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Ex-Guantanamo Translator Pleads Innocent
A former Guantanamo Bay translator arrested with classified documents in his luggage pleaded innocent Thursday in a brief appearance in federal court. "Lies, etc." Ahmed Fathy Mehalba, who has been in federal custody since his arrest Sept. 29 at Logan International Airport, was charged in a Nov. 12 indictment with gathering, transmitting or losing defense information and making false statements. He is also charged with lying about not understanding the meaning of the term "secret" with regards to the classified documents, and about not receiving a security briefing. Mehalba, who is being held without bail, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the gathering defense information charge, and a sentence of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of two false statements charges. Michael Andrews, Mehalbaâs attorney, said a plea deal with the government was possible in the case, as with any case. "We havenât made any decisions," he said. They need to go over the governments evidence and see just how bad things are. Plus, Mehalba needs to go along with a deal. Federal Magistrate Judge Charles Swartwood set a Jan. 4 conference in the case, and said Mehalba does not need to appear at that hearing. Posted by: Steve 2003-11-20 |
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