Ali Hamza Ahmad Suliman al-Bahlul

Ali Hamza Ahmad Suliman al-Bahlul, a 37-year-old Yemeni, was one of the first detainees to be transferred to Guantanamo when the facility opened in 2002. He is charged with conspiracy and solicitation to commit murder, attack civilians, attack civilian objects, destroy property, commit terrorism, and provide material support for terrorism, based on claims that he received military training in Afghanistan and acted as a “media secretary” for Osama bin Laden.

At al-Bahlul’s initial appearance before the first round of military commissions in 2005 he requested permission to choose a lawyer from Yemen, his home country; his request was denied. When he appeared again a year later, he requested permission to represent himself, stating that he had no expectation of justice from a system created by his American enemies – a request that was also denied.

That case was ultimately thrown out when the Supreme Court declared the initial military commissions unlawful, but the US government announced new charges against him before the new military commissions on February 8, 2008.

• Stacy Sullivan commentary, “Osama bin Laden's Media Director Puts on a Show at Guantanamo,”, The Huffington Post, May 12, 2008

• General Information Page


• Charges Sworn – February 8, 2008


• Referred Charges – February 26, 2008