Osama's chauffeur to be tried

Published February 17, 2004

WASHINGTON, Feb 16: Osama bin Laden's chauffeur was captured in Afghanistan two years ago and is being held at the US military prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, his lawyer said on Monday.

Lt Cmdr Charles Swift of the US Navy said Salim Ahmed Hamdan had not been charged with any crime and denies being a member of the Taliban or the Al Qaeda network.

The 34-year-old Yemeni is one of four detainees chosen to possibly stand trial at military tribunals. Commande Swift said Salim Hamdan had worked for Osama on the Al Qaeda leader's farm in Kandahar since 1997. The lawyer said his client used to drive Osama around in a Toyota pick-up truck for 200 dollars a month, but he was not a terrorist.

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