Guantánamo War Criminal Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi Awaits Sentence as Military Jury Deliberates

A military jury has begun deliberating the sentencing of an admitted war criminal at Guantánamo Bay. The jury is composed of 11 members, many of whom are veterans of the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Defense and prosecution lawyers have presented contrasting views of the prisoner, Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi. The defense portrayed him as a battlefield commander defending Afghanistan from the U.S. invasion, while the prosecution depicted him as a senior member of a global Qaeda conspiracy. The jury's perception of his actions could significantly impact the length of his sentence.

Closing Arguments

The closing arguments emphasized the wartime battlefield in Afghanistan, distinguishing this case from other well-known instances, such as the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the U.S.S. Cole bombing in 2000, which are typically classified as acts of terrorism.

Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, aged 63, was captured in 2006 and pleaded guilty in 2022. According to the terms of his agreement, he is expected to receive a sentence ranging from 25 to 30 years. Additionally, there is a possibility of his release to the custody of a trusted country, provided that he receives specialized care for a paralyzing spine disease that has left him disabled.