Bin Laden’s publicist sentenced to life in prison

By Guest Column —— Bio and Archives November 4, 2008

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MIAMI — A U.S. military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay sentenced Osama bin Laden's media secretary to life in prison on Monday after convicting him of conspiring with al-Qaeda, soliciting murder and providing material support for terrorism.

Yemeni prisoner Ali Hamza al Bahlul was the second man to be convicted by a jury in the war-crimes court at the U.S. naval base in Cuba. The jury of nine U.S. military officers reached their verdict on Friday after a week-long trial in which the defendant and his lawyer refused to participate, Mr. Bahlul, who is about 39, broke his silence at his sentencing hearing and delivered a speech praising Mr. bin Laden and predicting his own conviction would strengthen al-Qaeda's fight against the United States, a military officer involved in the trial said. More...