Colorado ACLU: Supermax move for Gitmo detainees would mock justice (BARF)

Colorado Independent ^ | 1/23/2009 | Ernest Luning

[markomalley]

Politicians in Colorado are split over the chance detainees from Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, could be imprisoned at the Supermax federal detention facility in Florence. Some say Supermax can handle Gitmo suspects just fine, others warn it’s too dangerous. But the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Colorado said in a statement to the Colorado Independent Friday afternoon that moving Gitmo detainees — including many only suspected of crimes — to the country’s most secure prison “is simply another form of torture, one which makes a mockery of ‘innocent until proven guilty.’ ”

While the Obama administration’s plans to shut down Gitmo earn the group’s applause, ACLU of Colorado executive director Cathryn Hazouri says the conditions at Supermax won’t be an improvement for terror suspects. Noting that several Gitmo detainees have been released after the Bush administration admitted it couldn’t prove guilt, Hazouri questions whether a move to the tiny cells at Supermax, where most inmates are kept in solitary confinement 23 hours a day, is fair treatment for suspects awaiting trial.

Hazouri’s full statement follows:

The ACLU of Colorado applauds President Obama for making the closure of the prison at Guantánamo his administration’s first priority. We welcome these steps towards restoring the rule of law in America. For those considering Colorado’s ADX Florence prison (Supermax) as an alternative facility for housing these detainees, we offer these considerations. Many of the detainees are being held without charges while still awaiting trial. They haven’t been convicted of any crime and for many there is no evidence against them. While a transfer to the Supermax facility will indisputably bring the detainees under the protection of the United States justice system, overall their living conditions will not improve.

This prison is the most secure federal prison in the nation. Most individuals are kept in solitary confinement for at least 23 hours each day. They live in a 7×12 ft room with walls and furniture built almost entirely out of concrete. The single free hour is spent exercising alone in a separate concrete chamber. The federal government reserves these conditions for the worst of the worst, such as convicted terrorists Ted Kaczynski, 1993 World Trade Center bombers Omar Abdel-Rahman and Ramzi Yousef, and Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph. The cases against these men were clear, and they themselves were unapologetic in their guilt.

In contrast, many of the Guantánamo detainees are merely suspected of being guilty. They are held without charge, without the ability to see the evidence against them or to offer contrary evidence in their own defense. Several of them have been released after the last administration finally admitted it had no proof of their guilt. While at Guantánamo they endured psychological and physical torture such as waterboarding and sexual degradation, but at least they had two hours of exercise per day and some contact with others, if only by yelling from cell to cell. Waterboarding and the like won’t happen at Supermax, but for these men awaiting trial, indefinite detention in total sound and sight isolation is simply another form of torture, one which makes a mockery of “innocent until proven guilty.” To release these individuals from Guantánamo Bay, only to send them to the toughest prison in the country could well be considered a move “out of the frying pan into the fire.”

Cathryn Hazouri

Executive Director, ACLU of Colorado

[markomalley]

Maybe Cathryn could put up a few of them in her house....

[VideoPaul]

Why is no one asking the American Confused Liberals Union what their better idea is? THey always whine and complain but i dont see them coming up wit hanything BETTER and they are never ASKED for a better idea.

They are just liberal whiners wihtout a plan themselves.

—PP

[avacado]

"The ACLU of Colorado applauds President Obama for making the closure of the prison at Guantánamo his administration’s first priority."

Actually, the reality of the matter, is that Obama signed an executive order GUARNTEEING that Gitmo would stay open for business for a MINIMUM of 1 year.

I think he suckered his moonbat base who cannot see the logic of that maneuver.

[muawiyah]

Cathy has just now figured out that when she or her funny little ACLU friends visit Supermax to deal with their other clients, there's a definite risk that some AlQaida sleeper agent is going to jump them and hold them hostage to get their buddies out of Supermax.

With Cathy they'll probably cut her throat first (since she's a Moslem apostate), and hold the others hostage.

This, BTW, is the problem with all the continental US prison sites ~ EXCEPT FOR ALCATRAZ!

I think they should be sent to Alcatraz so when they get released they're in downtown San Francisco among their friends.

[ejonesie22]

Let them loose in Oregon, Washington State and Central California, that seems to be where the concentration of folks calling for their release are located...

[KarlInOhio]

They've grown used to tropical breezes. There must be a minimum security Club Fed prison near Miami or San Diego.

[CGTRWK]

The federal government reserves these conditions for the worst of the worst, such as convicted terrorists Ted Kaczynski, 1993 World Trade Center bombers Omar Abdel-Rahman and Ramzi Yousef, and Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph. The cases against these men were clear, and they themselves were unapologetic in their guilt.

The public case for building supermax prisons wasn't to psychologically torture the clearly guilty and unapologetic, it was to protect corrections officers from violent prisoners.

[Uncle Miltie]

The ACLU would release the terrorists. Needn’t ask, it’s obvious.

[american_ranger]

Turn them loose in Utah and sell hunting licenses for $10,000 each. Zero could then use the money for community activism.

[Edizzl79]

Since jail is to rough for these innocent until proven guilty terrorists, why dont they just stay with the families that work at the ACLU? They speak so highly of these prisoners they would welcome them with open arms....yeah right!

[jdsteel]

Spread ‘em out...one or two at a time in Supermax prisons. Let them mingle with the general inmate population. When those one or two have been shanked....put in another one or two.

Simple.

[ScottinVA]

My message to Colorado is:

You voted for O-vomit. Elections have consequences, so by extension you wanted this, to take them all, bitches!!

[texmexis best]

Just lease Oodaaq island and put up a federal prison.

Airdrop them supples every 6 months.

No need for guards.

[cubreporter]

All of Colorado did not vote that way.

[cubreporter]

“is simply another form of torture,

Then leave them at Gitmo!

[Joe Boucher]

“1st let’s kill all the Lawyers”?
Nahhhh, 1st, let’s kill all the a.c.l.u. lawyers.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

While the Florence ADX is okay, I think it would be better in future if they hard rock mined a prison inside the Rockies. It could be enormous, and very secure. Not too many people are able to bore their way through 300 feet of solid granite with a plastic spoon.

[CodeToad]

Supermax??? LOL! Really, LOL!!!

They will be begging for Gitmo after just seeing the Supermax.

[phatus maximus]

But the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Colorado said in a statement to the Colorado Independent Friday afternoon that moving Gitmo detainees — including many only suspected of crimes — to the country’s most secure prison “is simply another form of torture, one which makes a mockery of ‘innocent until proven guilty.’

So...jailing enemy combatents is “torture”? Mark my words, jailing murder suspects will be the next to be hailed as being put under torture by bein incarcerated...what a horribly backwards world we live in...When did be become more interested in ‘justice for the criminal before those who were wronged’???

[wireplay]

Florence is a place to rot for the rest of your life. I told my wife from day 1 that they were going to head there, at least the worst ones. It is equipped to handle them and they will be absolutely worse off than Gitmo.

Personally, I think we should drop them into some of the mine shafts we have in Victor and call it a day.

Building a prison inside of one of the mountains in the area is more than doable. Kind of like a NORAD but only to house scum like these guys.