Al-Libi, Abu Faraj fr

Country of proceedings: United States
Context of crimes: Pakistan, War on terrorism
Date: 2005 – present
Keywords: Terrorism, Law of armed conflicts (combatant/non-combatant, detention)

Abu Faraj al-Libi is the assumed name of Mustafa al-’Uzayti, number three in the Al-Qaeda network and “director of the operations”. He was arrested in Pakistan on 2 May 2005 and handed over to US authorities in June of the same year.

Abu Faraj al-Libi is the primary suspect in two assassination attempts upon Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in December 2003. US officials also alleged that Al-Libi was involved in the planning of attacks upon the United States and against the UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

In 2006, US President George W. Bush announced the transfer of 14 high-value detainees from CIA custody to military custody in Guantanamo, in order to try them before military commissions. Following the Supreme Court decision of 28 June 2004, Combatants Status Review Tribunals (CSRT) were created to make recommendations as to whether captives are entitled to the protections of Geneva Convention III, or if they satisfy the definition of an “enemy combatant”.

Official Documents

08-02-2007 – CSRT: Summary of evidence
09-03-2007 – CSRT: Transcript