Susan Crawford, Convening Authority of the Military Commissions, has withdrawn charges against Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. You’l recall that Judge James Pohl declined President Obama’s request for a continuance. Her letter states:
I considered carefully the 5 February 2009 request by the prosecution to withdraw charges and specifications in the case of United States v. A d aI-Rahim Hussein Muhammed Abdu al-Nashiri. I find that withdrawal is in the best interests of justice. Pursuant to my authority under Rule for Military Commissions 604, I hereby withdraw without prejudice all charges and specifications referred to trial by military commission in this case.
Al-Nashiri is being represented by a team of military and civilian lawyers, including Nancy Hollander of the ACLU’s John Adams Project and Lt. Cmdr. Steven Reyes. We’ll have more shortly.
