Military Commisions Moving Onward: Baluchi

Ammar al Baluchi, an Arab man held at Guantánamo Bay, is a high-value captive who reportedly admitted to sending more than $100,000 to one of the 9/11 hijackers – but said he knew nothing of the plot and that it was no uncommon for him to transfer cash to wealthy Persian Gulf students studying in the United States.^[1] Baluchi said, by way of “example, I had a friend he was going to study English language, not university, for six months. He took money to buy a Ferrari car in America.''^[2]

Baluchi also denied being an enemy combatant. Instead, he identified himself as an ordinary Persian Gulf businessman who dealt in massive cash transactions.^[3] While he did acknowledge that he is a nephew of Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-described 9/11 mastermind, he fervently asserted he never met Osama bin Laden, any of his deputies, and never joined al-Qaeda.^[4] Baluchi also admitted to sending more than $100,000 by wire transfer to Sept. 11 hijacker Marwan al Shehhi, who the FBI believed piloted United Flight 175. But, Baluchi asserts that he sent the money as a routine favor for Shehhi, again, completely unaware of the 9/11 plot.^[5]

Last year, the Bush administration described Baluchi as a member of “an extended family of extremists that has spawned such notorious terrorists as his detained uncle . . . [Mohammed]and incarcerated World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef." ^[6] It further described Baluchi as a terrorist intermediary between Mohammed and 9/11.^[7]

The hearing was held to ascertain Baluchi’s status as an enemy combatant. This hearing is a prelude to any possible trial by Military Commission at Guantánamo.^[8] The only other trial of this nature to occur thus far is the one of Australian al-Qaeda foot soldier David Hicks which ended recently in a guilty plea and a nine-month sentence.

We have previously discussed the military commissions being held at Guantánamo, here.

---

^[1] Carol Rosenberg, Terror suspect denies knowledge of 9/11 plots, Miami Herald, Apr. 12, 2007, available at http://www.miamiherald.com/416/story/71522.html (last visited Apr. 13, 2007).
^[2] Id.
^[3] Id.
^[4] Id.
^[5] Id.
^[6] Id.
^[7] Id.
^[8] Id.