Guantanamo Bay News

Comedian Frankie Boyle has today announced a defamation suit against MI5 and MI6 on behalf of Shaker Aamer, the last remaining British resident held in Guantanamo Bay.

Boyle joined legal action charity Reprieve in London this morning to confirm the launch of the captive's legal action.

Mr Aamer, who was rendered to Guantanamo in 2002, alleges that the intelligence agencies have told lies about him, claiming he holds links with al Qaeda, which prevent his release despite politicians in both the UK and US requesting he be freed.

Ahead of the announcement Boyle tweeted: "Shaker Aamer, with a British family and a kid he's never seen, (is) just trying to get home."

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James Connell, a lawyer for Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali, one of the five men accused of plotting the 9/11 attacks has been speaking at a press conference today.

He addressed what he said was his client's participation in "peaceful resistance to an unjust system" on the first day of the military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay on Saturday.

He also said that the men has endured years of "inhumane treatment and torture" that has had serious long-term effects and will ultimately infect every aspect of the military commission tribunal.

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The charge sheet against the four men being tried for their involvement in the 9/11 disaster has been made available online.

The lengthy document details all the charges and offences which are levelled at the four men and also lists all those killed in attacks.

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Deputy Chief Jim Riches from the New York fire department, who lost his firefighter son Jimmy on September 11th aged 29, has travelled to Guantanamo Bay to see the trial of those believed to be responsible.

He explained how the defendants are refusing to co-operate with the proceedings of the court.

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Nearly 11 years after the September 11th attacks family members of some of the victims have been watching via closed-circuit TV as the self-proclaimed mastermind of the attacks and four co-defendants were arraigned Saturday before a US military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Debra Burlingame, whose brother Charles was the captain of American Airlines flight 77, Robert Rigg, a retired firefighter who was injured in the World Trade Centre rescue operation and Lee and Eunice Hanson who lost their three children on United Airlines flight 175 gave their reaction.

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Families who came to watch the hearing of the alleged 9/11 suspects at Guantanamo Bay said the defendants had "nothing but contempt" for American people. One woman said a defendant stopped the hearing "to pray".

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We're entering Hour 4 of the #9/11 hearing and the alleged mastermind hasn't said a word. He spoke, prayed aloud at Bush era arraignment.

From @carolrosenberg on Twitter: ( 6:06 pm, Sat 05 May 2012)

Bin al Shibh is pointedly ignoring the judge. He's got an open Quran on his lap, and prayer beads in one hands. Refuses to answer.

From @carolrosenberg on Twitter: ( 3:05 pm, Sat 05 May 2012)

Bin al Shibh persisted, briefly: "Maybe they are going to kill us and say that we are committing suicide."

From @carolrosenberg on Twitter: ( 4:04 pm, Sat 05 May 2012)

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