GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba — A U.S. military medical review board has found that the Guantanamo prisoner accused of setting up the bombing of the USS Cole has "mental diseases," but is competent to stand trial.
The panel determined that Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder and other ailments. The report released late Monday concluded the Saudi national is able to cooperate in his defense on charges that include terrorism and murder for the deadly 2000 attack on the Cole off Yemen. He could get the death penalty if convicted.
At a pretrial hearing Tuesday, al-Nashiri appeared to closely follow proceedings, briefly getting up once to adjust his lawyer's microphone.
His defense has said his PTSD may have been caused by his treatment in CIA custody.
