Here is a piece I published in the Washington Post about Abu Zubaida, at one time al Qaeda’s third in command. While Abu Zubaida’s lawyer argues the absence of charges is evidence of innocence, the facts say otherwise.
Taking Exception: Abu Zubaida’s Clear Ties to al-Qaeda
In her March 29 op-ed, “Why not try Abu Zubaida?,” lawyer Amanda L. Jacobsen argued that the reason the federal government has yet to charge her client after 10 years in U.S. custody is simple: “The government got it wrong.” The government based its “hyperbolic assertions” about Abu Zubaida on false allegations, she wrote. In fact, she wrote, “the government has explicitly conceded in Abu Zubaida’s habeas corpus case that he was never a member of al-Qaeda and had no knowledge of al-Qaeda operations.”
Unfortunately, Jacobsen got it wrong.
True, as late as 2006, U.S. officials described Abu Zubaida as al-Qaeda’s third in command — and they no longer do. That’s because our understanding of the relationships between various jihadist elements has developed over time.
Still, the consensus remains that Abu Zubaida was a prominent terrorist. While his title and ties to al-Qaeda may now be better understood than they were in 2006, the activities he is believed to have engaged in remain unchanged.
Read the full article.
