U.S. military removes lawyer from Guantanamo case

Navy Lieutenant Commander William Kuebler, the former lead defense counsel for Canadian defendant Omar Khadr, speaks during a news conference at the Camp Justice media center following a pre-trial session at the U.S. Naval Station on Guantanamo Bay in this December 12, 2008 file photo. The U.S. military has removed Kuebler from the case of Khadr, a young Canadian terrorism suspect being held at the Guantanamo prison camp, a military official said on Saturday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military has removed a Navy defense lawyer from the case of a young Canadian terrorism suspect being held at the Guantanamo prison camp, a military official said on Saturday.

Navy Lieutenant Commander William Kuebler had been serving as chief defense counsel for Omar Khadr, the last citizen of a western country held at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Kuebler was removed from the job on Friday because his supervisor "believed it was in the absolute best interests of the client," Michael Berrigan, principal chief defense counsel for Guantanamo, said by email.

Taking Kuebler off the case was "necessary to pursue a client-centered representation in full cooperation with" Khadr's Canadian defense team, Berrigan added.

Khadr was captured at age 15 and is accused of murdering a U.S. soldier with a grenade during a firefight in Afghanistan in 2002. His lawyers have argued that he was a child soldier conscripted by his late father, an al Qaeda financier, and that any prosecution should take place in regular U.S. or Canadian courts. Khadr is now 22.

Kuebler has been outspoken on behalf of Khadr and last August sued Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in a bid to force him to intercede with Washington on Khadr's behalf.

President Barack Obama has pledged to shut down the Guantanamo prison camp that was widely seen as a stain on the United States' human rights record and a symbol of detainee abuse and detention without charge under the administration of George W. Bush.

Obama now must decide what to do with Khadr and other detainees still at Guantanamo.

Kuebler was reassigned to a job within the Navy's judge advocate general corps, Berrigan said.

Kuebler, in an e-mail on Saturday, said "unfortunately I am unable to comment right now."

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Vicki Allen)