The 5 men accused of plotting the deadly September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States were formally charged over Saturday goes along with crimes that include murder as well as terrorism.
Confessed mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed as well as the 4 another accused opted to plead neither innocent nor guilty, but more to defer their plea to a consequence date.
The special military tribunal charged Mohammed, 47, as well as the 4 anothers goes along with “conspiracy, attacking civilians, murder as well as violation of the law of war, destruction, hijacking, terrorism” for their role in the strikes in that Al-Qaeda militants flew hijacked airliners into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon, as well as a field in Pennsylvania.
If ascertained guilty, the 5 face the death penalty for their role in the attacks that killed 2,976 people.
Mohammed was charged along goes along with his Pakistani nephew Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali, asides acknowledgen as Ammar al-Baluchi; Mustapha al-Hawsawi of Saudi Arabia; as well as Yemenis Ramzi Binalshibh as well as Walid bin Attash.
After a hearing lasting more than 9 hours, Mohammed as well as the co-defendants — in a much method-anticipated first public appearance in three years — opted to defer their plea.
“Maybe you are not going to see us any more,” Binalshibh shouted out in a dramatic moment at the arraignment hearing in the US base in southeastern Cuba, telling Judge James Pohl, “You are going to kill us.”
Dressed in white jumpsuits, goes along with several wearing white turbans, the men regionly watched the proceedings in silence, refusing to engage goes along with the officials.
Binalshibh interrupted nevertheless by suddenly standing to pray, as well as and then alternately kneeling as well as standing.
He asides shouted out: “The era of Kadhafi is from but you have Kadhafi in the camp … you are going to kill us as well as say that we are committing suicide.”
Only overe, bin Attash, was handcuffed when the group was brought into court, but Pohl ordered the manacles removed afterwards being assured he would “behave appropriately.”
The arraignment, overe of the last steps prior to a so-called “trial of the century” takes place, marks the second time the United States has tried to prosecute the 9/11 suspects.
During the procedures the 5 men regionly kept their eyes fixed over the ground. Two of them were reading a book that appeared to be the Koran, although they were asides passing a copy of The Economist magazine among ourselves.
“Accused refused to answer,” Pohl repeated from as well as from furthermore, for each time an accused defiantly refused to respond to questions.
Mohammed, dubbed KSM for his initials, remained calm, his long time, flowing beard appearing to have been dyed goes along with red henna.
Mohammed’s lawyer David Nevin stated his client, who three years ago confessed to the 9/11 attacks “from A to Z,” probably would not speak at the hearing because he is “deeply concerned by the fairness of the process.”
The accused men asides refused to wear headphones to hear the simultaneous translation of the proceedings, that were being held in English. Their lawyers stated it reminded them of their harsh interrogations.
Bin Attash’s civilian attorney Cheryl Borman, the overly woman over the defense team, was dressed in black as well as wore a hijab. “Because of what happened to them … over the last 8 years, these men have been mistreated,” she argued.
The hearing turned froms about overe year afterwards President Barack Obama ordered the US Navy SEALs raid that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.
The 5 men have been held for years at the US naval base in southeastern Cuba although a legal as well as political battle has played out from how as well as where to prosecute them. Debates have asides raged from their treatment.
Mohammed was arrested in 2003 as well as spent three years in secret CIA jails where he was subjected to harsh interrogations, including waterboarding, as well as confessed to a series of attacks as well as plots.
The Pentagon opened 4 military bases in the United States to the entireow families of the 9/11 victims to watch the case unfold over a giant screen.
The trial may still be years away, except if Mohammed pleads guilty to be put to death not long to comeer as well as turned a “martyr” for Al-Qaeda.
