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UNCLASSIFIEDIIFOR PUBLIC RELEASE
MILITARY COMMISSIONS TRIAL J UDICIARY
GUANTANAMO BAY
UN ITED STATES OF AMERICA
v.
KHALlD SHAIKH MO HAMMAD,
WALlD MUHAMMAD SALlH MUBARAK
BIN 'ATTAS H,
RAMZI BIN AL SHAIBAH,
AMAR AL BALUCHI
("ALl ABDUL AZIZ ALI"),
MUSTAFA AHMED ADAM AL HAWSAWI
AE I07(MAH,AAA)
Defense Motion to Dismiss
for Lack of Jurisdiction
2 November 20 12
1. Timeliness: Th is is time ly fi led in accordance with Rule of Court 3.7(b).
2. Burden: The burden of persuasion on ac1aim of lack of jurisdiction rests with the
prosecution. R.M .C. 905(c)(2)(B).
3. Relief Sought: The Defense asks that th is commission dismiss the charges, absent the
prosecution establishing that each offense charged is a recogni zed violation under the law of war.
4. Overview: All of the accused in this case are charged with offenses under the Military
Commissions Act of 2009. The conduct of wh ich they are accused occurred before enactment of
the MCA.
In accordance with the U.S . Court of Appea ls for the D.C. Circu it's opinion in Hamdall v.
United States, Congress did not aim to create any constitutional Ex Post Facto problems, when it
defined offenses under the MCA. In findin g that material support for terrorism, which is codified
in the MCA, was not an established law of war offense in 2006, the D.C. Circu it in Hamdall
makes clear that the mere fact that an offense is cod ified in the MCA does not mean it was a law
of war offense in the past. In order to levy charges before this military commission for conduct
that occurred before enactment of the MCA wh il e avoiding an Ex Post Facto concern, the
Government must all ege offenses that were crimes under the law of war at the time that conduct
occurred.
Filed with T J
2 November 2012
UNCLASSIFIEDIIFOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Appellate Exhibit 107 (MAH,AAA)
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