Nilanjana Bhowmick - AHN News Writer
Washington, D.C (AHN) - The U.S. will be dropping murder charges against a Saudi national who has been detained in Guantanamo Bay. Mohammed al-Qahtani, is one of the six men facing murder charges before a U.S.military tribunal.
U.S. military officials confirmed on Monday that charges have been prepared only against the five remaining men. Qahtani was allegedly the "20th Hijacker" in the September 11, 2001 attacks.
However, it later transpired that Qahtani could not take part in the attacks as the U.S. immigration did not allow him entry.
Susan Crawford, the convening authority for military commissions dismissed the charges against Qahtani on Friday. The charges were dismissed without prejudice which means they can be filed again later.
A spokesman for the Pentagon confirmed that the case against the other five were proceeding and arraignment will be within a month of the charges being served.
Qahtani had recanted a confession that he said was extracted from him under inhuman torture. U.S. officials had also acknowledged that Qahtani was tortured harshly at Guantanamo. He had also been subjected to water boarding by CIA officials.
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