Guantanamo testimony: U.S. let bin Laden's top bodyguard go

Guantanamo testimony: U.S. let bin Laden's top bodyguard go

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Soon after Osama bin Laden's driver got here in 2002, he told interrogators the identity of the al Qaeda chief's most senior bodyguard — then a fellow prison camp detainee.

But, inexplicably, the U.S. let the bodyguard go.

This startling information was revealed in the fourth day of the war crimes trial of Salim Hamdan, 37, facing conspiracy and material support for terror charges as an alleged member of bin Laden's inner circle.

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Michael St. Ours, an agent with the Naval Criminal Intelligence Service, NCIS, provided the first tidbit. He testified for the prosecution that his job as a prison camps interrogator in May 2002 was to find and focus on the bodyguards among the detainees.

Chief among them was Casablanca-born Abdallah Tabarak, then 47, described by St. Ours as ''a hard individual,'' and, thanks to Hamdan, ``the head bodyguard of all the bodyguards.''

St. Ours said he was eager to speak with Tabarak. But the Moroccan was ''uncooperative,'' and St. Ours moved on to other intelligence jobs — and never learned afterward what became of him.

Then, on cross-examination, Hamdan defense attorney Harry Schneider dropped a bombshell:

''Would it surprise you to learn he was released without ever being charged?'' St. Ours looked stunned.

''Yeah,'' he said.

Interesting. It seems to me to point ot one thing, a conspiracy to keep Osama Bin Laden out and about.

It is my belief that the government uses this man as a threat to keep the 'war on terror' alive and well. The reason they want to di this is so they can continue to feed on our nations wealth via the 'military industrial complex'.

What other reason could we have for freeing such a man? It is so very reminiscent of all those we flew out of the US on the day of 911.

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(visit the link for the full news article)

Interesting story Animal.

There are alot of reasons that he could have been released that come to mind. You mentioned one but they could have possibly wanted to try and track him to find OBL. Although I tend to lean to your assesment, the other side of the coin is a possibility. It'll be interesting to see what else comes about this during the trial.

Good find.