Second judge departs long-running 9-11 case at Guantanamo

WASHINGTON – A second military judge is stepping down from the long-running Sept. 11 war-crimes case at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre.

Marine Corps Col. Keith Parrella will take up a new job commanding the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group in June. He announced the move Thursday during a pretrial hearing at the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Parrella presides over the death penalty case involving five men accused of planning and aiding the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

He had said earlier that he was in line for the security post, but it was unclear if he would take it after being named in August to the Sept. 11 case.

The previous judge retired after presiding over the May 2012 arraignment and ensuing years of repeatedly stalled pretrial hearings.