Bin Laden Driver Pleads Not Guilty as Gitmo Trial Gets Underway
The former driver for Osama bin Laden pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges as his closely watched trial got underway today in Guantanamo Bay.
The military trial of Salim Ahmed Hamdan is the first at Guantanamo Bay. He entered the plea today and jury selection got underway, CBC News reports.
Five jurors will be selected from a group of 13 U.S. military officers flown in from around the world to be available to serve, Reuters reports. The judge in the case, Navy Capt. Keith Allred, ruled shortly before the trial began that some of Hamdan’s statements to interrogators may not be used as evidence.
Prosecutors contend Hamdan helped bin Laden escape capture and transported weapons for al-Qaida. They plan to call 22 witnesses. Hamdan says he took the driver job to earn the $200 a month salary and did not provide material support for terrorist activities. His lawyers contend the military commission process is unconstitutional, but their claims won’t be heard until after the trial.
