Gitmo judge delays terror case two months

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- A U.S. military judge Monday delayed the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attack case until November, giving federal prosecutors time to decide where to try the case.

At a hearing at the military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Col. Stephen Henley approved the delay in a three-page ruling, in which he noted self-proclaimed Sept. 11, 2001, attack mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and his four co-defendants did not oppose delay, The Miami Herald reported. The Pentagon prosecutors also didn't oppose the motion.

Henley's ruling gives U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder until Nov. 16 to decide whether to try the five men before the military or a civilian jury.

The five men could be executed if convicted of conspiracy in the deaths of the 2,973 victims on Sept. 11, 2001. They allegedly plotted, financed and helped the 19 hijackers reach U.S. soil, as well as submitted a written admission to the military court in which they said the welcome martyrdom.

None of the detainees appeared at Monday's proceeding.

Left unresolved Monday was a request by three of the defendants to fire their volunteer civilian lawyers, whose services are provided by the American Civil Liberties Union at a cost of $3.5 million so far, the newspaper said.