The first US civilian trial of a detainee from the Guantanamo Bay military prison was delayed today when the judge told prosecutors he would not allow testimony from their key witness.
Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani (36) is a Tanzanian charged with conspiring with Islamic militants to bomb the US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, in which 224 people were killed. He faces life in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors had asked US district judge Lewis Kaplan to allow testimony from Tanzanian witness Hussein Abebe, who allegedly told FBI agents after being arrested and flown to Zanzibar that he had sold explosives to Mr Ghailani later used in one of the bombings.
But the judge ruled he would not allow Mr Abebe to testify and said he would issue a complete opinion later today.
The trial is now due to start next on Tuesday to allow prosecutors time to review the judge's ruling and decide whether to appeal.
The defense argued Mr Ghailani was coerced into naming Abebe, and that he should not be allowed to testify.