A Guantanamo prisoner who held up a photo of President Barack Obama as a sign of hope at a war crimes court hearing last year said Wednesday he has lost faith that the American leader will be much different than his predecessor.
Ahmed al-Darbi, who told the court in December he hoped Obama would "earn back the legitimacy the United States has lost in the eyes of the world," said in a note passed to his lawyer that he is disappointed the Guantanamo prison remains open and the military court still holds hearings.
"I say to him now that he has gone astray," al-Darbi said.
Al-Darbi, 34, a Saudi who is charged with conspiracy and providing material support for terrorism, gave the note to his lawyer following a hearing at which a judge granted the Obama administration's request to delay all proceedings in his case for 60 days while the government completes a review of the system for prosecuting Guantanamo prisoners.
Obama is expected to shift some of the trials to civilian courts and has said he intends to close the prison in January. There are about 225 prisoners at the Guantanamo jail, which was created by President George W. Bush, and officials have not announced where they will be moved.