Two Guantanamo Detainees Charged

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From: DoD News dlnews_sender@DTIC.MIL
Subject: Two Guantanamo Detainees Charged

NEWS RELEASE from the United States Department of Defense

No. 122-04
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb 24, 2004
(703)697-5131(media)
(703)428-0711(public/industry)

Two Guantanamo Detainees Charged


The Department of Defense announced today that Guantanamo detainees Ali Hamza Ahmed
Sulayman al Bahlul of Yemen and Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al Qosi of Sudan have been
charged with conspiracy to commit war crimes and will be tried by military
commission.


Al Bahlul is alleged to be a key al Qaida propagandist who produced videos
glorifying the murder of Americans to recruit, inspire, and motivate other al Qaida
members to continue attacks against Americans, the United States, and other
countries, as well as serving as a bodyguard for Usama bin Laden. Al Qosi is
alleged to be a key al Qaida accountant, bin Laden bodyguard, and weapons
smuggler. He is alleged to be a long-time assistant and associate of bin Laden,
dating back to the time when bin Laden lived in Sudan.


Al Bahlul and al Qosi are charged with willfully and knowingly joining an
enterprise of persons who shared a common criminal purpose and conspired with Usama
bin Laden and others to commit the following offenses: attacking civilians;
attacking civilian objects; murder by an unprivileged belligerent; destruction of
property by an unprivileged belligerent; and terrorism. Specifics of each
individuals? charges are available
at:target=_blank eudora="autourl">http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Feb2004/d20040224Al Qosi.pdf and
target=_blank eudora="autourl">http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Feb2004/d20040224Al Bahlul.pdf


Al Bahlul and al Qosi are presumed innocent of any criminal charges unless proven
guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at a military commission. Trial dates and
commission panel members will be selected at a later time.

Military commission procedures include: the presumption of innocence; a
requirement for proof of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt; representation by a
military defense counsel free of charge with the option to retain a civilian
defense counsel at no expense to the U.S. government; an opportunity to present
evidence and call witnesses; and a prohibition against drawing an adverse inference
if an Accused chooses not to testify. Military commissions have historically been
used to try violations of the law of armed conflict and related offenses.

[Web Version: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/...0224-0363.html]

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