Judge Rules Gitmo Trials Unlawful, page 1

posted on Nov, 9 2004 @ 08:53 AM

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A federal judgement was issued earlier this week that declares the Guantanamo Bay "commissions" held for the "enemy combatants" are unlawful. They (the tribunals/commissions) do not respect the Geneva convention agreement concerning POW treatment and nor do they respect common military laws concerning courts-martial. After this judgement, the tribunals were immediately halted.

www.sun-sentinel.com A federal judge Monday ordered the Pentagon to stop a tribunal against a former driver for Osama bin Laden and return him to the regular population at Guant�namo Bay.

In another legal blow to the Bush administration's anti-terror efforts, U.S. District Judge James Robertson said in a 45-page opinion that the Geneva Conventions apply to the detainees at Camp Delta.

"The government," wrote Robertson, a Navy veteran, "has asserted a position starkly different from the positions and behavior of the United States in previous conflicts, one that can only weaken the United States' own ability to demand application of the Geneva Conventions to Americans captured during armed conflicts."

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

More "world opinion" ammunition here. Another article states that we treated Viet Cong as POWs although they were "farmers during the day and soldiers at night," which is similar to the obscurity in which these "soldiers" are shrouded in when trying to classify them as prisoners of war or enemy combatants. They aren't fighting as part of a legitimate army's government, so they receive less rights, as far as we're concerned.

It is my opinion that this judge is correct - we can't hold those people without charges or lawyers any longer. Even Saddam Hussein got a lawyer and you can bet that if we caught OBL, he'd get a lawyer as well.

Related News Links:
www.kansas.com
www.orlandosentinel.com< br />
www.billingsgazette.com
www.antiwar.com

[edit on 9-11-2004 by Nerdling]

[edit on 9-11-2004 by Zipdot]

[edit on 9-11-2004 by Banshee]

Zipdot

posted on Nov, 9 2004 @ 11:54 AM
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The justice department is trying to fight this - they are attempting to appeal to a higher court and they're trying to get a stay on the judge's ruling that would allow the tribunals to proceed.

It is their opinion that the judge jumped the gun with the ruling and should have held out until after all of the tribunals were completed.

Zip

soficrow

posted on Nov, 9 2004 @ 03:52 PM

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Excellent coverage zipdot. Thanks. Please keep us posted on the new developments.

Thank you too U.S. District Judge James Robertson, for standing up to defend democracy, civil rights and civilization. You are not alone.

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