The Mauritanian

The real life story of Mauritanian national Mohamedou Ould Slahi's detainment at Guantanamo Bay in the aftermath of the 911 attacks on suspicions that he was the mastermind recruiter for some of the 911 pilots is dramatized. In 2005 in a general writ of habeus corpus which allows the uncharged detainees at Guantanamo Bay to have their cases heard in light of not being charged, Albuquerque based law partner Nancy Hollander is convinced at least to look at Slahi's case on the indirect request of his family back in Mauritania, who just learned of he being at Guantanamo Bay after he left home one day late in 2001 in volunteering to go with authorities not to be seen again. Hollander, choosing her junior colleague Theresa Duncan in needing someone who speaks at least one of Slahi's languages, decides to take the pro bono case against the protestations of her law partners who believe the publicity of a being a "terrorist lover" will hurt the firm's reputation. Hollander and Duncan's mission to provide a legal defense is made all the more difficult in Slahi's overall suspicions, not so much of his two lawyers who he doesn't know from a hole in the wall regardless, but about information he provides being used against him while in Guantanamo. Their opposing counsel does not have any easier a task. He, Marine Corps officer Stuart Couch, does have a personal vested interest in the case in knowing some who perished in 911 in direct actions by the terrorists that day, but he knows that his personal feelings need to be put aside for him to win the case based on the evidence. It is that evidence which the government is hesitating on providing and if the lawyers on both sides can get their hands on the materials may eventually dictate what happens with the case and Slahi's fate.