Jury selection has begun at Guantánamo Bay for the first death-penalty trial in the military court’s history. A Saudi man faces charges in the 2000 bombing of the U.S.S. Cole.
The attack killed 17 American sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer. The ship was refueling in the Yemeni port of Aden when a small boat exploded alongside it.
Prosecutors allege the defendant helped plan and prepare the bombing. He is one of several men held at the U.S. detention facility in Cuba.
The case has moved slowly through years of pretrial proceedings. Defense lawyers have challenged the military commission system and the conditions of confinement.
Court officials must now screen potential jurors for the capital case. Panel members will decide whether the defendant should face execution if convicted.
The trial marks a significant moment for the Guantánamo military commissions. The court has faced repeated legal challenges since it began operating in 2002.
Observers are watching jury selection closely for signs of how the proceedings will unfold. The bombing remains one of the most deadly attacks on a U.S. Navy vessel in modern history.
