Human Rights First builds respect for human rights and the rule of law to help ensure the dignity to which everyone is entitled and to stem intolerance, tyranny, and violence. More »
The Case of Mohammed Kamin
Mohammed Kamin is an Afghan national who has been held in Guantánamo since at least 2004. He was allegedly captured on May 14, 2003, in Khowst, Afghanistan.
Kamin is charged with providing material support for terrorism. He is accused of joining al Qaeda and receiving weapons training in Afghanistan between January and May 2003, conducting surveillance on U.S. military bases, transporting weapons and communications equipment to assist in attacks on American forces, placing explosive devices under a bridge in Afghanistan, and placing missiles to launch into a U.S. or Coalition base. He faces a potential life sentence if convicted.
Charges were sworn against Kamin on March 12, 2008, and referred for military commission trial on April 7, 2008. During his arraignment on May 21, 2008, Kamin was forcibly escorted to the courtroom, said he did not want a trial, and refused to accept legal representation.
On July 21, 2008, Judge W. Thomas Cumbie ordered the Commander of Joint Task Force – Guantanamo to provide the prosecution with all of Kamin's medical records within three days, so that the information may then be handed over to defense counsel.
Kamin refused to attend his July 31, 2008 pretrial hearing during which his Pentagon-appointed lawyer sought permission to visit Kamin in his cell. On August 6, 2008, Judge Cumbie rejected defense counsel's request.
Kamin also refused to appear at his October 23, 2008 hearing, at which the court considered whether Kamin is competent to waive his right to counsel and defense counsel argued that the government is withholding documents that are critical to the case.
At his July 16, 2009 pretrial hearing, which Kamin again declined to attend, his defense counsel, Navy Lt. Richard Federico, explained that Kamin had refused to meet with him for over a year, and has instructed defense counsel not to speak on his behalf.
On August 24, 2009, Judge W. Thomas Cumbie ordered that an inquiry be made into the mental capacity of the accused and a report recording the results of the inquiry to be filed by the end of September, 2009.
Following the government's third motion for a continuance, a pretrial hearing is now scheduled for November 18, 2009. The hearing will cover the recently submitted reports regarding Kamin's mental capacity. It will also allow for oral arguments on defense motions for appropriate relief on the following issues: material support for terrorism; an order for production of discovery: photographs of Joint Task Force-Guantanamo camps; and an order for production of discovery: contact information for individuals involved in Mr. Kamin's capture.
Case Documents