ALI AL-MARRI TRANSFERRED TO U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE CUSTODY

WASHINGTON – Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, 43, has been released from detention by the Secretary of Defense and is now in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance today, the Justice Department announced.

Al-Marri was served with an arrest warrant this morning at the Naval Consolidated Brig in Charleston, South Carolina, and taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance at 10 a.m. today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert S. Carr in federal court in Charleston.

On Feb. 26, 2009, a federal grand jury in the Central District of Illinois returned a two-count indictment charging al-Marri with providing material support to al-Qaeda and conspiring with others to provide material support to al-Qaeda. The public is reminded that the charges contained in an indictment are mere allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

The United States will seek to keep al-Marri detained pending his transfer to Illinois and his trial. After his initial court appearance today, al-Marri will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending his next court appearance.