Monday 25 October 2010

Canadian militant pleads guilty

Undated image of Omar KhadrKhadr had been facing a possible life sentence if convicted

Canadian Omar Khadr, the youngest detainee at Guantanamo Bay, has pleaded guilty to all charges at a tribunal.

Khadr pleaded guilty to five charges, including murder, in a plea agreement with US military authorities.

Khadr is accused of throwing a grenade that killed a US soldier during a raid on an al-Qaeda compound in Afghanistan.

The 24-year-old, who had been facing a possible life sentence if convicted, was wounded and captured in Afghanistan in 2002 when he was 15.

Khadr was charged at his war crimes tribunal with murder in violation of the laws of war, conspiracy, providing material assistance to a terrorist organisation and espionage.

The defendant also admitted planting improvised explosive devices and receiving weapons training from al-Qaeda.

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Details of the plea deal have not yet been disclosed.

It could potentially mean Khadr avoids life in prison, or see him returned to Canada to serve a shorter jail term.

The authorities will now hold a sentencing hearing before a jury of military officers.

Khadr's lawyers have argued in the past that his family forced him into the war as a child.

They have also portrayed him as a boy intimidated by three "bad men", who lawyers have said directed Khadr's actions.

Khadr trial began in August but was delayed when his lawyer fell ill.

He grew up in Canada, Pakistan and Afghanistan and is the son of an al-Qaeda official who was killed in 2003.

This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-us-canada-11621232

Fred Mahusay Houston File Corinne Leinen

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