Former Qaeda Commander Sentenced to 30 Years in Military Jury Trial

A former Al-Qaeda commander has been sentenced to a 30-year prison term by a U.S. military jury for war crimes committed by his insurgent forces in Afghanistan during the early 2000s. The military judge revealed that, as part of a plea agreement, the prisoner's sentence would conclude in eight years.

The verdict was delivered through the military commissions system, allowing prisoners to strike plea deals with a senior Pentagon official overseeing the war court. The formal jury sentencing hearing was a requisite despite the plea agreement.

Jury Decision

The jury of 11 officers, in delivering the maximum sentence, dismissed the defense lawyers' pleas for leniency or clemency for Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, considering his early mistreatment in C.I.A. custody, subsequent cooperation with U.S. investigators, and deteriorating health.

Mr. Hadi, aged 63, was cognizant of the deal that reduced his sentence to 10 years, commencing from his guilty plea in June 2022. It remains uncertain whether the victims of attacks carried out by Mr. Hadi’s forces and their families have been informed about the verdict.

None of the five individuals who testified about their losses during the emotional two-week sentencing trial made any comments as they departed the spectators’ gallery on Thursday morning.