000 to 1,500. Full story
Bin Laden's former driver stands trial
in Guantanamo
BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Osama bin Laden's
former driver, Salim Hamdan, pleaded not guilty on Monday before a special "war
on terror" military tribunal at the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the first
U.S. war crimes trial since World War II.
Salim Ahmed Hamdan, a Yemeni who has admitted driving
for the fugitive al Qaeda leader, pleaded not guilty to the charges of of
conspiracy and providing material support for terrorism. Full story
Bin Laden lashes out at Arab
gov'ts
CAIRO, May 18 (Xinhua) -- The al-Qaida leader Osama
bin Laden on Sunday issued a message via an Islamic website to Muslims all over
the world, in which he lashed out at Arab governments which he says side with
the West Israel and thus fail the Palestinians, while calling on Muslim
militants to help break the blockade of Gaza.
In an audio tape posted on the internet on Sunday,
bin Laden said that the Palestinian territories could not be liberated without
fighting Arab governments which support Israel, which is weak but for the
Western backing. Full story
