SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, May 12, 2008
U.S. Drops Charges Against "20th Hijacker"
Pentagon Won't Try Mohammed al-Qahtani, Who Was Allegedly Involved In Sept. 11 Plot
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Authorities say al-Qahtani missed out on taking part in the attacks because he was denied entry to the U.S. by an immigration agent. (CBS/AP)
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Sept. 11 And Since
Reflecting on the events of Sept. 11, 2001, the day that changed America.
Mohammed al-Qahtani was one of six men charged by the military in February with murder and war crimes for their alleged roles in the 2001 attacks. Authorities say al-Qahtani missed out on taking part in the attacks because he was denied entry to the U.S. by an immigration agent.
But in reviewing the case, the convening authority for military commissions, Susan Crawford, decided to dismiss the charges against al-Qahtani and proceed with the arraignment for the other five, said Army Lt. Col. Bryan Broyles, the Saudi's military lawyer.
Crawford dismissed the charges Friday without prejudice, meaning they can be filed again later, but the defense only learned about it Monday, Broyles told The Associated Press.
The attorney said he could not comment on the reasons for the dismissal until discussing the case with lawyers for the other five defendants. Officials previously said al-Qahtani had been subjected to a harsh interrogation authorized by former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.
A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Cmdr. Jeffrey Gordon, confirmed the case was proceeding against the five defendants and that their arraignment will be within 30 days of the charges being served at the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Gordon declined further comment since the Office of Military Commissions had not yet released the formal announcement about the legal developments.
The five defendants include Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the suspected mastermind of the terrorist attacks in 2001 that killed nearly 3,000 people, and Ramzi Binalshibh, who is said to have been the main intermediary between the hijackers and al Qaeda leaders. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for all of them.
Their trial is the first capital case thus far before the military tribunals at Guantanamo, where the U.S. holds about 270 men on suspicion of terrorism or links to al Qaeda and the Taliban. The military has said it plans to prosecute about 80 prisoners in the first U.S. military war crimes tribunals since World War II.
Authorities have said they plan to broadcast the trials to military bases in the United States so relatives of the victims of the attacks can see the proceedings.
Critics of the tribunals have faulted a rule that allows judges to decide whether to allow evidence that may have been obtained with "coercion." U.S. authorities have acknowledged that Mohammed was subjected to waterboarding by CIA interrogators and that al-Qahtani was treated harshly at Guantanamo.
Al-Qahtani last fall recanted a confession he said he made after he was tortured and humiliated at Guantanamo.
The alleged torture, which he detailed in a written statement, included being beaten, restrained for long periods in uncomfortable positions, threatened with dogs, exposed to loud music and freezing temperatures and stripped nude in front of female personnel.
The U.S. has alleged that al-Qahtani, who military records show is about 28, barely missed becoming the 20th hijacker on Sept. 11, 2001. The Saudi was denied entry into the country by immigration agents at the airport in Orlando, Florida.
At the time, he had more than US$2,400 in cash, no return plane ticket and lead hijacker Mohamed Atta was waiting for him, the military has said.
Separately Monday, Gordon said the Pentagon has not decided whether to appeal a ruling that ousted a top legal official from a detainee case scheduled to become the first to go to trial at Guantanamo Bay.
In a ruling last week, a military judge at Guantanamo found that Air Force Brig. Gen. Thomas Hartmann, the legal adviser for the tribunals, lacks neutrality and should not participate in the case against a Yemeni who is a former driver for Osama bin Laden. His trial is set for June 2.
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See all 63 CommentsThe govt has so much as admitted that the accused didn''t do what they accused him of. But, more importantly, he received ''harsh interrogation'' as ordered by Donald Rumsfeld. Translation: they illegally tortured this guy!
His trial would have become a showcase of American abuse of prisoners, of U.S. govt''s violation of int''l law, and the misdeeds of Rumsfeld and others. That, was NOT exactly what prosecutors wanted! So, they''re cutting their losses and setting him free!
Notice the childish way they did it---without prejudice---allowing them to bring it up again at a later time if they want. The point is---they don''t have a case now, and it won''t be a case in the future!So, stop embarassing the U.S. govt and people!
So when the Bush klan''s war crimes and treason trials start, can we hope to see those on public TV also?
Over 6 year to conclude that this guy isn''t guilty. Just goes to show you how inept our government and military leaders are.
Debunking the 9/11 *Anti-No-Plane-Theory* Myths
%u2022Learn of the 1999 Washington Post article detailing the military''s hologram project.
%u2022Learn of the NYPD official who said the South Tower strike "looked like an evil magician''s trick".
%u2022Learn of the FDNY official who said %u201CI never actually saw a plane hit the building. I never saw that. I saw it on television, but I never saw it while I was standing there%u201D.
%u2022Learn that very few people reported seeing airplanes, and even fewer reported hearing them.
%u2022Learn of the mainstream media articles detailing how the military and TV Networks broadcast fake footage to deceive the public.
%u2022Learn of the no-plane / directed energy weapon court cases in the US District Court, Southern District of New York, with Attorney Jerry Leaphart
%u2022Watch the ABC video of Peter Jennings. He knew the airplane video was fake. Note his nervousness and word fumbling when ABC played the clip back in slow motion.
http://www.checktheevidence.co.uk/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=163&Itemid=60
or here:
tinyurl.com/3ye2cn
Debunking the 9/11 *Anti-No-Plane-Theory* Myths
**Learn of the 1999 Washington Post article detailing the military''''s hologram project.
**Learn of the NYPD official who said the South Tower strike "looked like an evil magician''''s trick".
**Learn of the FDNY official who said %u201CI never actually saw a plane hit the building. I never saw that. I saw it on television, but I never saw it while I was standing there%u201D.
**Learn that very few people reported seeing airplanes, and even fewer reported hearing them.
**Learn of the mainstream media articles detailing how the military and TV Networks broadcast fake footage to deceive the public.
**Learn of the no-plane / directed energy weapon court cases in the US District Court, Southern District of New York, with Attorney Jerry Leaphart
**Watch the ABC video of Peter Jennings. He knew the airplane video was fake. Note his nervousness and word fumbling when ABC played the clip back in slow motion.
http://www.checktheevidence.co.uk/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=163&Itemid=60
or here:
tinyurl.com/3ye2cn
You are out there, fellow. I do believe that there was a conspiracy, but not the kind you are thinking of. This conspiracy was a "wait and let''s see if they do something" conspiracy. We already know that the terrorists were on terrorist watch lists even before being admitted into the country. That is highly suspicious because they if they wouldn''t let an onion worker into this country, how will they allow someone on a terrorist watch list? After it all happened, they pretended to be taken by surprise. Then came the anthrax spores right out of a US lab. Nope, something was up alright and the planes were real - just ask anybody who saw it all happen.
You are out there, fellow. I do believe that there was a conspiracy, but not the kind you are thinking of. This conspiracy was a "wait and let''s see if they do something" conspiracy. We already know that the terrorists were on terrorist watch lists even before being admitted into the country. That is highly suspicious because they if they wouldn''t let an onion worker into this country, how will they allow someone on a terrorist watch list? After it all happened, they pretended to be taken by surprise. Then came the anthrax spores right out of a US lab. Nope, something was up alright and the planes were real - just ask anybody who saw it all happen.
Using the incident to justify war crimes in Iraq, when none of the perpetrators were Iraqis...
SAME AS THOSE WHO SAY "HOLOCAUST IS A MYTH"!
Or that Iraqis did it, so we should commit genocide against them.
The "terrorists" responsible for 9/11 are all dead already, they died in the attack.
Those people resisting US occupation IN Iraq, Afghanistan, and soon very possibly Iran, are not terrorists, they are rightfully defending their own people against the US invasion and occupation, and also fighting to fill the power vacuum created when Bush lynched Saddam.
The only real "terrorists" currently occupy the White House.
NOTHING SATISFIES THE TERRORIST Dumshun''s LUST FOR ISLAMIC BLOOD!
AND THEIR belief in Bush''s PROPAGANDA MACHINE "JUSTIFIES" THEIR HEINOUS CRIMES!
Irrelevant.
As long as they do it to themselves, then it is their own problem, and still no justification for your advocation of genocide.
Hubris, and what''s sadder is that you only spout words, but send others to die for your twisted interpretation.
"THEN "WEED-OUT" THE TERRORIST SUPPORTERS"
Posted by dumbshun
That would take out the Republicans.
Posted by dumbshun
As long as they do it to themselves, it is not my concern, and certainly your advocation of genocide against them is just more of the same.
"EVIL IS EVIL!" Posted by dumbshun
Except when Dumbshun advocates it.
"FIGHT IT WITH ALL WE GOT!" Posted by dumbshun
We "got" you, but you don''t have the courage of your convictions, you want others to die for your twisted belief.
SAME AS THOSE WHO SAY "Iraq was responsible for 9/11"!
THEIR LUST FOR Semite BLOOD WANTS ANOTHER HOLOCAUST.
That, and the fact that you get off on it also.
Posted by dumbshun
Except when you and your hero Bush advocate it, right?
Posted by dumbshun
17 Saudis, one Bahranian, and one Qatari are the alleged hijacker group, but the US invades Iraq and Afghanistan, and now threatens Iran.
The facts suggest that your phrase "believes in evil for evil" is one "evil" too many. It should read "believes in evil for profit."
Posted by dumbshun
Blah, blah, all name calling, no logic to back up your statements, and no ability to refute any of my points with any logical evidence.
Typical of a death worshiper.
You first.
I hear the military is hiring, so why not join up?
Reported for continuous violations of rules of engagement.
So you''re going to join up?
Reported again.
I reported him a few times, but it seems to have no effect.
I think this is Rumsfeld in drag.
But you have never been able to refute any of my posts with any facts, so you resort to trolling and name calling. Typical.
There was somebody going around making a list and nonsense. So I reported him several times and believe it or not, he was removed everywhere his list appeared. It takes awhile, and sometimes if you can get a lot of people to do it at once, it gets their attention quicker. But I do think his spamming over and over that you or me, or anyone else is a Jihadist is just about enough. He''s an idiot, of course, but let him go be an idiot somewhere else.
SHALL I SEND THEM TO CBS?" Posted by dumbshun
Be my guest.
Btw, I once got into an argument about Singapore with you and CBS deleted my posts! LOL!
Yep, I remember, that was Lars008, who then kept reappearing like a case of herpes under different names, most recently "terrorislam(***)".
I engage them because I know that people world wide read these posts, (I am presently in Singapore), and I feel that the world needs to see that not all Americans are death worshiping, xenophobic advocates of genocide.
These posts do become flooded with virulent postings from such people, so I put my 2 cents in in an effort to balance the perception.
Name calling is only an argument in the mind of the uncivilized, your posts contain no valid reasoning for your advocacy of genocide.
"Btw, I once got into an argument about Singapore with you and CBS deleted my posts! LOL!" Posted by rudy654
I remember, at least you presented points for your position, and in a civilized manner, rather opposite of our dumbshun, so it does beg the question of why they were deleted.
Perhaps CBS didn''t want to upset certain people?
Posted by brianbwb at 04:38 AM
I was a little strong. But I believed that they didn''t want to upset Singapore!! LOL!
Posted by dumbshun at 04:41 AM
In fact, dumbshun, there is nothing wrong with being told that one needs to tone it down. I am not immune, but I do feel that you are over the top with your day in and day out labeling of others as Jihadist.
And here is the difference. One used to be able to go on to yahoo chat and you would find several Muslims who did indeed advocate Jihadism. If you had called any of those people there Jihadist, they would have answered you with, "thanks." Here you throw it out as an insult even when there is no one posting.
Precisely what I was thinking, after all they do have a US naval base here, and it is the Pacific''s largest shipping port, and one of the world''s largest.
Not bad for a tiny country of 3.5 million people.
I call it their own business, and their own problem, none of ours, but as I also said, since you hate them so much, put on your uniform and go on over there yourself.
Posted by brianbwb at 04:58 AM : May 13, 2008
I''ll say yes to that. Lets form our own religious militia, made out of all the Nascar Republicans and ship em over to Iraq -- they sound willing enough -- to bring "democracy" and "freedom" to the jihadis. I''ve even come up with a name:
"Republican Desert Rangers"*
*thank you GTA IV for the inspiration.
YOUR OWN POST SHOW IT ALL!
Posted by dumbshun at 04:50 AM : May 13, 2008
Let me see...in 2006 and 2007, they were estimating that there are 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States....hmmmm...how many people live in Israel? Well, son of a gun...7,282,000.
Here is a thought:
We throw 7,282,000 illegal immigrants out (they can have a lottery to see who gets to stay), transport the entire population of Israel over to here, and close Israel down.
That should be acceptable under Judaism; how can a people who profess to worship the "one true God" and who vociferously condemn the worsh of false idols argue otherwise?
Or is there some sort of escape clause in the "one true God and no false idols" rule that permits the worship of buildings, walls, and pieces of land?
lolll...yah, I know it won''t fly - there are too many Christians who worship those same kinds of material things - and Muslims, too.
And so humanity must continue to provide the blood the three religions rightiously and piously demand for the sacrifices that use to consecrate their false idols.
Here is a thought:
We throw 7,282,000 illegal immigrants out (they can have a lottery to see who gets to stay), transport the entire population of Israel over to here, and close Israel down.
That should be acceptable under Judaism; how can a people who profess to worship the "one true God" and who vociferously condemn the worship of false idols argue otherwise?
Or is there some sort of escape clause in the "one true God and no false idols" rule that permits the worship of buildings, walls, and pieces of land?
lolll...yah, I know it will not fly - there are too many Christians who worship those same kinds of material things - and Muslims, too.
And so humanity must continue to provide the sacrifices the three religions rightiously and piously demand for the blood that they use to consecrate their false idols.
They would help to counterbalance the staggering number of Republicans who think anything that makes them money - even if it cripples the nation - is okie-dokie.)
If it weren''t for the Middle East''s oil, I daresay they''d be standing in line to cut our ties to Israel...
Much talk, no action. You have your flight booked?
And how do you know this?
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