GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (AFP) — A suspect at a US military hearing at the Guantanamo Bay prison Thursday lauded Osama bin Laden saying the terror mastermind had exposed American "hypocrisy."
"I think he has succeeded again enormously in exposing your hypocrisy ... that you are the land of justice and law," said Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud Al-Qosi, who is said to have been bin Laden's personal chauffeur.
He was appearing before a US military commission at the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba where some 275 terror suspects are being held.
"The whole world had a headache from your hypocrisy that you are the land of justice," Qosi said. "Real justice and equality are great principles. Even children understand that."
Judge, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Nancy Paul, briefly cut Qosi short, saying he was in danger of incriminating himself ahead of his still unscheduled trial if he kept reading his statement.
But in a reconvened session later Thursday and following pleas from Qosi, the judge allowed him to finish reading his prepared statement.
"The only war crime I committed is in reality my nationality," said the Sudanese-born Qosi, wearing what appeared to be traditional dress, a white Muslim skullcap and sporting a long salt-and-pepper beard.
"My crime is that I am a Sudanese citizen," he added before saying he would not take part in any future proceedings and removing his translator headphone despite requests by the judge to put them back on.
Qosi faces charges of providing material support for acts of terrorism and conspiring with terrorists bin Laden. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
Qosi, 47, was among the first detainees to appear before the commission when it convened for the first time in 2004.
He is said to have been a cook, payroll clerk as well as a personal driver for bin Laden before his capture by Pakistani forces in the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan in December 2001.
He has repeatedly denied any role in any terror plots including the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon which were claimed by Al-Qaeda.
Several times during the 70-minute hearing, Paul asked Qosi if he wanted either his court appointed counselor or a civilian lawyer to represent him.
But he replied he preferred to represent himself.
"I do not recognize this court or recognize the justice of this court," said Qosi, adding he would not even attend further sessions of the commission.
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