Monday, August 9, 2010

US Prepares for Guantanamo Trial of Youngest Detainee

Final preparations were under way Sunday for the first war crimes trial under U.S. President Barack Obama.

Canadiancitizen Omar Khadr, the youngest detainee at Guantanamo Bay, Cubadetention center, was captured in Afghanistan in 2002 when he was just15.

Khadr, now 23, is accused of

lobbing a grenade that killed a U.S. soldier, Army Sgt. 1st ClassChristopher Speer of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Khadr faces a maximumlife sentence if convicted of charges including murder, conspiracy andspying. His trial could begin Tuesday after pre-trial hearings.

Aseparate military commission will begin deliberations Monday on asentence for Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al-Qosi, a Sudanese detainee whopleaded guilty last month to one count each of conspiracy and providingmaterial support for terrorism.

Al-Qosi was accused of acting asaccountant, paymaster, supply chief and cook for al-Qaida during the1990s. He allegedly worked later as a bodyguard for Osama bin Laden.

Some information for this report provided by AP.

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