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Bin Laden's video-maker convicted | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A man accused of being Osama Bin Laden's media secretary has been convicted by a US military jury at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre. | A man accused of being Osama Bin Laden's media secretary has been convicted by a US military jury at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre. |
Ali Hamza al-Bahlul showed no emotion as he was found guilty of conspiracy, solicitation to commit murder and making propaganda videos for al-Qaeda. | Ali Hamza al-Bahlul showed no emotion as he was found guilty of conspiracy, solicitation to commit murder and making propaganda videos for al-Qaeda. |
The 39-year-old Yemeni faces a possible life sentence. He refused to present a defence during the trial. | The 39-year-old Yemeni faces a possible life sentence. He refused to present a defence during the trial. |
It is the second war crimes case to be tried at Guantanamo Bay. | It is the second war crimes case to be tried at Guantanamo Bay. |
We are the only ones on Earth who stand against you Ali Hamza al-Bahlul | |
The jury of nine US military officers announced their verdict at the American military base in Cuba. | The jury of nine US military officers announced their verdict at the American military base in Cuba. |
Their decision was reached at the end of last week but has only just been made public. | Their decision was reached at the end of last week but has only just been made public. |
Bahlul, who was brought to Guantanamo in 2002, sat calmly as the decision was read out. | Bahlul, who was brought to Guantanamo in 2002, sat calmly as the decision was read out. |
Defiance | |
However speaking through an Arabic translator at his sentencing hearing later he defiantly admitted being a member of al-Qaeda. | |
"We will fight government that governs America," AP news agency quoted Bahlul as telling military jurors at his sentencing hearing. | |
"We are the only ones on Earth who stand against you." | |
He also said the US had only itself to blame for the 11 September 2001 attacks on New York and Washington. | |
"Whoever said this happened out of nowhere is an idiot. You have started a war against us," he added. | |
Prosecutors said Bahlul had acknowledged to interrogators being al-Qaeda's media chief and having made propaganda videos for Bin Laden designed to recruit suicide bombers. | |
The American military said any work Bahlul did for al-Qaeda was by definition a war crime because the group was a terrorist organisation. | The American military said any work Bahlul did for al-Qaeda was by definition a war crime because the group was a terrorist organisation. |
He is the second prisoner to face a war crimes trial under a specially-created system of military commissions that civil rights activists and lawyers have criticised as lacking full protection of defendants' rights. | He is the second prisoner to face a war crimes trial under a specially-created system of military commissions that civil rights activists and lawyers have criticised as lacking full protection of defendants' rights. |
In the first such trial, Salim Hamdan, Osama Bin Laden's former driver, was convicted in August and sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail. | In the first such trial, Salim Hamdan, Osama Bin Laden's former driver, was convicted in August and sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail. |