Guilty Plea From 'High Value' Guantanamo Prisoner
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (WJZ) -- Behind bars in Guantanamo Bay. A former Baltimore County man has confessed to being a terrorist. Now he's expected to testify against some of the most dangerous men in the world.
Monique Griego has more on this new development.
Majid Khan struck a plea deal with the government. He could get a reduced sentence in exchange for testifying against his fellow al-Qaeda members, including the mastermind behind 9/11.
He was a teenager living in Maryland with his family, but now 32-year-old Majid Khan is behind bars in Guantanamo Bay, considered one of the most "high value" terrorist detainees.
Khan has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a deadly hotel bombing in Indonesia, a failed attempt to kill the Pakistani president and several terror plots here in the United States, a place he once called home.
Khan moved with his family from Pakistan to Catonsville in 1996. He graduated from Owings Mills High School in 1999, but soon after, he started taking trips back to Pakistan.
"During that time, possibly before, he became radicalized and became involved with high-level terrorists," said Homeland Security expert Anthony Villa.
That includes terrorists like Khalid Sheik Muhammad. Now Khan is expected to testify against the 9/11 mastermind and other al-Qaeda leaders.
"He has in all likelihood some of the best information available out of the current detainees currently being held in Guantanamo," Villa said.
In return for testimony, Khan could be sentenced to just 15 years. However, he could be held after that as an enemy combatant. During a hearing Wednesday, Khan told a judge, "This agreement does not guarantee that I will be able to get free, even after I do my time. I'm taking a leap of faith here, sir. That's all I can do."
Khan will not be sentenced for four years after he testifies against his fellow al-Qaeda members.
Khan's attorneys say their client feels remorse for his actions and wishes he'd never been involved with al-Qaeda.
