Defense Says Cole Attack Mimicked A US Ruse

FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) — Lawyers for a Guantanamo Bay detainee accused of orchestrating the deadly bombing of the USS Cole are asking a judge to toss out six of the 11 counts against their client because of what they call U.S. hypocrisy.

A judge is hearing arguments today at a pretrial hearing in Cuba for Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri (ahbd al-ruh-HEEM' al-nuh-SHEE'-ree).

Defense lawyers argue that the ruse of disguising an enemy watercraft as a friendly vessel is an acceptable form of naval warfare that even the United States has used.

The attack killed 17 U.S. sailors.

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