Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, a Pakistani, has been charged with conspiracy, attacking civilians and civilian objects, causing serious bodily injury, murder and destruction of property in violation of the laws of war, hijacking, terrorism and providing material support for terrorism, based on claims that he ordered flight training videos and transferred large sums of money to the 9/11 hijackers in the US. The government plans to try Abdul Aziz Ali with four others, all of whom are alleged to have been directly involved in the planning and execution of the September 11 terrorist attacks, and is seeking the death penalty for all of them.

Abdul Aziz Ali was reportedly arrested and transferred to US custody in April of 2003. He was held in secret CIA detention until September 2006 when he was transferred to Guantanamo.

In November 2009 Attorney general Eric Holder announced that Ali Abdul Aziz Ali along with four co-defendents in the 9/11 prosecution, would be moved from Guantanamo to stand trial in federal district court in New York City. However, after New York officials raised objections based on purported security and cost concerns, the Obama administration suspended its decision to move the case to federal court. Finally, on April 4, 2011, Holder reversed course and announced that the co-defendants would be tried before a military commission in Guantanamo. Click on the link below for more information.

Human Rights Watch Commentary:

• Human Rights Watch press release, "US: Military Commission Trials for 9/11 Suspects a Blow to Justice," April 4, 2011
• Human Rights Watch press release, "US: Federal Court Prosecution of 9/11 Suspects a Victory for Justice," November 13, 2009
• Stacy Sullivan commentary, "Sabotage in Guantánamo," salon.com, July 15, 2008
• Joanne Mariner commentary, "Arraigning the 9/11 suspects, Guantánamo-style," salon.com, June 7, 2008
• Human Rights Watch press release, "US: Don't Railroad 9/11 Case Through Military Commissions," June 4, 2008
• Human Rights Watch press release, "US: 9/11 Terrorist Suspects Should Be Tried in Federal Court," February 11, 2008
• Human Rights Watch, "List of ‘Ghost Prisoners' Possibly in CIA Custody," December 2005

Military Commissions Documents:

• General Information Page
• Charges Sworn, February 11, 2008
• Charges referred - May 9, 2008
• Charges sworn - May 31, 2011

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