Lawyer questions Al Qaida suspect's competence before USS Cole bombing trial

A lawyer representing Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, a suspect in the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, has requested the military court to assess his competency for trial. The defendant claims to have suffered a traumatic brain injury from torture while in CIA custody. A trial for Nashiri, who faces the death penalty, was scheduled to begin this month at a US Navy base in Cuba, but has now been postponed until October 26.

Nashiri was captured in 2002 and endured various forms of abuse, including waterboarding and solitary confinement. A defense psychiatrist concluded that Nashiri suffers from a severe neurocognitive disorder, complex PTSD, and major depression, making him unable to comprehend the proceedings or assist his legal counsel. The military judge had ordered a competency evaluation, but failed to allocate sufficient time for a meaningful hearing.

The proceedings are expected to last at least six months and have been plagued by delays and legal challenges concerning the admissibility of evidence obtained during torture-aided interrogations.