Media Invited to Cover Pre-Trial Hearing of USS Cole Attack Suspect at Guantanamo Bay

The Department of Defense has extended an invitation to media organizations to cover the upcoming pre-trial proceedings of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, the defendant charged in the attack on the USS Cole (DDG 67). The hearings are scheduled to take place from August 21 to September 15 at the Expeditionary Legal Complex situated in Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB) Cuba, with live transmissions available at select closed circuit television sites.

Media representatives have the option to travel to NSGB to cover the proceedings, provided they adhere to the specified coverage windows and are willing to bear the associated flight fees amounting to $800. Coverage windows have been determined based on flight schedules, which operate from Saturday to Saturday. Specific ground rules will be provided upon registration.

It is important to note that the primary purpose of this invitation is to cover the military commissions. Access to tours of the detention facilities will not be available. Any requests for reporting on topics unrelated to the military commissions, such as the naval base facilities or personnel, must be coordinated in advance through the respective public officer responsible for those areas. The Office of Military Commissions (OMC) public affairs can provide the necessary point of contact information as required.

The coverage windows for media are as follows:

• August 19-26
• August 26-September 2
• September 2-9
• September 9-16 (Note: Media personnel may choose to stay for more than one week.)

To register for coverage, interested media representatives can visit the registration link provided and select the appropriate case and dates mentioned above. The deadline for all registration requests is 5 p.m. EST on Friday, June 9.

Further details regarding travel logistics will be provided separately. By submitting the online request form, interested media personnel will initiate the travel process, and respective OMC Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) will be in contact to assist with travel preparations.

For media wishing to view the hearing from the media-designated viewing site at Fort Meade, Maryland, requests must be sent via email to osd.mc-alex.OMC.mbx.omc-pa@mail.mil. The email subject line should indicate the court case and include the necessary media information: name, position, sponsoring organization, and contact details.

For any additional inquiries, media representatives may contact Lt. Cmdr. Adam Cole at adam.r.cole6.mil@mail.mil or call 571-372-8934.