Ali Hamza Ahmad al-Bahlul, a 37-year-old Yemeni, has dismissed the court proceedings as illegitimate despite admitting at an ealirer hearing that he was a member of bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network.
Bahlul renewed his request on Wednesday to be allowed to represent himself, though tribunal rules require that he accept a US lawyer.
"I am saying I do not want an American lawyer, military or civilian,"
Bahlul said, sitting calmly at a table with his hands clasped.
Bahlul tried to clarify earlier comments that he was an Al-Qaeda member by saying that he had nothing to do with the attacks of September, 11, 2001. "I had no connection to the events of September 11," he said.
Prosecutors allege he was a propaganda specialist and bodyguard for bin Laden in Afghanistan before he was captured in 2001.
Bahlul was later transferred to the controversial US-run "war on terror" detention camp at the Guantanamo Bay US Naval Base in Cuba.
Prosecution case
Prosecutors allege Bahlul was trained by Al-Qaeda at a camp in Afghanistan and later assigned by bin Laden to prepare "instructional and motivational recruiting video tapes," according to tribunal documents.
He is accused of preparing a video glorifying Al-Qaeda's attack on the USS Cole in 2000 as a recruitment tool for a "revolt against America."
Shortly before the attacks of September 11, 2001, Bahlul allegedly helped bin Laden and his associates to move from Kandahar to a remote mountain location in Afghanistan, prosecutors say.
In the weeks following September 11, bin Laden allegedly ordered Bahlul to gather media reports on the attacks on New York and Washington and information about economic damage caused.
Pre-trial hearings have focussed mainly on a dispute over who should represent Bahlul. Military authorities say the rules governing the extraordinary tribunals prohibit a defendant from representing himself.
The US military lawyer assigned to Bahlul has been placed in a delicate position, attempting to balance his professional obligations to respect his client's wishes while obeying orders as a military officer.
Major Tom Fleener said he would continue to represent Bahlul as necessary while looking for another lawyer that might be more acceptable to the defendant.
Human rights groups monitoring the proceedings say the case illustrates how the military tribunals in Guantanamo restrict the rights of defendants and go against US and international legal norms.
Of the about 500 detainees held at Guantanamo, only 10 have been formally charged after four years.