Prisoner not seen publicly since 2002 at Gitmo hearing
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A Palestinian not seen publicly since his capture by the CIA in 2002 has appeared at a U.S. government hearing called to determine whether he should remain in detention at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The 45-year-old Abu Zubaydah (ah-BOO’ zoo-BY’-dah) has been held at Guantanamo since September 2006 and was water-boarded as part of the U.S. interrogations after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The U.S. claims Zubaydah played a key role in al-Qaida’s communications and was “generally aware” of the 9/11 attacks before they happened. The government says he “probably retains an extremist mindset.”
An attorney for Zubaydah provided a statement asserting that he should be released and is no longer a danger to the U.S.
The review panel made no immediate decision on his status.
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