If the bizarre nature of these military tribunals was not enough, upon hearing his sentence from the president of the jury the driver, Salim Hamdan, said:

"I would like to apologise one more time to all the members and I would like to thank you for what you have done for me."

Hamdan was convicted of supporting terrorism, but acquitted of conspiracy to murder. The judge, Navy Capt Keith Allred, told Hamdan: "I hope the day comes when you return to your wife and your daughters and your country."

During his trial Hamdan had said "It’s true there are work opportunities in Yemen, but not at the level I needed after I got married and not to the level of ambitions that I had in my future." He admitted working for Bin Laden in Afghanistan from 1997 to 2001 for $200 per month, but for wages, not as part of a war on the US.

Many rights groups have condemned the tribunal system and Amnesty International said it was "fundamentally flawed" and should be abandoned.

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