Judge Rejects Gitmo Trial Delay
It appears that Osama Bin Laden's driver and bodyguard, Salim Ahmed Hamdan, will go on trial as scheduled on Monday. A federal judge denied a request to postpone the trial to give Hamdan's lawyers time to fight the idea of a military commissions trial.
"This court should be wary about disturbing their judgment," Robertson said, adding that Hamdan's claims "must be decided in the first instance by the military commission," and not a federal judge.
The government is, of course, please that they can go forward with military prosecutor Col. Lawrence Morris saying he believes the ruling gives the government a green light to proceed with other trials as well.
Hamdan's lawyers maintain he was only a driver and mechanic for Bin Laden and never joined al-Qaeda. It is unknown what evidence the government has acquired to disprove that but with Khalid Sheik Mohammed in custody- a close associate of Bin Laden - chances are the government is well aware of what role Hamdan played in the organization.
Hamdan apparently made some incriminating statements after he was captured as well which his lawyers now want thrown out but which have been ruled to be in. They also claim Hamdan was mistreated but FBI agents and interrogators have testified that Hamdan spoke to them willingly and never complained of being roughed up.