Aljazeera: US drops charges against bin Laden

Aljazeera: US drops charges against bin Laden

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US judge approves request to "not prosecute" former al-Qaeda chief, in a common legal move following a defendant's death

Federal prosecutors in the US have dropped charges against Osama bin Laden from attacks spanning more than a decade, according to officials quoted in court papers filed in New York. Friday's move came following the al-Qaeda leader's death in May, closing a 13-year court case against the mastermind of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

The charges included more than 200 counts of criminal activity such as murder, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction against civilians and more. However, none of the charges were related to the September 11 attacks.

US District Judge Lewis Kaplan approved the request, issuing an order called "nolle prosequi", which means "do not prosecute" in Latin, a typical legal move once a defendant is deceased.

The court order came six weeks after US commandos killed bin Laden at his hideout in a compound in the military garrison town of Abbottabad, just north of Islamabad, Pakistan. US prosecutors in New York began prosecuting him in June 1998.

Never formally charged

Bin Laden was never formally charged with the 9/11 attacks that killed almost 3,000 people and put the US on a decade-long war footing with militants. Kaplan's order was issued following a formal request by the US justice department to dismiss charges against bin Laden.

Must be difficult to try somebody after they´re dead anyway ? allegedly !

Or is it more of `closing the case on Bin Laden´ now the general public believes he´s dead.

I take it no-one else will be held responsible for this terrible act ?

Originally posted by linkshot1000
Must be difficult to try somebody after they´re dead anyway ? allegedy !

Or is it more of `closing the case on Bin Laden´ now the general public believes he´s dead.

I take it no-one else will be held responsible for this terrible act ?

edit on 19-6-2011 by linkshot1000 because: (no reason given)

Yeah, thats a damn good question. Who will be held responsible? The bogeyman?

Double Jeopardy?

Even if you believe whole-heartedly that OBL was behind it all... just murdering a person in cold blood and dumping his body is appallingly wrong.

If they had enough evidence to bring charges against him, why not bring him back and make a mockery of him? Try him in public court?