Carol Rosenberg
@carolrosenberg · International correspondents — Israel & region
Carol Rosenberg is an American journalist.
The judge said Mr. Dean did not qualify as an expert on either terrorist financing or bomb making, as prosecutors proposed. The judge said Mr. Dean had a lot to say about Al Qaeda’s history, structure, and objectives "based on his personal observations, not specialized knowledge" -- and said he could testify as a lay witness on those.
Update: The judge has denied the prosecution's request to have Aimen Dean testify as an expert at the USS Cole trial. He's the Al Qaeda defector who testified about his past via a video link from Dubai when a missile alert there interrupted the proceedings at Guantanamo Bay. https://t.co/j0XgufoXR8
Latest on this: The military judge has again ordered prosecutors to conduct an inquiry into the basis of these remarks, this time to do a broader search of Executive Branch records on what if any Iranian role in the attack. https://t.co/0DmPfk1UOY
The man accused of orchestrating the USS Cole bombing in October 2000 missed the hearing, stayed back at the prison. We were reminded of something in court as the judge did a mini fact-finding to declare the defendant voluntarily absent:
Only three observers were in the court gallery to witness the escalating episode: Two reporters and the war court spokesman. The USS Cole pretrial hearings are now in recess until next month.
Late night at Camp Justice: The hearing on the qualifications of Evan Kohlmann to serve as an expert on Al-Qaeda, has wrapped up after a marathon session with him testifying by video link from the south of France.
--As noted earlier, war court staff have removed the Coast Guard flag and emblem from the wall behind the judge that for years recognized the security role of the CG. In their place: Space Force regalia, perhaps signaling a USS Cole trial juror could be chosen from that branch. https://t.co/2Vb2IE9s8z
Good morning from Camp Justice at Guantanamo Bay. Court resumes this afternoon with defense questioning of Evan Kohlmann from the South of France. At issue: Mr. Kohlmann's qualifications to be an expert for the U.S. government on a variety of topics at the USS Cole trial. https://t.co/26xh4CdHgE