Abu Zubaydah appears at Gitmo hearing to review detention

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Palestinian not seen publicly since his capture by the CIA in 2002 has appeared at a U.S. government hearing called to determine whether he should remain in detention at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The 45-year-old Abu Zubaydah (ah-BOO’ zoo-BY’-dah) has been held at Guantanamo since September 2006 and was water-boarded as part of the U.S. interrogations after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The U.S. claims Zubaydah played a key role in al-Qaida’s communications and was “generally aware” of the 9/11 attacks before they happened. The government says he “probably retains an extremist mindset.”

An attorney for Zubaydah provided a statement asserting he should be released and is no longer a danger to the U.S.

The review panel made no immediate decision on his status.