A sound feed to journalists from the courtroom was turned off twice. The first time, a soldier told reporters it was because a detainee was discussing a medication he had been given, which was a privacy issue.

But his defense attorney, Navy Cmdr. Suzanne Lachelier, told The Associated Press later that the prisoner had been discussing his five years as a prisoner of the United States.

The sound was also turned off when another defendant discussed early days of his imprisonment. Judge Ralph Kohlmann said that in both cases sound was turned off because classified information was discussed.

The arraignment, in which no pleas were entered, indicated that hatred for the United States among some of the defendants remains at a boil.

One defendant said he deeply regrets not joining the hijackers who crashed passenger airliners into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.

"I have been seeking martyrdom for five years," said Ramzi Binalshibh, the alleged main intermediary between the 19 hijackers and al-Qaida leaders. "I tried for 9/11 to get a visa but I could not."

Asked if he understands that he could be executed if found guilty, Binalshibh said, "If this martyrdom happens today, I welcome it. God is great. God is great. God is great."

Calmly propping his glasses on his turban to peer at legal papers, Mohammed grinned at times and insisted he would not be represented by any attorneys. The other detainees quickly followed suit and said they too wanted to represent themselves.

One defense attorney said his client, Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi, was pressured by the other four to snub his defense team. Kohlmann then barred the detainees from talking with each other.

As the judge closed the session, which lasted nearly 10 hours with breaks, he asked the defendants to rise but they refused. He said he would set a trial schedule later.

The US is seeking the death penalty for all five defendants, who sat at separate tables with their defense teams in a high-tech courtroom on this US Navy base. Binalshibh's ankles were chained to the floor.

Mohammed was careful not to interrupt Kohlmann. He lost his composure only after the Marine colonel ordered several defense attorneys to keep quiet.