Thursday, January 29, 2009

A Blow to Justice

President Obama requested delay of trials so that justice might be done. One of the trials is the military tribunal of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, accused in the bombing of the Cole. The judge has refused that presidential request.

The defendant was held in black prisons and then transferred to Gitmo. His attorneys contend, and the CIA admits, that he was tortured, and tapes of his interrogation have been destroyed.

The delay would be for better opportunity to investigate these very disreputable activities, and the judge does this country another disservice by refusing to give justice a change. The defendant is supposed to plead on February 9, either guilty or not guilty. This is not a trial, of course, it is a process that does not fit into the U.S. justice system.

A military judge at Guantanamo Bay Thursday rejected President Barack Obama's request to suspend the trial of a Saudi accused in the 2000 attack on the USS Cole, the Pentagon said.

"Judge James Pohl denied the motion" put forward by the prosecution at the request of Obama to suspend the trial for 120 days, said Defense Department spokesman J.D. Gordon, confirming a report by The Washington Post.

The October 2000 attack on the Cole left 17 people dead and injured many more.
(snip)
He was arrested in 2002, and held in a secret CIA prison before being transfered to the US military base at Guantanamo Bay, southern Cuba.

Following Judge Pohl's decision, the new administration will now have to decide whether to withdraw the charges against Nashiri or not.

The Supreme Court has held that these detainees must be given 'habeas corpus' rights. They have not had the right to know charges or evidence against them, and have been held without charges.


Our country is badly served by the injustices of Gitmo, and it seems there are some members of the military tribunals system that seeks to continue the injustice who fear the light of day. When the president was elected, a good deal of his vote was because he represents a return to the decency and honor of our justice system. That is a threat to those who perpetuate injustice. It must not continue.

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2 Comments:

Blogger Ted said...

The Joint Chiefs of Staff HAVE AN ABSOLUTE CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY to stand behind Guantanamo Military Judge James Pohl UNTIL OBAMA OVERCOMES “RES IPSA LOQUITUR” BY SUPPLYING HIS LONG FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND PROVING HIS ELIGIBILITY TO BE PRESIDENT UNDER ARTICLE 2 OF THE US CONSTITUTION.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/29/AR2009012902021.html?wprss=rss_nation

5:49 PM  
Blogger Ruth said...

Freakish. Amazing if wingers still are trying to make a valid birth certificate into an issue? Sorry, Hawaii is a state now.

2:26 AM  

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