Gitmo jury trials unlikely this year

WASHINGTON, May 6 (UPI) -- It is unlikely the many terror suspects held at the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba will face a jury trial before the end of the year, U.S. officials say.

The U.S. naval detention facility holds such high-profile terrorism suspects as the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, and Osama bin Laden's personal driver, Salim Hamdan. Not one of them ever faced a jury and officials say it may be at least next year before the public sees U.S. evidence or testimony against them, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

"I think it's a near-impossibility that these cases will be in court before the end of the (Bush) administration," Jennifer Daskal, a lawyer with Human Rights Watch, told the Post.

The only trial to reach a verdict, the Post said, was the December case of Australian David Hicks, who pleaded guilty to terrorism in exchange for a light sentence.

Anonymous Pentagon sources told the Post said there is "strategic political value" of reaching additional verdicts but they also agree it is unlikely that will happen in 2008.

An e-mail message from the U.S. Department of Justice said there are fewer than 275 prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay and 75-80 are expected to face trial.