Afghan Gitmo detainee referred to military commission

The US Department of Justice has decided on a military prosecution for Afghan Guantánamo Bay detainee Obaidullah, according to court filings Jan. 6. Obaidullah was initially charged by the military in 2008 with hiding and storing anti-tank mines to be deployed against US forces in Afghanistan. He has been held at Guantánamo since 2002. The US government must now decide whether to formally try Obaidullah in a military commission.

Obaidullah is the sixth Guantánamo detainee to have his case referred for military trial since President Barack Obama ordered the closing of the facility and a review of all detainees’ cases last January. In November, the DoJ designated five other cases for military trials, including that of Canadian detainee Omar Khadr. At the same time, the DoJ announced that five accused 9-11 conspirators would be tried in US federal court. (Jurist, Jan. 7)

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