Bin Laden’s Former Driver Is Sentenced to 5 1/2 Years

[spanone]

i wonder how many gazillions were spent prosecuting this mr hamden? they wanted LIFE, then THIRTY and he got 5 1/2. big blow to the bu$h* justice dept.



GUANTÁNAMO BAY, Cuba — Salim Ahmed Hamdan, the convicted former driver for Osama bin Laden, was sentenced Thursday to 66 months in prison by the military panel that convicted him of a war crime Wednesday.

The military judge, Capt. Keith J. Allred of the Navy, had already said that he planned to give Mr. Hamdan credit for the 61 months he had been held, meaning that Mr. Hamdan could complete his criminal sentence in five months. After that his fate is unclear, because the Bush administration says that it can hold detainees here until the end of the war on terror.

The unexpectedly short sentence was far less than military prosecutors had sought. Through more than five years of legal proceedings against Mr. Hamdan, prosecutors had pursued a life sentence, and earlier in the day, faced with Mr. Hamdan’s acquittal on the most serious charge against him, prosecutors recommended a sentence of at least 30 years and said life may be appropriate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/08/washington/08gitmo.html?hp=&pagewanted=print

[Pastiche423]

1. Wait a minute...

What exactly was Hamdan's war crime? We all know he was OBL's driver. So? Absolutely no evidence has been presented that OBL was responsible for the attacks. Not one shred.

What was he guilty of?

[MercutioATC]

2. "Aiding Terrorism"

OBL needed a driver and Hamdan "aided terrorism" by being paid (as an employee) to drive him, apparently.

:eyes:

[Gabi Hayes]

3. did the story mention that the government can keep him forever, if they want?

he's an enemy combatant, and that means they can keep them as long as they want