In his first public appearance since his arrest, Khan, 32, was clad in a dark suit, a pink tie, a crew cut haircut, bespectacled and sporting a goatee. Denying the use of an interpreter, Khan spoke in an American accent, a throwback from the years he spent in a US high school and his time in Baltimore, Maryland from 1996 to 2002. Khan said, “I have been trying to contact the Embassy of Pakistan for nine years…I want to officially request that I want a Pakistani lawyer down the road.”
However, he expressed satisfaction with his current representation.
Khan’s lawyer Jonathon Dixon asked the judge to seal parts of the plea-bargain agreement as it might endanger the lives of Khan’s friends and family.
The prosecution had disagreed on Khan’s motion to seal parts of the agreement. While the prosecution lawyer Courtney Sullivan said, “We are not disputing a theoretical risk to individuals in foreign countries, “adding that some of the information was already in the public domain though it was not in the public interest to do so. Dixon, on behalf of his client asked to introduce a classified document detailing why they felt that there was a need to keep sealed certain sections of the plea-bargain agreement in the near future.
The judge however, denied the defense’s motion to seal parts of the plea-bargain agreement.
According to sources, Majid Khan’s parents, who reside in Maryland, did not come to Fort Meade to see the CCTV proceedings of the arraignment hearing.
During the hearing, Khan, when responding to the different charges against him, said that he never met Osama Bin Laden, who he referred to as “Sheikh Osama Bin Laden.” Khan also said that he did not know the money he delivered in 2003 were for the purpose of the Indonesia hotel bombing in August of 2003.
In a copy of the pre-trial agreement seen by The Express Tribune, Khan has agreed to cooperate fully and truthfully with the government. He has also agreed to provide "complete and accurate information" in interviews, depositions and testimony. The agreement also says that the convening authority will recommend to the JTF-GTMO commander that as long as "Khan is fully and truthfully cooperating" with the authorities, he should not be detained at Camp VII.
According to the pre-trial agreement discussed in court, the maximum sentence that the convening authority can impose on Khan is lighter 19 years.
The sentencing is due to take place in 2016. The four years that Khan is to serve in confinement from current day to 2016 will be credited to the sentence that is awarded to him.
When discussing the pre-trial agreement, Judge Pohl said that that Khan cannot sue the United States for capture, detention, prosecution, confinement and post-confinement. Khan said that he also might be held post serving his sentence, but he could seek relief from the courts.
In response, Khan said, “So basically you’re saying I can’t sue the CIA…this agreement does not guarantee that I can ever get free…I’m making a leap of faith here. That’s all I can do.” The censor at the commission imposed white noise and cut the CCTV proceedings’ feed at the mention of the CIA, which was resumed shortly after the judge told Khan not to mention the defendants.
Khan was reportedly kept in a CIA secret prison from 2003 to 2006, before he was transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2006. While at the detention facility, Khan reportedly tried to commit suicide twice, once by “chewing on his veins.”
Khan, as a high-value detainee, was detained at Camp VII, where 14 other high value detainees, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, are imprisoned. The Washington Post had earlier reported that Khan had been transferred out of Camp VII before his hearing.
Judge Pohl accepted Khan’s plea of guilty, and advised Khan that he could withdraw from the agreement if he chose to. Khan is due to be sentenced in four years. The commission proceedings have come to an end.
Khan had been accused, amongst other charges, of plotting to assassinate the former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in 2002, and helping provide financing for the 2003 bomb blast in Indonesia. Khan is also accused of plotting with Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, the 9/11 mastermind, to carry out attacks in the United States.
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@Mumbai Kid: BJP was in power for one term.We voted for Mr.Atal Bihari Bajpeyi and not BJP.We realised our mistake.BJP will not come to power in center again.That is for sure.
@Mumbai Kid: "ruth is Pakistani society has fermented extremism purposely and mindfully due to their inbred insecurity propagated by their ex generals who could not digest the loss in Bangladesh war" I agree that the army has encouraged intolerance and hate. But I differ with the timeline. Why did Pakistan attack India in 1965 and tell its own people that India has attacked it (do you know they actually celebrate 'Defence Day' for successfully defending Itself from India's onslaught in 1965? In 1970 people used to move around with 'Crush India' stickers on their cars. This too happened before the fall of Dhaka.
The generals know that by constantly keeping the fear of India alive, they will be able to take disproportionate share of budget for armed forces. And this started from Ayub's time.
my dear friend its a plea bargain agreement. 101% sure he got sick of the torture, and agreed for the agreement.
Mumbai Kid:You couldn't have said it better,My country would have been in a much better shape had their been one moral code,here we have multiple layers of Moral codes with Religion as the Base and it is the obvious conflict within the multiple moral codes,results of which we are reaping.
There will be no Pakistani comment on this news. Where is the roftcopter with his interesting choice of words for denial ? Truth is Pakistani society has fermented extremism purposely and mindfully due to their inbred insecurity propagated by their ex generals who could not digest the loss in Bangladesh war. Pakistan's own history says it all, that it was after loosing Bangladesh the country and it's military took a deep dive in religion and extremism. Extremism abets intolerance which in turn abets hate, which is a powerful weapon during war. An army driven by hate is far more furious and aggressive then army driven by duty towards nation. Pakistani army in it's own word says it's duty is towards Islam and do not put nation as their first priority. This breeding of extremist and indoctrinating the nation and children with hatred towards India and Hindu has made Pakistan a never sleeping factory of terrorists. Sad that the liberals are becoming more of rare species in Pakistan and more and more younger generations feel pride in their extreme and often violent right wings like difa-e-pakistan. Well I do not have right to say this frankly cause we have morons like BJP, Shiv Sena and RSS who are equally bad. But still in my defense I can claim that even though these trio have large number of volunteers, the main stream common man in India do not support them. That is why BJP has only come to power maybe twice or thrice until now. Extremism is poison and will destroy our country and we will forever remain the puppet of foreign governments like USA and China. If many countries in west can let go their old enmity and become friends with open border why can't India and Pakistan. We have more in common then we believe.