War On Terror News

Video: GITMO hunger strikers - Let them eat...or NOT!

Out of GITMO comes word that there are 'clashes' between guards and detainees, as over 40 of them continue to stage a hunger strike.

 

From the BBC:

13 April 2013

Clashes at Guantanamo over hunger strike prisoners

Prisoners and guards have clashed at Guantanamo Bay as authorities moved inmates, many of whom are on hunger strike, out of communal cellblocks.

 

The move came after detainees covered surveillance cameras and windows, a US Army spokesman said.

 

He said some prisoners used "improvised weapons" and in response "four less-than-lethal rounds" were fired.

 

The Pentagon says 43 prisoners are on hunger strike, but lawyers for the detainees say the number is higher.

GITMO EPW's moved to single man cells

WASHINGTON, April 14, 2013 - The commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo ordered the transition of detainees from communal to single-cell living at Camp VI at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to ensure the health and security of those detainees, according to a task force news release issued yesterday.

The commander, Navy Rear Adm. John W. Smith Jr., ordered the change early yesterday morning. This action was taken in response to efforts by detainees to limit the guard force's ability to observe the detainees by covering surveillance cameras, windows, and glass partitions, according to the release, which noted that round-the-clock monitoring is necessary to ensure security, order, and safety.

In order to reestablish proper observation, the guards entered the Camp VI communal living spaces to transition detainees into single cells, remove obstructions to cameras, windows and partitions, and medical personnel conducted individual assessments of each detainee, the release said.

The ongoing detainee hunger strike necessitated these medical assessments, the release said. Some detainees resisted with improvised weapons, and in response, four less-than-lethal rounds were fired. There were no serious injuries to guards or detainees.

The mission of Joint Task Force Guantanamo is to provide for the safe, legal, and humane care and custody of detainees. All detainees will continue to be treated in a safe, humane manner, according to the release.

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KSM Military Tribunal reconvenes at GITMO

Khalid Sheik Mohammed and his co-accused - Walid bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali abd al Azziz Ali, Mustafa Ahmed al Hawsawi - today return to the GITMO Military Tribunal proceedings.

For those who have been living under a rock the last few years:

On May 31, 2011, [these] five individuals were charged jointly, in connection with their alleged roles in the September 11, 2001 attacks against the United States. They are charged with committing the following eight offenses: conspiracy; attacking civilians; attacking civilian objects; intentionally causing serious bodily injury; murder in violation of the law of war; destruction of property in violation of the law of war; hijacking or hazarding a vessel or aircraft; and terrorism.

Last the public saw this crew was back in June.  At that time, This Ain't Hell live blogged the proceedings from Ft Meade.  To read the shenaningans the co-accused were pulling on that day is to marvel at the patience of the presiding Judge, U.S. Army Col. James L. Pohl.

Obama to release 55 Terrorists from GITMO

The Obama Administration has disclosed the identities of 55 terrorist prisoners of war cleared for release from the nation's military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The list represents about a third of the 167 terrorists still in detention at Guantanamo.

Many of the men are from Yemen, where the United States suspended repatriations in 2010 because of U.S. concerns that prisoners have become re-involved with al-Qaida terrorists based there.

Friday's release marks a reversal of the Obama administration's 2009 decision to keep the names of cleared detainees secret.

The administration says it protected the information to “maintain flexibility” in negotiating potential detainee transfers to other countries.

But the government said in a court filing Friday that “circumstances have changed” such that decisions to approve prisoners for transfer “no longer warrant protection.”

It pointed out that 28 detainees have been repatriated to their native countries since 2009, while 40 have been resettled in third countries. VoA.

DOD Offers First-responder Viewing Site for 9/11 Arraignment

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2012 – First responders to the 9/11 attack sites will be able to view military commissions proceedings resulting from the attacks that begin May 5 from a site specifically set up for their use.

Some 400 to 600 first responders, officials say, will watch as five alleged 9/11 conspirators -- including the man who allegedly conceived and designed the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people -- face arraignment at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Wendy Kelly, chief of operations for the Office of Military Commissions, told American Forces Press Service that viewing sites for victims’ families and members of the media have been in place for previous proceedings, but first responders until now have not had access to closed-circuit television coverage of courtroom proceedings.

Kelly explained the sites set up for victims’ families are limited to those injured, and the immediate family members --including parents, spouses, children and siblings -- of those killed in the 9/11 and attacks and the Oct. 12, 2000, attack on the USS Cole in a Yemeni harbor that killed 17 U.S. sailors and injured 39 others.

Two Chinese Terrorists to be Exported to El Salvador from Gitmo

The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of two Uighur detainees from the detention facility at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to the Government of El Salvador. These detainees were subject to release from Guantanamo as a result of a court order issued on October 7, 2008 by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and are voluntarily resettling in El Salvador.

As directed by the President's January 22, 2009, executive order, the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force conducted a comprehensive review of these cases. As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including security issues, these individuals were designated for transfer by unanimous consent among all six agencies on the task force. In accordance with statutory reporting requirements, the administration informed Congress of its intent to transfer these individuals.

The United States coordinated with the government of El Salvador to ensure the transfer took place" in accordance with appropriate security and humane treatment measures."

Today, 169 detainees remain at the detention center in Guantanamo.

DoD: 9/11 co-conspirators charged

DOD Announces Charges Referred Against 9-11 Co-Conspirators

 

            The Department of Defense announced today that the convening authority, Office of Military Commissions, referred charges to a military commission in the case of “United States v. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin 'Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi.”

            The charges allege that the five accused are responsible for the planning and execution of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in New York, Washington D.C., and Shanksville, Pa., resulting in the killing of 2,976 people.

            The convening authority referred the case to a capital military commission, meaning that, if convicted, the five accused could be sentenced to death.  Pursuant to the reforms in the Military Commissions Act of 2009, each of the five accused have been provided, in addition to their detailed defense counsel, learned counsel, possessing specialized knowledge and experience in death penalty cases, to assist them in their defense.

            Based on the allegations outlined in the charge sheets, the five accused are charged with terrorism, hijacking aircraft, conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, and destruction of property in violation of the law of war.  The convening authority has referred all charges to a joint trial.

            The charges are only allegations that the five accused have committed offenses punishable under the Military Commissions Act of 2009, and they are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

            In accordance with Military Commissions rules and procedures, the chief judge of the Military Commissions Trial Judiciary will assign a military judge to the case, and the five accused will be arraigned at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within 30 days of service of the referred charges upon them.

Majid Shoukat Khan pleads "guilty," gets a deal

High-value Guantanamo Detainee Pleads Guilty in Deal

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

FORT MEADE, Md., Feb. 29, 2012 – The only legal U.S. resident being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, today became the first high-value detainee to plead guilty to charges of helping terrorists plot and carry out attacks.

Majid Shoukat Khan, 32, pleaded guilty to all charges against him as part of a plea deal that will give him a reduced sentence in exchange for cooperating with the U.S. government, including possibly testifying at other detainees’ trials.

Khan is charged with conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, attempted murder in violation of the law of war, providing material support for terrorism and spying.

Surviving Families, Victims of Cole Attack Seek Justice

Surviving Families, Victims of Cole Attack Seek Justice

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2012 – Family members who lost loved ones during the USS Cole attack and two survivors urged yesterday that justice be served in the quest to ensure a fair trial for the accused mastermind of the attack.

The family members and survivors appeared grim-faced, and some choked with emotion as they spoke to reporters at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, following the second day of a pretrial hearing for Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri.

Pretrial Proceedings Begin for Alleged USS Cole Mastermind

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

FORT MEADE, Md., Jan. 17, 2012 – The commander of the U.S. detention facility at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, defended the new policy that allows government officials to monitor prisoners’ mail during the opening day of pretrial proceedings for the alleged mastermind in the USS Cole bombing.

Navy Rear Adm. David Woods, commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, testified today in response to a motion by the defense at the military commission hearing for Abd al-Rahim Hussein Muhammed al Nashiri. Army Col. James Pohl ruled during proceedings at Guantanamo Bay that Woods should explain the policy he instituted last month.

Woods, one of the highest-level officials to testify in a military tribunal, said the new policy balances his responsibilities to facilitate attorney-client communication while also ensuring security, safety, force protection and good order at the facility.

Updated: USS Cole Bomber Suspect to be arraigned in GITMO tribunal

UPDATE from DoD:

Nashiri Reserves Plea in USS Cole Bombing Case

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

U.S. NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba, Nov. 9, 2011 – The man accused of planning and preparing the USS Cole bombing and other attacks did not enter a plea during arraignment here today.

Abd al Rahim Hussein Muhammed al Nashiri, 46, is charged with “perfidy,” or treachery; murder in violation of the law of war; attempted murder in violation of the law of war; terrorism; conspiracy; intentionally causing serious bodily injury; attacking civilians; attacking civilian objects; and hazarding a vessel.

The charges arise out of an attempted attack on the USS The Sullivans in January 2000; an attack on the USS Cole in October 2000, during which 17 U.S. sailors were killed and 37 more wounded; and an attack on the MV Limburg, a French civilian oil tanker, in October 2002, during which one crewmember was killed and about 90,000 barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf of Aden. If convicted, Nashiri could be sentenced to death.

USS Cole Terrorist to be Arraigned at Gitmo

Meredith Buel, VoA, Washington: A Saudi Arabian man accused of being the mastermind behind the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000 is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday, Nov. 9 before a military commission at Guantanamo Bay. Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri could face the death penalty if convicted.

 

 

The suicide attack on the U.S. naval vessel in Yemen’s Port of Aden left a gaping hole in the side of the ship, killing 17 sailors and wounding dozens of others.

"Bringing to justice the perpetrators of the October 12, 2000 attack is a vital part of our counterterrorism mission and we will dedicate whatever resources are needed to get the job done," said FBI director Robert Muller.

Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri was captured in 2002, held in secret CIA prisons overseas, and transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2006. He is one of 15 high-value detainees held at Guantanamo and is the first to face a military tribunal since U.S. President Barack Obama lifted a freeze on such trials earlier this year.

GITMO's new generators already saving money

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Leona Mynes, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (NNS) -- Only 48 hours after two fuel-efficient, 3.5-megawatt electro-motive division (EMD) generators were installed and turned on at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, July 29, Public Works Department recorded a five percent decrease in fuel consumption at the plant.

"For a long time, Guantanamo Bay has been running this base on generators that have far exceeded their life expectancy," said Art Torley, public works' production division director. "With the exception of the two EMD generators and four wind turbines that were installed in 2005, the base has been using generators as old as 1957 to produce power for consumers on the base."

Charges Filed Against 5 GITMO Detainees for 9/11 Attacks

DOD Announces Charges Sworn Against Five Detainees Allegedly Responsible for 9/11 Attacks

                 The Department of Defense announced today the office of military commissions prosecutors have sworn charges against five individuals detained at Guantanamo Bay:  Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin 'Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi. 

                The prosecutors have recommended that the charges against all five of the accused be referred as capital.  Capital charges may only be pursued with the convening authority's approval.  Under rules governing military commissions, the accused will have the right to counsel learned in applicable law relating to capital cases. 

                The charges allege that the five accused were responsible for the planning and execution of the attacks on New York, Washington D.C. and Shanksville, Pa. that occurred on September 11, 2001.  Those attacks resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people. 

Detainee Dies at Guantanamo Bay

American Forces Press Service

MIAMI, May 18, 2011 - An Afghan detainee died of an apparent suicide early this morning at the U.S. detention facility at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, according to a Joint Task Force-Guantanamo news release.

The detainee is identified as Inayatullah, a 37-year-old Afghan. Inayatullah arrived at Guantanamo in September 2007. As a matter of Defense Department policy, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service has initiated an investigation of the incident to determine the cause and manner surrounding the death, according to the release.

While conducting routine checks, guards found the Inayatullah unresponsive and not breathing, according to the release. The guards initiated CPR and summoned medical personnel. After lifesaving measures had been exhausted, the detainee was pronounced dead by a physician.

USS Cole Attack Mastermind Cries Foul Play

Al-Qaida Suspect Files Human Rights Case Against Poland

10 May 2011 VOA News Lawyers for the alleged al-Qaida mastermind of the deadly bombing of the USS Cole have filed a case against Poland with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg .

The lawyers claim that 46-year-old Saudi Arabian Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri was held and tortured in a secret CIA so-called “black site” prison in an intelligence base north of Warsaw from December 2002 to June 2003.

Greetings from our Troops on Mother's Day 2011

Out of Iraq, Afghanistan, Gitmo, Southeast Asia and various other locations come Happy Mother's Day wishes from our troops.  With nearly 800 to chose from, I obviously couldn't include them all, but selected a few with a link to where you can view their message. 

Staff Sgt. Daniel Burnham with the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team from Baghdad, Iraq:
http://www.dvidshub.net/download/greetings/274368

Cpl. Jason Boswell with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) from Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan:
http://www.dvidshub.net/download/greetings/273361

Statement regarding the Closure of Guantanamo Detention Facility

Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell and Special Envoy for Closure of the Guantanamo Detention Facility Ambassador Daniel Fried

 

                   "It is unfortunate that several news organizations have made the decision to publish numerous documents obtained illegally by Wikileaks concerning the Guantanamo (GTMO) detention facility.  These documents contain classified information about current and former GTMO detainees, and we strongly condemn the leaking of this sensitive information.

                 "The Wikileaks releases include Detainee Assessment Briefs (DABs) written by the Department of Defense between 2002 and early 2009.  These DABs were written based on a range of information available then.

GITMO Chinese Muslim Prisoners Lose US Supreme Court Appeal

US Supreme Court Turns Down Uighur Appeal 18 April 2011 VOA News The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down an appeal from the five remaining Chinese Muslims being held at the Guantanamo Bay military prison.

The court on Monday rejected the appeal from the Uighurs, who wanted the court to consider whether a judge can order Guantanamo detainees released into the United States.

The Uighurs have been held at Guantanamo for nearly nine years. They were cleared for release years ago, but have turned down offers to be resettled in the tiny Pacific nation of Palau and another unidentified country.

Beijing has demanded

Chasing Olympic Dreams

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Smith, who still dreams of being a professional football player, dodges a defender during rugby practice, Sunday, March 13.  Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Tross

03.22.2011 Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Tross GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba -- With an invitation in hand, Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Smith is looking to ride his new found love, rugby, all the way to the Olympics.

This time last year, Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Smith had no idea what rugby was. Instead he was busy training for his return to NCAA football. That all changed when Guantanamo Bay Rugby Club Coach Steve Lynch approached him after a Morale Welfare and Recreation flag football game and convinced him to try rugby.

Ex-Guantanamo Detainee Avoids Supermax Prison

15 March 2011 VOA News The first ex-Guantanamo detainee to be tried in a civilian court has avoided solitary confinement in the so-called Supermax prison, where the nation’s most notorious terrorists often are assigned.

Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani has been assigned to the United States Penitentiary in Florence, Colorado. It is in the same complex as the Supermax, where inmates are held in solitary confinement, but the federal penitentiary keeps most prisoners in its general population.

In January, Ghailani was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the August 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in East Africa.

Ghailani's lawyer, Peter Quijano, said he is pleased his client was not assigned to the Supermax and hopes he will be placed in the general population. The U.S. attorney's office has had no comment.

Some information for this report was provided by AP.

Obama Approves Resumption of Guantanamo Bay Military Trials

7 March 2011 VOA News Nico Colombant President Barack Obama on Monday approved the resumption of controversial military trials for suspected terrorists at the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The decision, which ends a two-year ban on military trials of detainees at the facility, is disappointing for some legal scholars.

The White House released a new executive order for Guantanamo trials to resume, after a long review of judicial options concerning alleged terrorists.

President Obama promised better safeguards for the rights of detainees, following criticism by human rights groups and other countries for a lack of fairness.

The executive order states that the Obama administration remains committed to eventually closing the detention facility, where about 170 detainees remain in custody.  It also said the U.S. system of justice remains a key part of the war against al-Qaida terrorists.

In a background briefing, senior administration officials said the order strengthens U.S. security needs and American values.

Transparency vs Security at Guantanamo Bay

PAO teams with media to balance transparency, security

JTF Guantanamo Public Affairs

Story by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cossel

Wyoming Army National Guard member and Joint Task Force Guantanamo public affairs specialist, Spc. Justin Pierce listens as Gavin Lee from the BBC News asks a question inside the detainee classroom at Camp 6, Feb. 15.  Photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cossel

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba -- As the trial of Noor Uthman Muhammed began and concluded last week, an orchestration of events behind the scenes transpired ensuring all the wheels in the machine kept turning. Playing a starring role in the symphony were the Troopers of Joint Task Force Guantanamo’s Public Affairs Media Relations Department, charged with facilitating access to the 23 journalists who arrived to tell the story to the world.

“It’s our job to provide the tools they [civilian media] need in order to tell their story — which is our story,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Erica Gardner, media relations non-commissioned officer in charge. “The media can make or break our existence here.”

Gardner explained the media relations department helps reporters get the information they need in several different ways.

Fleming's Farewell

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

Sitting in his office, Command Master Chief Scott Fleming wraps up his final days, Feb. 24, serving as Joint Task Force Guantanamo's Senior Enlisted Leader.  Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class David Coleman

02.28.2011 Story by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cossel GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - His seabag packed, Joint Task Force Guantanamo’s senior enlisted leader, Command Master Chief Scott Fleming, sat down with The Wire and gave us some of his final thoughts and reflections on his two-year tour.

Q: How would you characterize your experience as Joint Task Force Guantanamo’s senior enlisted leader?

A: Both fascinating and educational. Educational in understanding the dynamic down here in and of itself, understanding who’s who in the zoo organizationally and how all the pieces come together, how the troops interact.

If you’ve been in the military any amount of time these days I think everything you do, almost, at least operationally, involves a joint flavor. But I can’t believe there’s many places that are more joint than Guantanamo both ideologically and through execution. It’s been impressive watching everybody work together, handling a difficult mission.

Wounded warriors find healing, fun when SUDS comes to GTMO

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

U.S. Army Sgt. Mathew White, prepares to hit the waters of Guantanamo Bay's Hidden Beach, Feb. 20. White and several other wounded warriors participated in the Soldiers Undertaking Disabled SCUBA, a program designed to help improve the lives of injured veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cossel

02.28.2011 Story by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cossel GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - More than a 1,000 miles away from Walter Reed Army Hospital, Army Sgt. Matthew White stood at the edge of the water, letting the surf of Guantanamo Bay’s Hidden Beach crash over his legs.

“I always wanted to learn how to scuba dive,” White said. “After I lost my leg, I never thought I would be able to.”

Slovenia Looks To Welcoming Gitmo Terrorists

Slovenia Amends Law to Accept Guantanamo Detainees

VoA News: Slovenia has made legal changes that will allow the nation to accept detainees from the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo, Cuba.

The Slovenian government made the change Thursday. The Associated Press reports the new law will allow residence permits for foreigners whose stay in the country is considered in the national interest.

The changes to the law must now be approved by the parliament.

Prime Minister Borut Pahor called accepting Guantanamo detainees a humanitarian issue.

Former U.S. president George W. Bush established the detention center in 2002 to hold foreign terrorists including al-Qaida and the Taliban captured on the battlefield. The facility now holds about 170 prisoners, down from a high of nearly 800.

Many previous detainees have returned to the battlefield, includinging the #2 AQ leader in Yemen.

Afghan Peace Council Seeks Guantanamo Visit

22 February 2011 VOA News Afghanistan's High Peace Council says it wants to send a delegation to the U.S. military detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to discuss the possible release of Taliban detainees as part of reconciliation talks with the militant group.

Arsala Rahmani, head of the council's committee on prisoners, said Tuesday that the delegation would call for the release of several prisoners, including Khairullah Khairkhwa, a former Taliban government minister and governor who has been detained since 2002.

Rahmani says the council has the support of

9/11 Trainer Noor Muhammed Sentenced to 14 Years

DOD Announces Sentence for Detainee Noor Uthman Muhammed

              The Department of Defense announced today that Noor Uthman Muhammed was sentenced to 14 years in confinement for providing material support to al-Qaeda and conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization and terrorism. 

              A pre-sentencing hearing took place in a military commission courtroom at the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  During his Feb. 15 guilty plea, Muhammed admitted to serving many roles at the Khaldan terrorist training camp in Afghanistan beginning in 1994.  He admitted to being a weapons instructor, member of the Council of Advisors to the Emir, and to overseeing the Khaldan terrorist training camp in the Emir's (Osama bin Ladin) absence.  Muhammed stipulated that he entered into an agreement with Abu Zubaida and others to train recruits to commit acts of terrorism in support of al-Qaeda or affiliated terrorist organizations engaged in hostilities against the United States.  He admitted that individuals trained at Khaldan during his tenure there included, among others, Mohammed al Owhali, a convicted participant in the U.S. embassy bombing in Nairobi, Kenya; Ahmed Ressam, a convicted participant in the Millennium Plot, the plan to bomb Los Angeles International Airport on 31 December 1999; and Zacarias Moussaoi, the admitted al-Qaeda terrorist, who was convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia and is serving a life sentence in federal prison. 

Detainee Pleads Guilty to Supporting Terrorist Organizations

Navy Capt. John Murphy, chief prosecutor for the Office of Military Commissions, briefs reporters after the Feb. 15, trial of Noor Uthman Muhammed at the detention center at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. (Department of Defense photo by Cheryl Pellerin)

02.15.2011 By Cheryl Pellerin NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Accused terrorist training camp instructor Noor Uthman Muhammed pleaded guilty here Feb. 15 to charges of supporting and conspiring with international terrorist organizations against the United States.

Behind barbed wire and a dense network of sturdy orange barriers and in accordance with a pretrial agreement, the native of Sudan admitted to activities that could lead to his imprisonment for life.

Noor, as he has asked to be called in court, will be sentenced at a hearing this week before members of a military commission.

"The prosecution is very pleased with the entry of the guilty plea by Noor this morning," Navy Capt. John Murphy, chief prosecutor for the Office of Military Commissions, told reporters after the trial. "We believe it is another step in the justice that we are achieving in the commission cases."

The commission now has resolved six cases to date, including Noor's, all of which have resulted in convictions after trial or pleas of guilty, Murphy said.

Noor's traditional white Muslim garb was covered with a dark blue jacket. Covering his head was a small white cap. He wore headphones through which an interpreter conveyed the words of the trial judge, Navy Capt. Moira Modzelewski.

GITMO Detainee, Noor Uthman Muhammed, Pleads Guilty

The Department of Defense announced that Noor Uthman Muhammed pleaded guilty today in a military commission.  In accordance with a pre-trial agreement, Muhammed admitted, in open court, to providing material support to terrorism and conspiring to provide material support to terrorism.  His sentence will be determined at a hearing scheduled to begin Feb. 16. 

              In all cases tried by military commission, the military judge has a duty to inquire into the voluntariness of the guilty plea before it may be accepted.  In this case, the military judge questioned Muhammed at length and then indicated she was satisfied that the accused understood his rights, that the plea was voluntary, and that there was a legal and factual basis for the plea.   

              In all military commissions, a panel of military officers known as "members" determines the sentence when there is a finding of guilt.  At a hearing, the defense and prosecution will each have an opportunity to present evidence and argument to the members to aid them in determining a sentence.  The terms of the agreement are not disclosed to the members and will be disclosed to the public after the sentence is announced.

Detainee Dies of Apparent Natural Causes at Guantanamo

U.S. Southern Command Public Affairs

02.03.2011 MIAMI -- Joint Task Force-Guantanamo announced today that a detainee died of apparent natural causes late Tuesday evening, Feb. 2. The detainee is identified as Awal Gul, a 48-year-old Afghan. He arrived at Guantanamo in October 2002.

Gul was housed in Camp 6, which provides communal living areas for up to 20 detainees. He collapsed in the shower after exercising on an elliptical machine. Other detainees in his cell block then assisted Gul to the guard station for medical attention. The guards immediately alerted medical personnel, who upon arriving at the cell block found him unresponsive. He was immediately transported to the Camp 6 medical bay, and subsequently transferred to the U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay.

True Grit – The GTMO Edition

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

525th Military Police Battalion Sgt. Laura Garcia leans in during a 15-mile force march Sunday. Photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cossel

01.25.2011 Story by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cossel GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba -- The pre-dawn darkness masks the steely look of determination and resolve ironed across the 15 faces of the 525th Military Police Battalion soldiers. The challenge ahead of them will push them to their physical and mental limits — five won’t make it. For every soldier who steps off from Kittery Beach at 5:30 a.m. Sunday, the goal is the same: earn a spot on the team heading to the high deserts of White Sands, N.M. for the 26.2-mile Bataan Memorial Death March.

Uncertain future ahead for Guantanamo Bay’s lighthouse

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

01.29.2011 Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Wesley Kreiss GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Structure “eventually will become a safety hazard and have to be demolished.”

Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s historic Windward Point Lighthouse and onsite living quarters are in grave danger of entering their final chapter in the history pages of the United States’ oldest overseas military installation.

At 60-feet-tall and 107 years old, the primarily steel structure continues to steadily decay after decades of neglect and wear from weather, sea water and insufficient funding.

Diver Solves Mystery of Gitmo Bay Aircraft

What Lies Beneath
by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cossel GITMO

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Like many who fall under the strong magic of Guantanamo Bay scuba diving, Chris Hileman had heard the rumors of a plane submerged somewhere in the water. A master diver, Hileman volunteered to help on a deep dive class when he learned the wreckage was the ultimate destination. From that fateful dive, a mystery worthy of Sherlock Holmes began to unfold – how did this piece of aviation history end up on the bottom of Guantanamo Bay?

Guantanamo Detainee Sentenced to Life in Prison

25 January 2011 VOA News The first Guantanamo detainee to be tried in a U.S. civilian court has been sentenced to life in prison.

A federal judge imposed the term Tuesday on Tanzanian Ahmed Ghailani.  The judge rejected calls for leniency by defense lawyers who said Ghailani was tortured in CIA custody, and that he provided U.S. officials with valuable intelligence.

Ghailani was sentenced for his involvement in the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. Those blasts killed 224 people, including 12 Americans.

A Life or Death Situation

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

01.17.2011 Story by Senior Airman Gino Reyes GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba -- Two fighters look at each other from across the mat. Soon they will be punching, kicking and grappling. This is you or him, life or death. This is what close hand-to-hand combat is all about.

The 525th Military Police Company conducted their first level-1 combative training course Jan. 3 through 7. The one-week, 40-hour course teaches students basic moves to defend themselves in hand-to-hand combat.

“The course is completely voluntary,” said combative instructor Army Master Sgt. Brian Stuckey. “Basically it gives these individuals confidence in their ability to defend themselves no matter what your size or gender may be.”

When students reach the end of the course,

Terrorist Released to Algeria from Gitmo

Detainee Transfer Announced

The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of Saiid Farhi from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Algeria. Farhi was ordered released by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Nov. 19, 2009. 

                As directed by the President's Jan. 22, 2009, executive order, the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force conducted a comprehensive review of this case.  As a result of that review, which examined a number of factors, including security issues, Farhi was approved for transfer by unanimous consent among all six agencies on the task force.  In accordance with Congressionally-mandated reporting requirements, the Obama administration informed Congress of its intent to transfer this individual. 

                The United States White House Administration is grateful to the Government of Algeria for its willingness to support U.S. Administration's efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.  The United States coordinated with the Government of Algeria to ensure the transfer took place under appropriate security and humane treatment measures. 

                Today, 173 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay.

Obama May Defy Congress Over Guantanamo Detainees

04 January 2011 VOA News U.S. news outlets say the White House is considering using a special written pronouncement to reject congressional lawmakers' attempts to limit President Barack Obama's authority to transfer inmates from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The restrictions are included in a massive military spending bill approved by Congress late last month.  They ban the president from moving any prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to U.S. soil for prosecution in a civilian court, and prohibit the transfer of prisoners to foreign countries without the approval of the secretary of defense.

A small group of Obama advisers is debating whether to recommend the president issue what is known as a "signing statement" when he signs the defense bill into law, asserting he has the constitutional authority to bypass the restrictions.

Such a statement would likely lead to a clash between the Democratic president and congressional Republicans, who are set to take control of the House of Representatives this week.

Some Guantanamo Inmates to be held ‘Indefinitely’

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010 VOA News Officials in Washington say the U.S. government is preparing to detain indefinitely nearly 50 alleged terrorists now held at the Guantanamo Bay detention center.

An executive order being prepared for review by President Barack Obama says that Guantanamo Bay prisoners kept in “prolonged detention” will not be put on trial. Each case will be reviewed periodically, U.S. officials said late Tuesday, and the detainees are expected to be able to mount legal challenges to their incarceration.

A White House official told VOA Tuesday night that the plan under consideration will have

Ghailani Acquittal Pushes Congress towards International Law

US Lawmakers: More Civilian Trials Unlikely for Terror Suspects

VOA News | Capitol Hill: Influential members of Congress say Wednesday's landmark terror trial verdict in New York should put a halt to further civilian trials of suspected foreign terrorists in the United States.  The conviction of a Tanzanian man of involvement the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Africa has provoked strong reactions in Washington and across the United States.

From the start, the federal trial of Tanzanian Ahmed Ghailani was seen by many as a test of the U.S. civilian court system's ability to prosecute foreign terror suspects. And now the verdict is in - perhaps in more ways than one.

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