Chaotic Scene at Hearing in 9/11 Case at Guantánamo

Chaotic Scene at Hearing in 9/11 Case at Guantánamo
Published: May 5, 2012 -- NYTimes


Wild times at Guantánamo.

Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and other "defendants" caused a scene in court.

They complained about prison conditions and started praying in court.

One guy was already in a restraining chair as he was brought in !!

GUANTÁNAMO BAY, Cuba — Khalid Shaikh Mohammed fingered his long, henna-dyed beard and stared down in silence on Saturday, pointedly ignoring a military commissions judge asking in vain whether the self-described architect of the Sept. 11 attacks understood what was being said and whether he was willing to be represented by his defense lawyers.

Minutes later, Ramzi bin al Shibh, another of the five detainees arraigned on Saturday as accused conspirators in the attacks, stood, knelt and started praying. Later, he shouted at the judge that he should address their complaints about prison conditions, because “Maybe you are not going to see me again. Maybe they are going to kill us and say that we have committed suicide.”

One defendant, Walid Bin Attash, was wheeled into the courtroom in a restraint chair for reasons that were not disclosed.

Amid disruptions both passive and aggressive, the government’s attempt to restart its efforts to prosecute the five defendants in the long-delayed Sept. 11 case got off to a slow and rocky start in a trial that could ultimately result in their execution.

2-page article with details.

This is pretty much why the Bush Admin said they didnt want to try guys like this in a court of law wasnt it?

We should address the conditions these men are facing in prison! The same way they addressed problems captured coalition troops had when held by them, decapitation. We should try them in the manner they are used to :sharia law, and when it's time to start hacking off their body parts you can borrow my knife (the dull one).

reply to post by abe froman
these animals that want to destroy us so badly are praying in court, taking advantage of one of the things we are fighting and dying for, Freedom Of Religion, but they damn sure don't want you to have it.

Originally posted by abe froman
We should try them in the manner they are used to :sharia law, and when it's time to start hacking off their body parts you can borrow my knife (the dull one).

I totally disagree. That creates a legal precedent that would allow the government to continue to do that with any political dissidents. It's a slippery slope.

reply to post by stanguilles7


I think we should treat our enemies the same way they treat us, If country A captures our troops and gives them ice cream and backrubs we should do the same for our prisoners from country A. If country B murders our troops on live TV well,no ice cream for you.

Originally posted by abe froman
reply to post by stanguilles7

 

I think we should treat our enemies the same way they treat us, If country A captures our troops and gives them ice cream and backrubs we should do the same for our prisoners from country A. If country B murders our troops on live TV well,no ice cream for you.

edit on 5-5-2012 by abe froman because: Allaho Akbar

While I agree with the sentiment, I hope you understand that as soon as we allow our government to do that with someone, they can do it with anyone. It's fun to talk big and hyperbolic, but it's important to understand how the justice system actually works, and the precedent such actions create for Americans.

You are basically talking about altering the basic fundamentals of the US Justice system. When you allow your own system to degrade to the level of the forces you are fighting, you lose. The 'terrorists win', as they say.

Perhaps the proceeding should have been done in an empty room on CCTV. It seems, from the info that the OP provided, the accused were feeding off from each other for their disrespect of the court. On the other hand, should we expect them to act in any other way? We are the enemy, as they are ours. It's the only control they have...defiance.

reply to post by abe froman

I think we should treat our enemies the same way they treat us, If country A captures our troops and gives them ice cream and backrubs we should do the same for our prisoners from country A. If country B murders our troops on live TV well,no ice cream for you.

Except for the fact that our "enemies" are either working for "us" (on the CIA payroll) or their existence can be directly tied to American policies of Middle East hegemony in either the direct fashion or the indirect fashion (see CIA "projects" across the world including Iran in the 50's.

We can't very well create the monster and then whine that it is attacking us.