A Flurry of Tribunals for Detainees at Guantanamo

The cases of five terrorist suspects detained at this U.S. naval base went before military review panels Thursday, the highest number for one day since the tribunals began last month. A sixth case was postponed.

The tribunals are to determine whether the 585 prisoners at the U.S. outpost in eastern Cuba should be released or remain jailed as enemy combatants for alleged links to Afghanistan’s ousted Taliban regime or the Al Qaeda terrorist network.

Twenty-one cases have been reviewed so far, but no recommendations have been made. U.S. officials conceded this week that the process was going much slower than anticipated and could extend into next year.

The review hearings are not connected to criminal proceedings that U.S. prosecutors are preparing against four prisoners on charges ranging from conspiracy to aiding the enemy.

In the only hearing witnessed by Associated Press on Thursday, a Kuwaiti detainee agreed he worked for an Islamic charity in Afghanistan that the U.S. military said helped finance Al Qaeda, but he denied knowing anything about terrorist activities.

“I was just an employee. I have nothing to do with the inside of the organization,” said the 40-year-old prisoner, who has been jailed for more than two years and spoke through an Arabic interpreter.

“This wasn’t a terrorist organization. It was there to help people.”

Journalists are prohibited from releasing the names of detainees or tribunal members. The prisoners are not allowed lawyers for the hearings.

The U.S. military alleges that the Kuwaiti man was a principal organizer for the Wafa organization, a charity that says it finances humanitarian projects like clinics.

The military also says the Kuwaiti man was closely associated with Sulaiman abu Ghaith, an alleged spokesman for Osama bin Laden, and had prior knowledge of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The man said he managed the charity in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, but said he barely knew Abu Ghaith and had no knowledge of the attacks. He said he was trying to escape when he was captured in Pakistan, but he did not elaborate.

“What’s my mistake? What is the relationship between fighting and a charity organization?” he asked.

Another panel heard from a 32-year-old Saudi held at Guantanamo for 2 1/2 years.

In addition, three men chose not to appear at their hearings -- a 25-year-old detainee from Yemen held 2 1/2 years, a 25-year-old Afghani detained about two years and a Saudi held 2 1/2 years.

A total of 11 men have refused to participate in the review process. Their reasons were not revealed.