Five men held in Guantanamo on charges of plotting the September 11 attacks declared in a court document released Tuesday that they sought to kill and terrorize Americans as an offering to God.
The charges filed against them by US authorities were "not accusations," the five detainees wrote in the document filed with the US military commission.
"To us they are badges of honor, which we carry with pride," the detainees said, adding: "We are terrorists to the bone. So many thanks to God."
The detainees, including alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, have previously said in court proceedings they planned the attacks and wanted to plead guilty to charges of war crimes.
In court appearances and in statements to US authorities, Mohammed has expressed pride in portraying himself as the architect of the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington that killed nearly 3,000 people.
But the document filed with military authorities was the most detailed response yet by the five detainees.
The detainees said their actions were the fulfillment of the Islamic faith and said the United States had no right to accuse others over targeting civilians.
"Therefore, killing you and fighting you, destroying you and terrorizing you, responding back to your attacks, are all considered to be great legitimate duty in our religion.
"These actions are our offerings to God," it said.
The six-page document addresses each of the nine charges issued by US authorities, arguing that terrorism against the United States was justified because of US support for Israel, US-led wars against Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq and other actions.
"We fight you over defending Muslims, their land, their holy sites, and their religion as a whole," it said.
The detainees dismissed the charge of conspiracy, saying it was only natural that they would plot in secret.
"This is a very laughable accusation. Were you expecting us to inform you about our secret attack plans?"
On multiple charges of killing civilians, the detainees allege they were retaliating for what they called targeting of civilians by the United States and its ally Israel in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.
"We ask you; who initiated the attacks on civilians? Who is attacking civilian objects? ... Is it us, or is it you?"
The Defense Department said the accused seemed intent on gaining media attention.
"It appears to be merely another attempt by these detainees to garner publicity," Commander Jeffrey Gordon said.
The future of the case against the accused 9/11 conspirators remains uncertain after President Barack Obama halted the proceedings of the military commissions and ordered the closure by early 2010 of the controversial detention camp in Cuba.
Administration officials are reviewing the cases of the Guantanamo inmates and plan to decide which detainees can be tried in regular US courts.
Lawyers for two of the detainees had sought to delay the release of the document, officials said.
The American Civil Liberties accused the presiding military judge, Stephen Henley, of flouting the president's request to stop the proceedings by "selectively" releasing the document that it said serves the interest of the prosecution.
"Judge Henley apparently doesn?t know what the word ?halt? means since he has blatantly defied President Obama?s executive order for an end to the military commissions," Anthony Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement.
