The five Islamic fanatics accused of masterminding 9/11 complained in a military court on Monday that they are being sexually harassed at Guantanamo Bay.
The men were appearing before a military judge for a pretrial hearing at the Guantanamo Navy Base when they made the complaint, echoing the cries of Hollywood starlets and women around the world who have spoken out recently in unison as part of a growing movement against sexual violence.
The alleged terrorists’ claims were not treated with the same sympathy as other accusers, however and they were announced somewhat out of the blue.
The first mention of the alleged assaults came from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed who, in broken English, blurted out: ‘We be under sexual harassment today for search in being here.’
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (left) and Ramzi Bin Al Shibh (right) led the complaints at a pretrial hearing on Guantanamo Bay on Monday, claiming the groin searches are subjected to by guards is tantamount to sexual harassment. Both men are pictured before they were captured by the CIA in 2003
He had been asked by judge Army Col. James Pohl if he understood that he did not have to attend the hearings when he made the remark.
Mohammed’s claim was repeated by Ramzi Bin Al Shibh, 45, later in the proceedings
Their complaint is the hands-on groin searches that are performed by guards on the men. Al Shibh said they amount to ‘sexual harassment searches’.
Their three co-defendants, Walid bin Attash, 38, Ammar al Baluchi, 40, and Mustafa Ahmad al Hawsawi,49, said they supported their accusations.
Al Hawsawi was so irate he asked to leave the hearing upon mention of them, The Miami Herald reported.
The physical searches are new – until Monday, guards at the prison had been using body scanners to search inmates’ private parts.
Prosecutors did not have an immediate explanation for the change on Monday. Col. Pohl instructed them to bring a witness to court to explain it this week.
It is likely the accused, who are all kept at Guantanamo’s Camp 7, are aware of the ongoing national conversation about sexual harassment and assault given that they have limited access to free news channels.
Until this week, guards at Guantanamo (shown above in a file image) have been using body scanners to conduct the groin searches. The alleged plotters’ judge has asked the prosecution to present witnesses who can explain the change to manual searches
Monday’s hearing was the first of the year for the accused.
Their cases are still to be heard, seven years after they were charged and 17 after the attacks.
The men are accused of helping the 19 hijackers who took control of planes on September 11, crashing them into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania, killing almost 3,000 and injuring countless more.
They were all arrested in 2003 and held captive in secret, CIA locations overseas until 2008 when they were finally met with charges from the US government.
A series of legal decisions has delayed their trial.
In 2010, all charges against the five men were withdrawn without prejudice. Unlike having the charges against them dropped, it allowed prosecutors in civilian court rather than in military court to try the case.
All five men are awaiting trial for conspiracy and murder charges relating to allegations they helped plot the 9/11 attacks. They have been in the custody of US officials since 2003 and are still awaiting trial at the Cuba prison. All five are shown above in a court sketch from one of the dozens of hearings they have attended. The trial is not due to begin until 2019
Officials fought to have the case tried in New York but they were met with fierce opposition.
In 2012, the case was taken back up by the military and it has been stalled by pre-trial hearings at Guantanamo ever since.
Monday’s hearing was the first of seven this week.
In July last year, prosecutors asked for jury selection to begin in early 2019. They estimate that the trial will last two months after that.
The pretrial hearings are being held at Camp Justice, the US Navy Base at Guantanamo Bay