Jury Out in Trial of bin Laden's Driver

6 military officers deliberate: Was he essential to terror?
By Sam Biddle,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 4, 2008 5:35 PM CDT
Jury Out in Trial of bin Laden's Driver
In this photograph of a sketch by courtroom artist Janet Hamlin, defendant Salim Hamdan looks at a video screen at Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base in Cuba, Wednesday, July 23, 2008.   (AP Photo/Janet Hamlin, Pool)

Jurors began deliberating today in the case Osama bin Laden's driver, the first US captive in a war crimes trial at Guantanamo, Reuters reports. In closing arguments, prosecutors restated their case that Salim Hamdan helped "the world's most dangerous terrorist" launch strikes against the US. The defense called him hired help, akin to a cook or a farmer.

"Changing lug nuts and oil filters" are not crimes, they told the jury of six military officers. "Hitler's driver was never charged with a war crime and it doesn't work that way today." But prosecutors said terror attacks require a driver to "transport the leadership." Four of the six officers have to agree in a secret ballot to cast a guilty verdict against Hamdan. (More Salim Ahmed Hamdan stories.)

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