The US military last night charged a Muslim Army chaplain who ministered to imprisoned terrorism suspects at the naval base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba with two criminal counts as part of an espionage probe.
Miami-based US Southern Command said army Capt James Yee had been charged with two violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice for failing to obey a lawful general order.
Specifically, Capt Yee is accused of taking classified material to his home and wrongfully transporting the material without proper security containers or covers.
Capt Yee (35) was arrested on September 10th at Jacksonville Naval Air Station in Florida as he arrived back in the United States from Guantanamo. He had been held since then without charges at a military prison in Charleston, South Carolina.
A defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the charges as "preliminary" and necessary to keep holding Capt Yee, but said the US army continues to investigate him and additional charges may be filed.
Conviction on each charge of failing to obey an order carries up to two years in prison, dishonorable discharge and forfeiture of pay, officials said.
Capt Yee is one of three men arrested in an espionage investigation relating to Guantanamo, where the US military is holding about 660 foreign terrorism suspects from 42 countries, most captured in Afghanistan, without charges or legal representation.
The other two arrested were Arabic-language translators, one serving in the Air Force and one a civilian contractor at the base. The arrests have triggered an investigation into security lapses at the Camp Delta prison facility at Guantanamo, but officials have said they do not know if there was a coordinated attempt to infiltrate the base.