GUANTANAMO BAY U. S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba: U. S. War crimes trial of Osama bin Laden's accused media director began on Monday with silence from the defense side of the Guantanamo Bay courtroom after the judge ruled the Yemeni defendant had the right to stand mute and offer no defense
Defendant Ali Hamza al Bahlul came to the courtroom on the Guantanamo Bay naval base voluntarily but is boycotting participation because he does not recognize the tribunal's legitimacy
"I will be joining Mr. Al Bahlul's boycott of the proceedings, standing mute at the table," said his U. S. Military-appointed lawyer, Air Force Maj. David Frakt
The judge, Air Force Col. David Gregory, said the rules allow Frakt to honor his client's wishes by doing nothing, since the prosecution has the entire burden of proving the charges. His further questions to the defense were met with silence
Bahlul is accused of preparing al Qaeda recruiting materials, including a video glorifying the 2000 attack that killed 17 U. S. Sailors on the warship USS Cole, preparing the videotaped will of Sept. 11 ringleader Mohamed Atta, and operating communications gear for bin Laden
He is also accused of acting as one of the al Qaeda leader's bodyguards
Bahlul, a man so loquacious that other prisoners have begged not to be held in cells adjacent to his, had made lengthy statements in previous hearings. He acknowledged that "I am from al Qaeda", and expressed loyalty to bin Laden
The judge ruled those statements cannot be used as evidence against him because they were made in the limited context of explaining his intent to boycott
Bahlul, who is about 38, refused to wear the earphones that would allow him to hear an Arabic interpretation of the hearing. He is charged with conspiring with al Qaeda, soliciting to commit murder and providing material support for terrorism. He faces life in prison if convicted
His trial is only the second in the special tribunals created by the Bush administration to try non-U. S. Captives on terrorism charges without the protections normally granted to civilians and soldiers. Bin Laden's driver, Salim Hamdan, was convicted at the first one in August of providing material support for terrorism
