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Five at Guantanamo to face capital charges

by Dave Keating | May 14, 2008 at 05:15 am | 92 views | add comment

After many years, it would appear charges are being brought against alleged planners of the 9/11 attacks.

A Pentagon official has formally approved death penalty charges against reputed 9/11 architect Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other men for allegedly conspiring in the Sept. 11 attacks, according to their charge sheet obtained by The Miami Herald.

Military Commissions officials e-mailed the approved charge sheets to defense lawyers after the close of business Monday — confirming plans for the first war court prosecution seeking execution as the ultimate penalty.

That means that, absent defense requests for delay, the men could make their first appearance at the Guantanamo war court in June.

The Bush administration approved the charges on Friday, but dropped Saudi detainee Mohammed al-Qahtani, initially included in the group, from the charge sheet.

The five are accused of conspiring to kill 2,973 people by financing, directing and organizing the 9/11 suicide missions.