in VOA Special English.On Wednesday,a jury in federal courtin New York Cityannounced its decisionin the case of Ahmed Ghailani.The Tanzanian was the firstterrorism suspect heldat Guantanamo everto face trialin a civilian courtinstead of a military court.He was chargedin the al-Qaida bombingsof the American embassiesin Tanzania and Kenyaon August seventh,nineteen ninety-eight.The attacks killedtwo hundred twenty-four people,including twelve Americans.Government lawyers saidMr. Ghailani bought the truckand tanks of gas usedin the bombing in Tanzania.The government broughttwo hundred eighty-five chargesagainst him, mostly for murder.But the twelve-member juryfound him guilty of just one charge:conspiracy to destroyUnited States propertywith an explosive device.The crime carries a sentence ofat least twenty years in prisonand a possible life sentence.Mr. Ghailani is thirty-six.He faces sentencing in January.He was the fifth person foundguilty in the embassy bombings.The other four were also triedin civilian court in New Yorkand received life sentencesin two thousand one.But they had never been heldat the American militarydetention centerat Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.Senator Joe Lieberman saysthe jury's decision makesit highly unlikelythere will be many morecivilian trialsof Guantanamo detainees.Senator Lieberman, an Independent,heads the Senate Homeland Securityand Governmental Affairs Committee.JOE LIEBERMAN: "To me, we are in a war.And people you capturein a war should be heldin a military setting."But Tom Malinowski of the groupHuman Rights Watchdefended the jury's verdict,after a trial in a citythat was also attacked by al-Qaida.TOM MALINOWSKI: "It shows thatAmerican courts and American juriesare independent and thoughtfuland take their responsibilitiesvery, very seriously."Republican Representative John Boehner-- soon to become the speakerof the House -- urged President Obamato try future suspectsin military courts.The president wantsto close Guantanamo,but the Ghailani verdictcould make it even harderfor him to get Congress to agree.Defense lawyer Peter Quijanotold the court that al-Qaida memberstricked Mr. Ghailaniinto unknowingly helping them.He says the defense teamwill appeal the convictionon the single charge.Mr. Ghailani was capturedsix years ago in Pakistan.The Central Intelligence Agencyheld him there for two yearsbefore he arrived at Guantanamo.The government's casesuffered a setbackbefore the trial began.Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected evidencefrom a government witness.Hussein Abebe was expectedto tell the court that hehad sold explosives to Mr. Ghailani.But Judge Kaplan saidthe government violatedMr. Ghailani's constitutional rights.The judge said Mr. Abebewas identified as a direct resultof statements madeby Mr. Ghailani under duresswhile held by the CIA.Mr. Ghailani's lawyers sayhe was tortured.The government would notdiscuss details of his treatment.Tom Malinowski of Human Rights Watchthinks a military courtwould have reached the same decisionas the civilian jury.TOM MALINOWSKI: "The military commissionshave been reformed by the Congressand the Obama administrationin a way that prohibitsabsolutely the useof any evidence obtainedthrough torture or cruelty."And that's IN THE NEWSin VOA Special English.