Accused Cole bomber alleges mistreatment

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- The alleged mastermind of the al-Qaida attack on the USS Cole in 2000 complained to a military judge he's being mistreated at Guantanamo.

Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, 47, told Army Col. James Phol, the judge overseeing the case, military guards chain him so severely for his trips to court he vomits during transport, The Miami Herald reported Wednesday. Nashiri said he has a back problem and the heavy stomach chains he wears aggravate it.

Nashiri told the judge he wants to attend his court sessions but, "Let the world know that the judge sentenced me to death because I didn't show up to court due to chains. Thank you."

The U.S. government has accused Nashiri of being the mastermind behind the Cole attack that saw a small ship loaded with explosives pull up alongside the American warship and explode, killing 17 sailors.

Nashiri denies the charges and his lawyers have suggested the government already killed the person they believe was responsible for the Cole attack in a missile strike in November 2002.