Judge reopens Wyoming rancher's case against Noriega

[struggle4progress]

Associated Press

CASPER -- A Lusk-area rancher who says he was tortured in a Panamanian prison 25 years ago is being allowed to sue former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega.

U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson in Cheyenne dismissed Thomas Bleming's case last year, saying he didn't have jurisdiction over the international treaties on which the case was based.

But Johnson dismissed the case without prejudice, enabling Bleming to file again. He did so this week, this time citing the 1991 Torture Victim Protection Act, which allows U.S. courts to seek damages against perpetrators of human rights abuses abroad. <snip>

Bleming, 58, was arrested on Oct. 11, 1979, while working with revolutionaries trying to bring down the government of Brig. Gen. Omar Torrijos. Bleming said they had planned to attack a military base to start an insurrection. <snip>

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/10/21/build/wyoming/29-torture-lawsuit.inc

[ret5hd]

1. allows the u.s courts to seek damages against...

perpetrators of human rights abuses abroad???

that sounds dangerously close to the rationalization that spain (am i remembering correctly?) used to arrest pinochet. could this rationalization be correct?

:sarcasm:

[0007]

2. This guy is no better than a terrorist and lucky to be alive. n/t

Sounds like a mercenary that got caught.

[DiverDave]

3. Let me get this straight

1. He is trying to overthrow a foreign government.(With who's help?, I wonder)
2. He ADMITS that fact.
3. Now he wants MONEY because he was caught?

Folks, Orwell was right.

Right is wrong, black is white.

Look, we could have helped to change the government with non violent means, but given the administration at the time...