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US detainee 'on terror charges' US detainee 'on terror charges'
(about 1 hour later)
A man held as the last "enemy combatant" on US soil has been formally charged by a federal court with supporting a foreign terror group.A man held as the last "enemy combatant" on US soil has been formally charged by a federal court with supporting a foreign terror group.
Ali al-Marri, accused of being an al- Qaeda sleeper agent, has been held at a military jail for more than five years. Ali al-Marri, accused of being an al-Qaeda sleeper agent, has been held at a military jail for more than five years.
If convicted Mr al-Marri, 43, who has dual Saudi-Qatari nationality, faces up to 30 years' imprisonment for providing support and conspiracy. His lawyers say he has been seriously mistreated in custody.
His lawyers have claimed he has been seriously mistreated in custody. The decision to move his case into the US civil court system shows a policy shift by President Barack Obama's administration, correspondents say.
Correspondents say the decision by the new US administration to move Mr al-Marri into the court system marks a significant shift in policy, as the Bush administration had contended Mr al-Marri could be held indefinitely without charge. If convicted Mr al-Marri, 43, who has dual Saudi-Qatari nationality, faces up to 30 years' imprisonment for providing support and conspiracy. He denies the charges.
Student charge Appeal ruling
Mr al-Marri will now be transferred to Illinois where he will face trial in a civilian court on the charges. Correspondents say the decision by the new US administration to move Mr al-Marri into the court system marks a significant shift in policy, because the Bush administration had contended Mr al-Marri could be held indefinitely without charge.
A district court in Peoria, Illinois, charged him with "conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organisation." We are pleased that after more than seven years of detention, Mr al-Marri will finally have his day in court Andrew SavageLawyer for Mr al-Marri The US Supreme Court had agreed to rule on whether Mr al-Marri could be detained in prison indefinitely by the government without being charged.
Mr Obama's administration has asked the court to dismiss Mr al-Marri's appeal now that the case has been transferred to the justice department.
"We are pleased that after more than seven years of detention, Mr al-Marri will finally have his day in court," the defendant's lawyer, Andrew Savage, was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
Mr al-Marri will now be transferred to the state of Illinois, where he will face trial in a civilian court on the charges.
A district court in Peoria, Illinois, charged him with "conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organisation".
It also charged him with "providing material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organisation", while a student at a university in Peoria in 2001.It also charged him with "providing material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organisation", while a student at a university in Peoria in 2001.
The last of three "enemy combatants" held on US soil, Mr al-Marri has been held at a US naval base in South Carolina since 2003.The last of three "enemy combatants" held on US soil, Mr al-Marri has been held at a US naval base in South Carolina since 2003.
His lawyers have said he has been confined in a special unit surrounded by 100 empty cells.His lawyers have said he has been confined in a special unit surrounded by 100 empty cells.