http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/guantanamo/ en-us Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:55:27 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2135681/posts SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- A U.S. military judge has blocked Pentagon prosecutors from using a Guantanamo prisoner's statements to U.S. authorities as trial evidence, saying they were tainted by an earlier confession tortured out of the suspect by Afghan officials. Mohammed Jawad's confession to U.S. authorities in Afghanistan following his capture in 2002 was the last incriminating statement available to prosecutors for the Afghan's war-crimes trial at Guantanamo Bay, his military defense attorney, Air Force Maj. David Frakt, said Thursday. Wednesday's dismissal of Jawad's confession in U.S. custody decimates the government's case against the Afghan prisoner at Guantanamo... AP via SFGate http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2135681/posts#comment Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:55:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2135228/posts WASHINGTON -- In a challenge to President-elect Barack Obama, Sen. David Vitter, R-La., has proposed legislation that would bar the moving of "enemy combatants" from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the United States unless the president declares the move "consistent with the national security of the United States." nola.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2135228/posts#comment Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:05:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2133273/posts US President-elect Barack Obama says he will shut down the "war on terror'' internment camp at Guantanamo Bay and rebuild "America's moral stature in the world,'' in a major interview aired overnight. "I have said repeatedly that I intend to close Guantanamo, and I will follow through on that,'' the Democrat, who takes office on January 20, told the CBS program 60 Minutes. "I have said repeatedly that America doesn't torture. And I'm going to make sure that we don't torture. Those are part and parcel of an effort to regain America's moral stature in the world,'' Senator Obama said.... new.au.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2133273/posts#comment Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:34:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2132469/posts President Bush could pardon officials involved in brutal interrogations -- but he may also face a sweeping investigation under the new president. WASHINGTON -- With growing talk in Washington that President Bush may be considering an unprecedented "blanket pardon" for people involved in his administration's brutal interrogation policies, advisors to Barack Obama are pressing ahead with plans for a nonpartisan commission to investigate alleged abuses under Bush. The Obama plan, first revealed by Salon in August, would emphasize fact-finding investigation over prosecution. It is gaining currency in Washington as Obama advisors begin to coordinate with Democrats in Congress on the... Salon http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2132469/posts#comment Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:04:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2130556/posts Barack Obama, the US president-elect, has said repeatedly that he will shut down the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and is now faced with decisions about how to proceed. Rights groups have urged Obama to move swiftly once he begins his White House term in January. Around 250 prisoners remain in the camp - most held without charge or trial - including 50 or so that have been cleared for release but cannot be returned to their home countries, the US government says, for fear of torture and persecution. Two, including Osama bin Laden's former driver, have already... aljazeera.net http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2130556/posts#comment Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:01:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2129901/posts President Elect Barack Obama has made his first moves in the war on terrorism, and they aren't good ones. But they are in line with his foreign policy actions to date: creating a rift with allies (Poland) while pleasing enemies (Iran), and all this before he's even placed his hand on the Bible to take the oath of office. In what can best be described as continuing the failed policies of the past -those of President Clinton - news leaked out on Monday that Obama's advisers are working on a plan to close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and bring... HubPages http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2129901/posts#comment Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:14:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2129551/posts Shut Guantanamo on Day One, Obama urged 10 Nov 2008 20:24:05 GMT Source: Reuters By Jane Sutton MIAMI, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Five human rights groups urged European governments on Monday to accept Guantanamo prisoners who cannot be sent home for fear of persecution, while a sixth group called on U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to sign an order shutting the prison camp on the day he takes office. The global efforts are aimed at pressuring Obama to make good on his campaign pledge to close the widely reviled Guantanamo detention camp and halt the special tribunals that try foreign terrorism... alertnet.org http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2129551/posts#comment Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:55:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2129262/posts President-elect Obama's advisers are quietly crafting a proposal to ship dozens, if not hundreds, of imprisoned terrorism suspects to the United States to face criminal trials... Article is at the source because of copy rights It's under national news. The Orange County Register http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2129262/posts#comment Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:09:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2129232/posts President-elect Barack Obama's advisers are quietly crafting a proposal to ship dozens, if not hundreds, of imprisoned terrorism suspects to the United States to face criminal trials, a plan that would make good on his promise to close the Guantanamo Bay prison but could require creation of a controversial new system of justice. During his campaign, Obama described Guantanamo as a "sad chapter in American history'' and has said generally that the U.S. legal system is equipped to handle the detainees. But he has offered few details on what he planned to do once the facility is closed. Under plans... The Islamabad Nation http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2129232/posts#comment Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:39:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2129215/posts WASHINGTON -- President-elect Barack Obama's advisers are quietly crafting a proposal to ship dozens, if not hundreds, of imprisoned terrorism suspects to the United States to face criminal trials, a plan that would make good on his promise to close the Guantanamo Bay prison but could require creation of a controversial new system of justice. During his campaign, Obama described Guantanamo as a "sad chapter in American history" and has said generally that the U.S. legal system is equipped to handle the detainees. But he has offered few details on what he planned to do once the facility is closed.... Fox News via AP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2129215/posts#comment Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:23:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2123512/posts DEVELOPING: A military jury has convicted a man who was accused of being an aide of Usama bin Laden and making propaganda videos for Al Qaeda in the second Guantanamo war crimes trial. A jury of officers announced the verdict Monday at the U.S. base in Cuba. FOX/AP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2123512/posts#comment Mon, 3 Nov 2008 15:18:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2111494/posts WASHINGTON (AFP) — The Pentagon announced Tuesday that it had dropped conspiracy and terrorism charges against five Guantanamo detainees, including a British resident, but said it could reinstate them "at a later time." The legal charity representing Ethiopian-born British resident Binyam Mohammed said in a statement that military lawyers told them the US Department of Defence intends to re-file charges against their client following the November 4 US presidential election. "Far from being a victory for Mr. Mohamed in his long-running struggle for justice, this is more of the same farce that is Guantanamo," said Clive Stafford-Smith, who has represented... Agence France Presse http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2111494/posts#comment Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:10:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2110820/posts WASHINGTON — Despite his stated desire to close the American prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, President Bush has decided not to do so, and never considered proposals drafted in the State Department and the Pentagon that outlined options for transferring the detainees elsewhere, according to senior administration officials. Mr. Bush’s top advisers held a series of meetings at the White House this summer after a Supreme Court ruling in June cast doubt on the future of the American detention center. But Mr. Bush adopted the view of his most hawkish advisers that closing Guantánamo would involve too many legal and... New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2110820/posts#comment Tue, 21 Oct 2008 02:34:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2105213/posts In August, when listening to the detainees’ proposal for release, U.S. District Judge Urbina said he didn’t “understand why that would not be a viable option.” This shocking, outrageous ruling by a Bill Clinton appointee is a prime example of what type of judges we can expect to get more of if Barack Obama becomes president. Not only will Obama appoint federal judges, but also the critical positions of Supreme Court Justices. And this is where the problem began. Cross Action News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2105213/posts#comment Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:53:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2104595/posts Tuesday, October 7, 2008 should be remembered as a day when federal judicial arrogance descended to a new low. Apparently, before being appointed to the federal bench by President Clinton, United States District Judge Ricardo M. Urbina (District of Columbia) learned somewhere along his career path—student at Georgetown University and its Law School, practitioner at the DC Public Defender’s Office, teacher at Howard University School of Law, judge at the DC Superior Court—that Articles I (legislative) and II (executive) of the United States Constitution must succumb to the arrogance of unelected, life-tenured Article III federal judges. That’s because on October... Frontpagemag.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2104595/posts#comment Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:54:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2100488/posts There’s an article in today’s New York Times that completely blows me away (surprise!). Federal judge Ricardo M. Urbina has ordered the release of 17 Club Gitmo detainees. Fine, ok, you don’t think they’re enemy combatants. Make the case and send them back to the enemy territory we scooped them up from. But this is the kicker...they're being released into the US! Primetime Politics http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2100488/posts#comment Wed, 8 Oct 2008 15:21:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2088022/posts GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba: Confessed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed offered Monday to help persuade one of his co-defendants to leave his prison cell for a pretrial hearing at Guantanamo Bay. ~ snip ~ Associated Press (excerpt) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2088022/posts#comment Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:33:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2078998/posts The first story excerpted below illustrates again why we can not turn over the apprehension and punishment of Islamic terrorists who are non-citizens to the civilian criminal justice system that failed us so markedly after the 1993 World Trade center bombing. Although three men were convicted in Britain, others went free. We need to have the military services of the United States and our allies deal with these butchers on a war footing and under wartime rules. From Sea to Shining Sea http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2078998/posts#comment Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:30:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2062449/posts By see-dubya  •  August 15, 2008 06:02 AM I’ve been griping about the Gitmo lawyers for over a year now–I first started noticing the problem back in this post when I first guest-blogged for Michelle back in January 2007. Back then I quoted Rob Pollock’s interview with a Gitmo official we now know to be Cully Stimson*: Guantanamo detainees don’t lack for legal representation. A list of lead counsel released this week in response to a Freedom of Information Act request reads like a who’s who of America’s most prestigious law firms: Shearman and Sterling; Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr;... michellemalkin.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2062449/posts#comment Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:59:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2061548/posts Saudi Arabia is to build five modern prisons in the kingdom to replace US Guantanamo detention facility, a new report has revealed. Jordanian daily quoted unnamed sources as saying that US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Saudi officials are cooperating to construct the prisons which are to replace Guantanamo and US secret prisons in Europe. Riyadh is to spent about two billion Saudi Rials for the project which can accommodate up to 18000 inmates, they added. Bin laden firm and with the help of German engineers will build the prisons in the Saudi cities of Mecca, Haer, Demmam, and Qasim.... Pakistan Daily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2061548/posts#comment Thu, 14 Aug 2008 02:44:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2059471/posts Recently the Supreme Court, in a 5 to 4 decision, extended constitutional rights to enemy aliens captured on the battlefield and held outside the United States. As a result of this case, Guantanamo Bay detainees now have more rights than do prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention. This has never before been the policy of the United States, nor has the court ever before granted such rights to those detained outside of U.S. jurisdiction. The activities of a released prisoner, Abdullah Saleh Al-Ajmi, discussed in the following report written by the sister of the pilot killed on Flight 77... From Sea to Shining Sea http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2059471/posts#comment Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:58:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2058004/posts The first al-Qaida suspect charged at Guantánamo was today found guilty of aiding terrorism at a specially convened tribunal. These military commissions, however, have been highly controversial. Do you believe justice is being done at Camp Justice? The Guardian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2058004/posts#comment Thu, 7 Aug 2008 13:58:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2057460/posts The first al-Qaida suspect charged at the Guantánamo Bay prison camp was today found guilty of aiding terrorism (though acquitted by a jury of six military officers of more serious conspiracy charges) at a specially convened tribunal. These military commissions, however, have been subjected to much criticism – and not just from the American Civil Liberties Union: even former chief prosecutor, Colonel Morris Davis, who resigned last October, has said: "full, fair and open trials were not possible under the current system". Do you believe justice is being done at Camp Justice? The Guardian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2057460/posts#comment Wed, 6 Aug 2008 16:22:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2057152/posts GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba (Reuters) - A potential mistrial was avoided in the first Guantanamo trial on Tuesday when the U.S. military judge ruled it was too late to challenge his war crimes instructions to the jury deliberating the case of Osama bin Laden's driver. But the judge acknowledged he may have erred and prosecutors sought clarification on the law that they said could affect plans to try up to 80 more Guantanamo prisoners. Reuters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2057152/posts#comment Wed, 6 Aug 2008 01:20:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2056731/posts GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba — America's first war crimes trial since World War II went to the jury Monday as a panel of six U.S. military officers began deliberating whether to send Osama bin Laden's former driver away for life. The jurors, who were hand-picked by the Pentagon, were reviewing evidence from a two-week trial at the Guantanamo Bay Navy base that has become the first full test of the Bush administration's system for prosecuting alleged terrorists. Salim Hamdan, a Yemeni held here since May 2002, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of conspiracy and... newsmax.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2056731/posts#comment Tue, 5 Aug 2008 12:27:33 GMT