A military jury imposed a sentence of 26 years Friday on a former Maryland man who admitted joining al-Qaida and has been held at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre. But under a plea deal, the man could be released as soon as next year because of his cooperation with U.S. authorities.
The sentencing of Majid Khan is the culmination of the first trial by military commission for one of the 14 so-called high-value detainees who were sent to the U.S. naval base in Cuba in 2006 after being held in a clandestine network of overseas CIA detention facilities and subjected to the harsh interrogation program developed in response to the 9/11 attacks.
Khan, a 41-year-old citizen of Pakistan who came to the U.S. in the 1990s and graduated from high school near Baltimore, earlier pleaded guilty to war crimes charges that included conspiracy and murder for his involvement in al-Qaida plots such as the deadly bombing of the J.W. Marriott hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia, in August 2003.
He apologized for his actions, which included planning al-Qaida attacks in the U.S. after 9/11 and a failed plot to kill former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf. During a two-hour statement to jurors on Thursday, he said: "I did it all, no excuse. And I am very sorry to everyone I have hurt."
The jury of eight military officers was required to reach a sentence of 25 to 40 years. Jurors heard of Khan's extensive cooperation with U.S. authorities following his guilty plea and heard the statement from the prisoner that also described his brutal CIA interrogation and captivity in the three years before he came to Guantanamo.
In addition to the sentence, the jury foreman said seven of the eight jurors had drafted a letter to Pentagon legal authorities recommending clemency for the defendant, which is an option under the military commission legal system.
A pretrial agreement means he could be released as early as February, at which point he would be resettled in an as-yet to be determined third country. He cannot return to Pakistan.
Jurors were not told about the pretrial agreement, which requires a Pentagon legal official known as a convening authority to cut his sentence to no more than 11 years because of his cooperation. He would also be given credit for some of the time he has already spent in custody.
It will be up to the Biden administration, which is working to close the detention center that now holds 39 men, to find a country willing to accept Khan for resettlement along with his wife and the daughter who was born after he was captured in Pakistan.
Wells Dixon, a lawyer for the Center for Constitutional Rights who was part of the defence team, said he expected Khan's sentence to be completed in February. He said Khan's team looks forward to working with the Biden administration to ensure "he has the necessary support to allow him to move on with his life and be a positive, contributing member of society."
Despite the pretrial agreement, the prosecution urged the jury to recommend a sentence at the higher end of the range as the defence urged jurors to consider Khan's cooperation, contrition and the brutal conditions of his captivity.
"Since the commission of these crimes, Majid is a different person," said U.S. army Maj. Michael Lyness, a military defence attorney. "Majid Khan is reformed and deserving of your mercy."
U.S. army Col. Walter Foster, the lead prosecutor, sought to cast doubt on Khan's story of being led astray by radical Islam as a young man. He conceded the prisoner had also experienced "extremely rough treatment" at the hands of the CIA, but pivoted to remind the court of the 11 people killed in the Marriott bombing.
"He is still alive and with us today, a luxury that the dead and victims of the J.W. Marriott bombing do not have," Foster said.
Khan's cooperation is expected to help with other war crimes cases at Guantanamo, one involving five men held there who are charged with planning and aiding the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Such cases have been bogged down for years in the pretrial stage at the base and become one of the obstacles to closing the detention centre.
As a junior at George Washington University, Ty Lindia meets new students every day. But with the shadow of the Israel-Hamas war hanging over the Washington, D.C., campus, where everyone has a political opinion, each new encounter is fraught.
People across Florida were given notice Sunday that Hurricane Milton is intensifying rapidly and will likely be a major hurricane before slamming midweek into the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast.
'Eat more vegetables,' doctors and dietitians say over and over. But for many people, it’s hard to do, because they aren’t excited about veggies or just don’t like them.
Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.
Christopher Ciccone, a multihyphenate artist, dancer, designer and younger brother of Madonna, has died. He was 63.
Justin Trudeau will travel to Laos later this week for the ASEAN summit, marking what his office says will be the first official visit of a Canadian prime minister to the Southeast Asian country.
A gargantuan gourd – affectionately named ‘Orangina’ by the urban gardeners who grew it in the front yard of their Vancouver home – earned the massive honour of being named B.C.’s heaviest giant pumpkin Saturday.
Donald Glover has cancelled the remaining dates of Childish Gambino’s North American and European tour.
Hundreds of people are gathering today in cities across Canada to remember the victims of Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the hostages that have still not yet made it home.
Bernie Hicks, known as the ‘Batman of Amherst,’ always wanted to sit in a Batmobile until a kind stranger made it happen.
Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.
Some Manitobans are cleaning up Sunday morning, after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province Saturday.
A gargantuan gourd – affectionately named ‘Orangina’ by the urban gardeners who grew it in the front yard of their Vancouver home – earned the massive honour of being named B.C.’s heaviest giant pumpkin Saturday.
Ontario Provincial Police say a man has died after striking obstacles on the St. Lawrence River while driving a personal watercraft.
According to a survey on recent alcohol consumption, younger Canadians are more likely to have not had a drink in the past week. For those interested in slowing or stopping their alcohol consumption, there's a phrase: 'sober curious.'
As a junior at George Washington University, Ty Lindia meets new students every day. But with the shadow of the Israel-Hamas war hanging over the Washington, D.C., campus, where everyone has a political opinion, each new encounter is fraught.
Advocacy groups behind a so-called suicide capsule said Sunday they have suspended the process of taking applications to use it as a criminal investigation into its first use in Switzerland is completed.
Donald Trump's fourth scheduled stop in eight days in Wisconsin is a sign of his increased attention as Republicans fret about the former president's ability to match the Democrats' enthusiasm and turnout machine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's chief of staff quit on Sunday, citing concerns that growing news reports about her role 'risked becoming a distraction to the government.'
It was a year ago when Jomana Siddiqui visited Lebanon, where her father was born — and is now buried. She planned to return there soon; this time, she thought, she would take her two teenage daughters.
Being an armchair detective has turned into an American obsession, fueled by an abundance of true-crime content in podcasts and television series. But some of those projects have sparked actual legal developments.
Justin Trudeau will travel to Laos later this week for the ASEAN summit, marking what his office says will be the first official visit of a Canadian prime minister to the Southeast Asian country.
In an interview with CTV’s Question Period host Vassy Kapelos, airing Sunday, Cohen said that despite the failed attempt at a pause, he still believes a ceasefire is possible.
On Saturday, tensions rose again between Quebec and Ottawa at the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) political conference in Saint-Hyacinthe.
Rwandan health authorities will begin a vaccine study against the Marburg hemorrhagic fever, officials said Sunday, as the East African country tries to stop the spread of an outbreak that has killed 12 people.
Bruzzese came down with COVID-19 in February 2023, and received her injection at the end of March. “Being able to recognize smells is something we take for granted, until you can’t.â€
New data raises questions about the drinks people consume and the potential risks associated with them, according to researchers at Galway University in Ireland, in partnership with Hamilton’s McMaster University.
Scientists announced on Thursday a milestone in neurobiological research with the mapping of the entire brain of an adult fruit fly, a feat that may provide insight into brains across the animal kingdom, including people.
For humans, flashing a smile is an easy way to avoid misunderstanding. And, according to a new study, bottlenose dolphins may use a similar tactic while playing with each other.
Alphabet's Google is testing showing check marks next to certain companies on its search results, a company spokesperson said on Friday, in a move aimed at helping users identify verified sources and steer clear of fake websites.
Christopher Ciccone, a multihyphenate artist, dancer, designer and younger brother of Madonna, has died. He was 63.
Donald Glover has cancelled the remaining dates of Childish Gambino’s North American and European tour.
'Joker: Folie a Deux' is the No. 1 movie at the box office, but it might not be destined for a happy ending.
Financial strain can be an uncomfortable burden to bear, especially if you feel that you're doing as much as you can and are barely managing to stay afloat. Personal finance contributor Christopher Liew shares some tips for managing financial stress and digging your way out of debt.
Yugali Bharote starts her day in the kitchen, preparing lunch boxes for her sons bound for school – but she doesn’t stop there. She then prepares almost a dozen lunch boxes for customers who have subscribed to her homemade meals.
Dubai's Emirates airline has banned pagers and walkie-talkies from its planes, following last month's attacks on such devices carried by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
'Eat more vegetables,' doctors and dietitians say over and over. But for many people, it’s hard to do, because they aren’t excited about veggies or just don’t like them.
Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.
A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.
The Carleton Ravens came within a field goal of their first Panda Game victory since 2017, but ultimately came short of breaking the University of Ottawa Gee Gees winning streak on Sunday.
Of the 32 NHL head coaches standing behind benches at the start of last season, 12 are no longer in the same role — including the retired Rick Bowness.
Vanderbilt takes down AP poll No. 1 Alabama 40-35 in historic college football victory.
New data from the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) shows that even though claims for auto theft dropped in the first half of 2024 compared to their 2023 peak, the rates of reported theft remain well above those of years prior.
Tesla is recalling more than 27,000 Cybertrucks because the rearview camera image may not activate immediately after shifting into reverse, the fifth recall for the vehicle since it went on sale late last year.
A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.
Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.
Bubi’s Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.
Some Manitobans are cleaning up Sunday morning, after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province Saturday.
Avry Wortman, 13, scored two touchdowns on Sunday during her team's win in the under 14 Greater Moncton Football Association.
A gargantuan gourd – affectionately named ‘Orangina’ by the urban gardeners who grew it in the front yard of their Vancouver home – earned the massive honour of being named B.C.’s heaviest giant pumpkin Saturday.
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.
A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.
The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.
One person was killed and four others hospitalized when a car sped off the road and rolled over south of Merritt, B.C., Saturday, according to authorities.
One person is dead after the driver of a pickup truck hit a bench where two people were waiting for the bus in Surrey Saturday afternoon, police have confirmed.
The calculus of predicting an election and identifying its key battlegrounds is complex enough in any race, but observers of the British Columbia poll this month are facing a pair of unknown quantities that make the math even more confounding.
A female has been taken to the hospital after being stabbed early Sunday afternoon in Oakville, say police.
The Archbishop of Toronto is among 21 new cardinals Pope Francis named Sunday and the lone new cardinal from North America.
There will be more subway service, bus routes and streetcar stops in Toronto, as the TTC has completed construction and increased its service.
CTV producer Cynthia Roebuck has been to the Run for a Cure before, but Sunday, she had a different perspective on the popular event.
An investigation is underway after a collision that took place on Deerfoot Trail early Saturday evening.
An investigation is underway into a fire and explosion that took place Saturday night in northeast Calgary.
Hundreds from the Jewish community gathered on Parliament Hill on Sunday afternoon to remember the victims of Hamas's Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and to call on the release of the hostages who remain in Gaza.
With CTV broadcasting NFL football games on Sundays this season, Â鶹´«Ã½ at Six with Austin Lee will be broadcasting live on our website and the Â鶹´«Ã½ App.
The Carleton Ravens came within a field goal of their first Panda Game victory since 2017, but ultimately came short of breaking the University of Ottawa Gee Gees winning streak on Sunday.
Alexandre Look, a 33-year-old Montreal native, was among the concertgoers who were murdered a year ago Monday at the Supernova music festival during a brutal assault on Israel carried out by Hamas militants. He is among at least eight people, either Canadian citizens or with ties to Canada, who died during the Oct. 7 attacks.
Monday marks one year since the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.
A man was taken into custody Sunday after a woman was found dead in a home on Montreal's South Shore.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by an overbearing fruit tree or a kale patch that just won't quit, here are some ways to make your fall haul more manageable.
Of the 32 NHL head coaches standing behind benches at the start of last season, 12 are no longer in the same role — including the retired Rick Bowness.
Highway 39 near Warburg was closed Saturday after a serious crash involving a motorcycle and a van.
Bernie Hicks, known as the ‘Batman of Amherst,’ always wanted to sit in a Batmobile until a kind stranger made it happen.
RCMP in Sussex, N.B., are asking the public for help locating a missing 61-year-old woman from Wards Creek, N.B.
The eight sons of Richard and Sarah Harvie from Gormanville, N.S., are believed to be the most siblings from one family, from either North America or the British Commonwealth, to serve in World War II.
Some Manitobans are cleaning up Sunday morning, after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province Saturday.
Thousands of people passed through the third floor of the Millennium Library this weekend to peruse through one of the largest collections of zines, comics and merchandise the province has ever seen.
For the 52nd week, pro-Palestinian protesters rallied in Winnipeg, calling for peace in the Middle East amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Saturday was not an ideal fall day for the residents of southern Saskatchewan – as winds reaching highway speeds were reported.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot thanks to a win over the Edmonton Elks.
Saskatchewan's two major political parties made campaign stops in Moose Jaw Saturday with both promising to invest into the city if elected on Oct. 28.
According to police, officers responded to reports of a stabbing in the area of Victoria Street North and St. Ledger Street around 5:30 a.m. Sunday.
Emergency services were called to the area of Stone Road West and Chancellors Way around 1:20 a.m. Sunday for a report of a single motor vehicle collision.
Police say at around 9:40 p.m. on Saturday, members of Central Neighborhood Policing found a reported stolen vehicle in the area of Greenbrook Drive and Westmount Road.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot thanks to a win over the Edmonton Elks.
The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation hosted a virtual election forum on education Thursday evening, giving candidates in the provincial election a chance to share their thoughts and answer questions on issues teachers find most important.
Saturday was not an ideal fall day for the residents of southern Saskatchewan – as winds reaching highway speeds were reported.
Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.
According to a survey on recent alcohol consumption, younger Canadians are more likely to have not had a drink in the past week. For those interested in slowing or stopping their alcohol consumption, there's a phrase: 'sober curious.'
Hundreds of people are gathering today in cities across Canada to remember the victims of Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the hostages that have still not yet made it home.
Tears were shed and emotions ran high at the 33rd annual CIBC Run for the Cure in downtown London, Ont. on Sunday.
The London Knights continue to get players back from NHL training camps but while the roster takes shape, wins have been tough to come by in the early season.
People across Florida were given notice Sunday that Hurricane Milton is intensifying rapidly and will likely be a major hurricane before slamming midweek into the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast.
The first Sunday of October was also the first Sunday of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which meant hundreds wore pink and attended the two CIBC 'Run for the Cure' events in the region.
Police in Barrie allegedly seized a semi-automatic pistol and drugs during an overnight investigation that resulted in the arrest of three men downtown.
KAGE North celebrated its grand opening on Saturday just north of Barrie, where two Canadian Olympic softball players and staff held a special camp to help grow the sport.
This morning just before 7:00 a.m., OPP responded to a collision in which a vehicle struck a pedestrian on the roadway.
The event serves as a pivotal platform for open-class boxers from across Ontario to compete for provincial titles and the opportunity to advance to the Canadian National Championships.
Bubi’s Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.
The calculus of predicting an election and identifying its key battlegrounds is complex enough in any race, but observers of the British Columbia poll this month are facing a pair of unknown quantities that make the math even more confounding.
Police on Vancouver Island have made an arrest in the case of a 78-year-old woman found dead in her home almost two years ago.
NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.
Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.
While the summer may be over, construction season in Lethbridge is not.
Lethbridge police executed dozens of warrants and laid numerous charges in another targeted enforcement project in the downtown area.
A person was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash in Taber, Alta., on Friday morning. Taber RCMP responded to the scene on Highway 864 around 10:30 a.m., for a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck.
As part of an ongoing investigation, provincial police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating a Kubota tractor stolen in North Shore Township, Ont., last month.
A 33-year-old man was arrested Saturday for allegedly spraying bear mace at three individuals in northwestern Ontario.
A drug raid on a home on the Far North Attawapiskat First Nation last week resulted in two local residents being charged and more than $50,000 in suspected narcotics, including methamphetamine, being seized.
He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.
A mother in a community where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country says grocery prices are 'inhumane' and retailers are putting profits ahead of people’s basic human right to food.
A soccer game in England on Tuesday night drove a spike in online traffic across the Atlantic to a website launched by the Newfoundland and Labrador government.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹´«Ã½. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
