US mistakes Gitmo man as trainer from Qaeda

A Yemeni prisoner in Guantanamo Bay appears to have been the victim of mistaken identity.

US officials have determined that Mustafa al-Aziz al-Shamiri was a low-level Islamic fighter and not an Al Qaeda courier and trainer as previously believed.

Al-Shamiri appeared Tuesday before a panel assessing whether he can be released. A report put out by the Pentagon says he fought in Afghanistan and associated with members of Al Qaeda. But in the report officials concede they wrongly thought he had a more significant role because he was confused with someone else with a similar name.

Al-Shamiri has been held as an enemy combatant without charge at Guantanamo for more than 13 years following his capture in Afghanistan. He is one of 107 prisoners at the base.

Meanwhile, a federal appeals court is reconsidering the legality of the only remaining conviction of a Guantanamo Bay detainee who once served as Osama bin Laden’s personal assistant and media relations secretary.

Ten judges of US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments Tuesday after a divided three-judge appeals panel earlier ruled that the case against Ali Hamza al-Bahlul is legally flawed because conspiracy is not a recognised war crime under international law.

That June ruling could have limited the government’s ability to prosecute terror suspects outside of the civilian justice system. The Obama administration successfully appealed the ruling to the 10-judge court.