Law change to bypass trials and give jihadis a fast track to martyrdom

The Australian ^ | June 8, 2009 | Brad Norington

[Schnucki]

DETAINEES at the Guantanamo Bay prison who face the death penalty, including five men charged over the September 11 terrorist attacks, could avoid special US military trials if they pleaded guilty under a legal change proposed by the Obama administration.

The proposal, reportedly part of draft legislation to amend 2006 laws that created the US military commissions at Guantanamo Bay, would allow the five charged with planning the 2001 attacks to achieve what they regard as martyrdom. But it could also help get the US government off the hook over the difficulty of prosecuting detainees whose terrorism confessions were obtained after harsh interrogations that some have branded torture. Besides avoiding legal challenges to the September 11 confessions, bypassing full trials could stop the release of more details politically damaging to the US about detainee treatment. According to The New York Times, the proposal for a change in the law related to those facing possible execution has been circulated on a restricted basis to US officials after it was presented to Defence Secretary Robert Gates by an administration taskforce on detention.

During his speech in Cairo last week, US President Barack Obama reaffirmed the pledge he made on his second day in office in January to close the prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Since last month, the US President has also made clear he wants to continue with the military commissions regime set up by the Bush administration, but with changes to give detainees more rights.

A provision allowing terrorism suspects the right to bypass trials if they plead guilty to capital offences would bring military commission rules in line with civil courts in most US states that have capital punishment.

US military courts, used as the model for the commissions at Guantanamo Bay, do not allow armed services personnel to

[True Republican Patriot]

Rumor is that each “Man-made Disaster Specialist” will be given an Office of National Security and be located within spitting distance (10-18 ft.) of The OVAL OFFICE and The Grand MULLAH,THE ONE himself! He wants to tap their expertise and get himself some of those 72 Beautiful VIRGINS!

[UCANSEE2]

Thanks for posting the article.

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“Besides avoiding legal challenges to the September 11 confessions, bypassing full trials could stop the release of more details politically damaging to the US about detainee treatment.”

A little truth, a little lie, a little omission.

Bypassing full trials could stop the release of more details politically damaging to (many high-ranking politicians in) the US about detainee treatment.”

[yankeedame]

I don't get this. There's "glorious martyrdom" and real martyrdom. Instead of executing, circumcise the SOB. Then drop ship him ("this is where you get out,pal"-- boot) back to his own stomping grounds.

[livius]

Bypassing trials could allow Bambi to let them off and conveniently sweep the whole matter under the rug. If there hadn’t been so much publicity about relocating the terrorists at Gitmo, most people wouldn’t even know about it and these guys would soon have been living on welfare in their towns, plotting their next attack. Letting people know about it was what undid Obama’s plan, and he’s not going to let that happen again.

I would be really, really surprised if a single one of these terrorists got the death penalty, no matter what they plead. This is definitely intended to keep it out of the public eye so that Bambi can handle it any way he wants.

[UCANSEE2]

I’m thinking they will get no-interest home loans and community organizer jobs.