Omar Khadr has pleaded guilty to multiple charges for his role in a battle with coalition troops in Afghanistan, including murder, attempted murder, supporting terrorism and spying. Khadr admitted to throwing a grenade on July 27, 2002, that killed Sgt. Christopher Speer after a four-hour firefight between al Qaeda affiliated forces and U.S. military forces, and that he threw the grenade with the intent of killing American or coalition forces.
Khadr also admitted that in the months prior to the battle, he converted landmines to explosive devices and assisted in the planting of ten explosive devices with the intent of killing American forces. His plea was part of an agreement under which he waived his right to trial and pleaded guilty in exchange for a limitation on his sentence. A panel of military officers will hear the evidence and determine Khadr’s sentence this week. Khadr is the son of al Qaeda supporters who immigrated to Canada. He has spent eight years in U.S. military prisons.