CLICK ON THE TITLE TO READ the article discussing the fate of the remaining Kuwaiti detainees at Guantanamo and whether they will be released now that President Obama has signed an executive order to close the prison.
The detainees’ lawyer, David Cynamon, spoke with the paper and explained, "With Obama's presidency, we see a light at the end of the tunnel. They've been detained without trial for almost eight years; it's about time that these prisoners were released.” Cynamon also noted that he is continuing to pursue fair hearings for the detainees. The Obama administration claims “Their cases will be studied for one year; but we don't want to wait for that time frame, we shall continue our case in the Federal Court."
A sentiment that most of us feel.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
FIRE JOHN YOO UPDATE: SOUTHERN CALIF. EVENT
SORRY ABOUT THE LINKS PROBLEM
NEWS FLASH:
John Yoo, the architect of the infamous Torture Memos, will speak at Chapman University - Fri., Jan. 30
at a Law Review Symposium called:
"Lincoln’s Constitutionalism in Time of War: Lessons for the War on Terror?"
Greet him in orange jumpsuits and black hoods to declare that we will not be silent as people continue to be tortured in our name. Contact WCW for more info at worldcantwait_la@yahoo.com ; 213.924.8571.
This symposium will be held from 9-5:00 p.m. at Kennedy Hall, Rm. 237 at
Chapman University School of Law, One University Drive, Orange, CA
Download flyer http://tinyurl.com/brmovh
The "Torture Professor"* can run, but he has no intention of hiding (he will also be visiting UCBerkeley on March 12... see the FireJohnYoo website calendar for details).
Say NO TO TORTURE - JOHN YOO MUST GO! And not just from UC, where he continues to enjoy tenure. Follow developments on holding this and other War Criminals accountable at http://www.FireJohnYoo.org .
NEWS FLASH:
John Yoo, the architect of the infamous Torture Memos, will speak at Chapman University - Fri., Jan. 30
at a Law Review Symposium called:
"Lincoln’s Constitutionalism in Time of War: Lessons for the War on Terror?"
Greet him in orange jumpsuits and black hoods to declare that we will not be silent as people continue to be tortured in our name. Contact WCW for more info at worldcantwait_la@yahoo.com ; 213.924.8571.
This symposium will be held from 9-5:00 p.m. at Kennedy Hall, Rm. 237 at
Chapman University School of Law, One University Drive, Orange, CA
Download flyer http://tinyurl.com/brmovh
The "Torture Professor"* can run, but he has no intention of hiding (he will also be visiting UCBerkeley on March 12... see the FireJohnYoo website calendar for details).
Say NO TO TORTURE - JOHN YOO MUST GO! And not just from UC, where he continues to enjoy tenure. Follow developments on holding this and other War Criminals accountable at http://www.FireJohnYoo.org .
THE $1000 LETTER
It was actually more than that but the rest of the costs were my own fault. I was multi tasking and clearly had too many tasks on the plate and screwed up. More on that another time. One of the joys of being a Guantanamo attorney is that the mail your client sends to you is read by the “privilege” team before it makes its way to you. Usually they just read it and fax it on to you and leave the original in your secret drawer. But sometimes they “classify” the letter and you cannot read it without going to the secret office near DC.
Maybe you can imagine my surprise when I received an email this past week stating that Mr. Al-Ghizzawi’s latest letter to me was “classified.” Al-Ghizzawi has been wrongly held prisoner for seven years in total isolation. What in the world could he have to say to me, or anyone, that should be classified? I sent an email back to the privilege team and asked them if they could please give me an indication of the reason for the classification. Shortly thereafter, I received an email back that stated that the letter was classified because Al-Ghizzawi’s letter was “too specific on the detainee's exact location within the detention facility.” I literally did a double take. I mean WTF. Did they think I (or someone) was going to try to bust him out or something? They refused to say anything more and told me I could read it next time I was at the Secret Pace.
CLICK ON THE TITLE TO READ THE REST..
Maybe you can imagine my surprise when I received an email this past week stating that Mr. Al-Ghizzawi’s latest letter to me was “classified.” Al-Ghizzawi has been wrongly held prisoner for seven years in total isolation. What in the world could he have to say to me, or anyone, that should be classified? I sent an email back to the privilege team and asked them if they could please give me an indication of the reason for the classification. Shortly thereafter, I received an email back that stated that the letter was classified because Al-Ghizzawi’s letter was “too specific on the detainee's exact location within the detention facility.” I literally did a double take. I mean WTF. Did they think I (or someone) was going to try to bust him out or something? They refused to say anything more and told me I could read it next time I was at the Secret Pace.
CLICK ON THE TITLE TO READ THE REST..
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Guantanamo files in disarray?
What a surprise... the Washington Post reports that the Bush administration never even compiled files for the men it has been holding at Guantanamo Bay? Why? Because they have no evidence to justify the seven years of detention for the vast majority of these men (hence more than 500 released and most of the rest waiting for the release that is coming..) and the whole operation has been run by morons.
Click on the title for more on this from the talking dog... and while you are out and about check out this piece from Dahlia Lithwick at Slate
and this from CCR's Shayana Kadidal.
Click on the title for more on this from the talking dog... and while you are out and about check out this piece from Dahlia Lithwick at Slate
and this from CCR's Shayana Kadidal.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Talking Dog meets Testimonials Project
One of my favorite blogs (the talking dog) has interviewed the founder of my favorite Guantanamo research project (The Guantanamo Testimonials Project). Click on the title for the excellent interview.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
John Bellinger should be tried as a war criminal
John Bellinger is now traveling through Europe and attempting to rewrite history a common practice for those that were in the Bush administration. Bellinger who was the State Department's point person on Guantanamo was (and most likely still is) an arrogant liar. I do not say that lightly. He is on my list of individuals from the Bush administration that should be tried as war criminals. Bellinger's attempts to rewrite history will not succeed as I and others will be following close behind to set the record straight. I wrote a letter to the International Herald Tribune challenging Bellinger's claims regarding the efforts of the Bush administration to find countries in Europe to help settle detainees that could not return to their home country. The Tribune declined to publish my letter so I share it with all of you.
click on the title to read the letter.
click on the title to read the letter.
The Executive Order.... and what it might mean
Click on the title to read the executive order. I don't believe Obama has signed it yet but there it is.
The most important part of this order is that the President is ordering that the men be treated humanely until such time as a complete review of their situation can be undertaken and it can be figured out whether or not they should be released or moved to the US for trial. I expect this will mean the immediate closing of camp's 5 and 6.
I have reason to hope that Mr. Al-Ghizzawi has been moved out of camp 6 already. Unfortunately his letter to me has been classified and I cannot read it without going to DC. I will explain more about this latest fiasco after I finish fighting my way up the new chain of command.
The most important part of this order is that the President is ordering that the men be treated humanely until such time as a complete review of their situation can be undertaken and it can be figured out whether or not they should be released or moved to the US for trial. I expect this will mean the immediate closing of camp's 5 and 6.
I have reason to hope that Mr. Al-Ghizzawi has been moved out of camp 6 already. Unfortunately his letter to me has been classified and I cannot read it without going to DC. I will explain more about this latest fiasco after I finish fighting my way up the new chain of command.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Obama halts military trials
Well, we shall see where this goes. 120 days is about 100 days more than he needs on that front. As for the Habeas cases in Federal Court I mentioned the one delay, that delay is for 2 weeks and for a legitimate reason. I have a hearing set for Mr. Razak Ali to finally have a habeas hearing on Jan. 28 and I don't think they need a continuance for that one: all they have to do is review the documents and they can see he never should have been held and should be immediatley released. We shall see.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
What Next? (already updated)
I really wanted Obama to say something about Guantanamo in his address to the nation (and the world) today but alas he chose not to. However, I believe Obama has said something about Guantanamo with his appointments and that will have to hold me over for now. Last month I had the honor of meeting with members of Obama's transition team regarding Guantanamo and I have confidence that they are men and women who will try to right the wrongs in the "justice" department... it will take some time to clear out the Bush enablers and I sure hope they start with the attorneys that have enabled Guantanamo. I have my list for them should they ask!
I don't have a Chrystal ball but I expect that Obama will settle the Uighers in the United States and reach out to our friends in Europe and elsewhere to take some of the other men who cannot return to their home countries.
May they please move quickly.
After I wrote this piece I found in my mailbox an agreed order to continue a gitmo habeas hearing set for tomorrow morning...this is good news. The "justice department" attorneys were fighting until the very end for their expansive definition of "enemy combatant." Many of us were afraid that the Bush version of the law would be argued tomorrow... fortunately it will not.
You can read about some of Obama's picks by clicking on the title. All three were at the meeting I attended.... and I wish them the best of luck.
I don't have a Chrystal ball but I expect that Obama will settle the Uighers in the United States and reach out to our friends in Europe and elsewhere to take some of the other men who cannot return to their home countries.
May they please move quickly.
After I wrote this piece I found in my mailbox an agreed order to continue a gitmo habeas hearing set for tomorrow morning...this is good news. The "justice department" attorneys were fighting until the very end for their expansive definition of "enemy combatant." Many of us were afraid that the Bush version of the law would be argued tomorrow... fortunately it will not.
You can read about some of Obama's picks by clicking on the title. All three were at the meeting I attended.... and I wish them the best of luck.
Here's hoping for a change for the better....
With one hour to go I thought I should express some hope for the future of my country.
click on the title.
click on the title.
Children first?
Rumors are afloat that the young Canadian man that we have been holding and torturing since he was a 15 year old child...Omar Khadr, will be released and now we are hearing that Mohammed El-Gharani from Chad is also scheduled to leave immediately. You can read more about the children at Guantanamo by clicking on the title. Not only was our conduct regarding these young men despicable... we were also holding them at the same time that we signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (on the involvement of children in armed conflicts)on January 23, 2003.
Monday, January 19, 2009
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