By THE NEW YORK TIMES

Published: December 7, 2004


RABAT, Morocco, Dec. 6 - A criminal court here on Monday opened a trial of five Moroccans who had formerly been held by the United States at its prison camp in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, including a man suspected of being a bodyguard for Osama bin Laden.

The trial is the first of former Guantánamo detainees to be held in an Arab country.

The men, who were all arrested during the invasion of Afghanistan and whom the Americans turned over to the Moroccan government in August, are charged with belonging to or assisting a criminal group that was preparing to commit terrorist acts. Moroccan investigators say all of the men were either members of Al Qaeda or had been heavily influenced by the group's teachings while living in Afghanistan.

The judge set Dec. 20 as the men's next court date.

The defendants were identified as Muhammad Ouzar, Ibrahim Benchekroun, Muhammad Mazouz, Redouane Chakouri and Abdullah Tabarak, whom officials suspect was a bodyguard for Mr. bin Laden.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/07/international/africa/07trial.html?ex=1103086800&en=2e01d30fe7188b19&ei=5093&partner=TOPIX