Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty for Aiding Al Qaeda

A Baltimore area man was the first “high value” Al Qaeda detainee atGitmo to plead guilty two months ago. Majid Khan’s plea deal likely involves hiswillingness to testify against Khalid Sheik Mohammed. He also agreed not tosue the US government for the 3 years he spent in a secret CIA prison.

There may be more involved in the government’s willingness to reach adeal with Khan. Michal Greenberger, a former counter-terrorism official,told a CBS affiliate “The factthat they gave him a good deal suggests to me that he has information thatis useful to the United States in plotting out what the terror threatsare.”

Khan’s original mission was to blow himself up in an attempt to killPervez Musharraf, the President of Pakistan. When that plot failed, Khanbecame a money delivery man for an Al Qaeda plot which eventually bombed a hotel in Jakarta killing twelve people.

Khan’s defense team says “He wishes he had never been involved withal-Qaeda, ever.” Though he has pled guilty, Khan will not be sentenced foranother four years. He is expected to serve between 19 and 25 years, thoughbecause of the nature of his crimes he could be held even after his sentenceis over. Asked if he understood this, Khan replied “I’m making a leap of faith here, sir; that’s all I cando.”