January 2009
November 18th 2010
Tanzanian Ahmed Ghailani, 36, was found guilty of conspiracy to damage or destroy US property with explosives. But he was cleared of many other counts including murder and murder conspiracy. Ghailani faces a minimum of 20 years in prison. The verdict comes as the US weighs other civilian terror trials. The BBC's Iain Mackenzie, in Washington, says the verdict in the Ghailani case will be seen as a huge blow to the Obama administration. It hopes to try other Guantanamo detainees in civilian courts - including alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Officials will now be considering how to proceed, but it could mean the controversial prison remains open for some time to come, our correspondent adds.
Mr Ghailani was detained in Pakistan in 2004, taken to a secret CIA facility and then to Guantanamo Bay in 2006. He was subject to what the government refers to as "enhanced interrogation" by the CIA. His lawyers say he was tortured. Despite losing its key witness, the government was given broad latitude to refer to al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden throughout the trial. Defence lawyer Peter Quijano welcomed the acquittals. He said the one conviction would be appealed, adding: "We still truly believe he is innocent of all these charges."
Guantanamo Bay - USA Video
November 2008
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