Guantanamo Detainee Al Darbi Charged in Terrorist Attacks

Mr. al Darbi was allegedly involved in planning attacks on a vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and off the coast of Yemen.

Early days at Guantanamo Bay

(GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba) - The Office of Military Commissions announced today that Charges have been sworn against Guantanamo detainee Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Haza al Darbi of Saudi Arabia, held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba.

Government officials say the accused, al Darbi, is the brother-in-law of the Flight 77 hijacker al Mihdhar. Flight 77 is the plane that hit the Pentagon on 9/11.

According to the official list of detainees, released on May 15th 2006 Al Darbi was born on January 9th 1975, in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

The sworn charges are: Conspiring with others to attack civilians, to murder in violation of the law of war, to destroy property in violation of the law of war, to hazard a vessel and to commit terrorism, and Providing Material Support to Terrorism.

Mr. al Darbi was allegedly involved in planning attacks on a vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and off the coast of Yemen.

It is alleged that the accused, al Darbi, traveled to Jalalabad and met with Usama bin Laden, trained at al Qaeda's Jihad Wahl training camp and later served as a weapons instructor at another al Qaeda training camp.

It is also alleged that from 2001 through 2002, al Darbi moved money from al Qaeda into financial institutions for expenses related to a plot to attack a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz or off the coast of Yemen.

It is further alleged that al Darbi joined in preparations for an al Qaeda terrorist operation in traveling to several countries to purchase a GPS device, a boat, and other equipment in late 2000 or early 2001.

The boat, named "Adnan" would be loaded with explosives for future terrorist operations. The accused, al Darbi, ultimately registered the boat in his name as the "al Rahal" under the Sao Tome flag, and also purchased an additional boat to instruct Yemenis how to swim and operate a boat.

Officials say that in the spring of 2002, al Darbi departed the UAE on board the boat "al Rahal" destined for Yemen, diverted the boat to Somalia due to concerns with his own passport, and during this discussed travel plans by satellite phone with Walid al Shiba.

Al Darbi did not choose to attend either his Combatant Status Review Tribunal or his Administrative Review Board hearing, so the allegations against Al Darbi that have lead to his detention remain unknown.

In accordance with the Military Commissions Act of 2006 and the Manual for Military Commissions, sworn charges must be forwarded for review by the Legal Advisor to the Convening Authority. The Convening Authority may then refer any or all charges to trial by military commission, or may dismiss charges or specifications. If the Convening Authority decides to refer the case to trial, she will designate commission panel members. A military judge and trial dates will be designated at a later time.

Brigadier General Thomas Hartmann, Legal Advisor to the Convening Authority, has stated that these War Crime courts are now moving intensely forward in open courts and with more due process than any war criminal has historically received.

"As the Military Commissions continue, our uniformed service members, including judges, prosecutors and defense counsel, will conduct these trials with the dignity, fairness, and respect for law that defines American military justice," Hartmann stated.

The sworn charges are only allegations that the accused has committed a war crime under the Military Commissions Act, and the accused is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

According to Wikipedia, Al Darbi was held in the Bagram Collection Point in Afghanistan during the period of time members of Alpha Company of the 519th Military Intelligence Battalion are alleged to have routinely brutally beat their captives, resulting in the murders of two prisoners on December 4th 2001 and December 10, 2001.

Al Darbi identified Damien M. Corsetti, a soldier nicknamed "the King of Torture" by his fellow GIs, as one of his abusers.

The military has charged three of about 290 detainees now held at Guantanamo on suspicion of terrorism or links to al-Qaida or the Taliban. It has charges pending against two, including al-Darbi. The other is the former driver for Osama bin Laden, Salim Ahmed Hamdan, whom the Tribunal has decided will not be considered a prisoner of war during proceedings.