GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba — A Yemeni man accused of being Al-Qaeda’s former media director and his Pentagon-appointed attorney refused to talk Monday, but their boycott didn’t stop a military judge from beginning Guantanamo’s second war-crimes trial.
Ali Hamza al-Bahlul, facing a possible life sentence, sat silently at his defense table. His attorney, Air Force Maj. David Frakt, said al-Bahlul was boycotting the trial because he rejects a military attorney and has been barred from representing himself. Frakt then declared he would also remain silent while in the courtroom in respect of al-Bahlul’s wishes.
The 39-year-old allegedly created a recruiting video glorifying al-Qaeda’s attack on the destroyer USS Cole in Yemen that killed 17 American sailors in October 2000. He also is accused of arranging for lead Sept. 11 hijacker Mohamed Atta to swear a loyalty oath to Osama bin Laden.
Also Monday, a military judge ruled that defense lawyers can inspect the mysterious Camp 7 at the detention center at Guantanamo Bay.
Defense lawyers said Monday that Judge Ralph Kohlmann, a Marine colonel, ruled that attorneys for Ramzi Binalshibh — an alleged liaison between the Sept. 11 hijackers and al-Qaeda’s leadership in Afghanistan — could visit Camp 7 and inspect the conditions.
