Terror driver trial to forge ahead

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-28  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

1/2   This image from television shows the demolition of the 20-metertall cooling tower at the main reactor complex in Yongbyon in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea yesterday. The DPRK destroyed the most visible symbol of its nuclear weapons program yesterday in a sign of its commitment to stop making atomic bombs. More in photo gallery

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A JUDGE has refused to postpone the trial of former Osama bin Laden driver Salim Hamdan, saying the defense has had enough time to study a recent Supreme Court decision and see how it might apply to the first Guantanamo war crimes tribunal.

Navy Captain Keith Allred, the military judge in the case, had already postponed Hamdan's trial once and said it should now go on as planned on July 21.

"The defense has had ample time to raise the issues it now seeks additional time to raise," Allred said in a ruling released yesterday by the Pentagon.

Allred warned prosecutors, who are preparing to bring nearly two dozen witnesses to Guantanamo for the week-long trial, that the defense might still raise constitutional issues based on the Supreme Court ruling that will force him to postpone the trial.

The judge will consider defense and prosecution motions at pretrial hearings scheduled to begin on July 14 at the US Navy base in Cuba.

Hamdan, a Yemeni, faces up to life in prison if convicted of supporting terrorism. He is one of 19 Guantanamo prisoners with charges pending against him; the US has said it plans to prosecute about 80.

Hamdan's military lawyer, Navy Lieutenant Commander Brian Mizer, sought to delay his trial, arguing that the June 12 Supreme Court ruling on Guantanamo prisoners established new rights for his client.