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Gitmo jury: Life sentence for bin Laden videomaker
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-11-04 10:45

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba -- A Guantanamo prisoner who made propaganda videos for Osama bin Laden and says he volunteered to be a September 11 hijacker was convicted of terrorism charges and sentenced to life in prison Monday.

In this June 5, 2008 file photo, a defense counsel takes a question from members of the media during a news conference inside a hangar used for media activities related to the Military Commissions for war crimes defendants, at Camp Justice, at Guantanamo Bay US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay US Naval Base, in Cuba.  [Agencies] 

A jury of nine US military officers deliberated for just under an hour before condemning Ali Hamza al-Bahlul at Guantanamo's second war-crimes trial. Al-Bahlul was convicted of 35 counts of conspiracy, solicitation to commit murder and providing material support for terrorism.

The jury, which announced its verdict earlier Monday, dismissed one count of conspiracy and one count of providing material support for terrorism.

The 39-year-old Yemeni defiantly admitted joining al-Qaida, accused the US of oppressing Muslims for 50 years and said "we will fight any government that governs America."

He told jurors before his sentencing he volunteered to be the 20th hijacker in the September 11 attacks but bin Laden told him his role was only to produce propaganda.

"We are the only ones on Earth who stand against you," al-Bahlul said, adding that the US has only itself to blame for the September 11 attacks.

"Whoever said this happened out of nowhere is an idiot," he said. "You have started the war against us."

His Pentagon-appointed attorney, Air Force Maj. David Frakt, said he wasn't surprised by the life sentence considering the defendant's comments before sentencing.

"I think the 20th hijacker comment pretty much sealed the deal," Frakt said after the sentencing. "But he might have gotten life anyway."

The lead prosecutor, Army Maj. Daniel Cowhig, said al-Bahlul has shown no remorse or regret.

"When will it be safe for this man to leave confinement? Never," Cowhig said.

Al-Bahlul was not accused of participating in the September 11 attacks, but prosecutors and witnesses said he was so close to bin Laden that he hooked up a satellite receiver so the pair could hear live radio coverage of the attacks as they huddled in Afghanistan's Khost province.

Prosecutors said he also acknowledged to interrogators that he was al-Qaida's media chief, made propaganda videos that inspired terrorists to attack the US, and arranged for lead September 11 hijacker Mohamed Atta to swear a loyalty oath to the al-Qaida chief.

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