Federal authorities Friday moved alleged al-Qaida operative Ali al-Marri to the civilian court system following six years of solitary confinement in a Navy brig in South Carolina.
U.S. officials announced al-Marri would be transferred to Illinois to face in the civilian courts charges of providing material support to al-Qaida and for conspiracy. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 15 years.
The FBI had originally charged al-Marri with credit card fraud and for providing false testimony to federal officials. Neither is a terrorism-related charge.
U.S. President George Bush in 2003 declared al-Marri an enemy combatant and transferred him to military custody at the Navy brig in Charleston, S.C., claiming he had met with al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and subsequently spent time at terrorist training camps in Afghanistan.
