CIA Abuse Deemed Trial-Unfit for 9/11 Defendant: Military Judge
A US military judge at Guantanamo Bay has ruled that one of the defendants in the 9/11 attacks case, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, is unfit for trial due to sustained abuse rendering him lastingly psychotic. The judge's ruling means that the prosecution of al-Shibh's four co-defendants will continue without him. Al-Shibh, accused of organizing one cell of the hijackers, remains in custody. The case has faced logistical problems, high turnover, and legal challenges, with no trial date set. Al-Shibh's mental issues were linked to his torture and solitary confinement during his four years in CIA custody. Defense lawyers argue for physical and psychological care for the lasting effects of the torture. The ruling marks the first acknowledgment by the US government of the harm caused by the CIA's "programme of human experimentation."