Guantanamo judge ejects defendant in 9/11 case for disrupting hearing

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba – A military judge at the Guantanamo Bay naval base has ejected a defendant in a Sept. 11 case for disrupting a pretrial hearing.

Army Col. James Pohl ordered guards to remove Ramzi Binalshibh from court at the U.S. base in Cuba after the defendant ignored several warnings to stop arguing with him.

At the time, the judge was asking the five defendants to acknowledge their rights to be present or absent at the weeklong pretrial hearing. Binalshibh refused to answer and complained about conditions inside his cell. He says guards make banging sounds at night to keep him awake. U.S. officials deny the allegation.

Binalshibh and his co-defendants face charges that include murder and hijacking for their alleged roles aiding the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack. A trial date has not been set.