A Canadian captive who was captured at the age of 15 in Afghanistan has pleaded guilty to conspiring with Al-Qaeda and killing a U.S. soldier before a U.S. war crimes tribunal at Guantanamo Bay.
The Canadian captive, Omar Khadr, has spent nine years in custody and could be sent home in a year to finish serving his sentence for the five terrorism charges.
The details of the plea deal were not disclosed.
The tribunal jury, of seven U.S. military officers, is expected to gather on October 26 to issue a sentence. Some reports suggested his lawyers had sought an eight-year cap on his total sentence.
The plea means Khadr foregoed his right to appeal the sentence.
He could have faced a life sentence in connection with charges against him.
The case apparently marks the first time since World War II that a war crimes tribunal has prosecuted a defendant for acts allegedly committed as a juvenile.
Khadr admitted to killing a U.S. soldier with a grenade during a gun battle at an Al-Qaeda compound in 2002.
His plea, the second before the tribunal since U.S. President Barack Obama vowed to close the Guantanamo detention center when taking office in January 2009, included an acknowledgement of the court's jurisdiction.
compiled from agency reports
The Canadian captive, Omar Khadr, has spent nine years in custody and could be sent home in a year to finish serving his sentence for the five terrorism charges.
The details of the plea deal were not disclosed.
The tribunal jury, of seven U.S. military officers, is expected to gather on October 26 to issue a sentence. Some reports suggested his lawyers had sought an eight-year cap on his total sentence.
The plea means Khadr foregoed his right to appeal the sentence.
He could have faced a life sentence in connection with charges against him.
The case apparently marks the first time since World War II that a war crimes tribunal has prosecuted a defendant for acts allegedly committed as a juvenile.
Khadr admitted to killing a U.S. soldier with a grenade during a gun battle at an Al-Qaeda compound in 2002.
His plea, the second before the tribunal since U.S. President Barack Obama vowed to close the Guantanamo detention center when taking office in January 2009, included an acknowledgement of the court's jurisdiction.
compiled from agency reports