British Judge tells Guantanamo detainees they can appeal

[cal04]

A top judge on Thursday permitted three British residents being held at Guantanamo Bay to take legal action in order to force the government to facilitate their release. Judge Andrew Collins told London's High Court that the United States' idea of what constituted torture was "not the same as ours and doesn't appear to coincide with that of most civilised countries."

Iraqi Bisher al-Rawi and his Jordanian business partner, Jamil el-Banna, were both detained in Gambia three years ago, whilst Omar Deghayes was detained in Pakistan -- all three are long-term British residents. The case could come to court as early as next week. Despite Collins' comments and his decision to allow the three to mount a full scale bid to force the British government to seek their freedom, the judge said there was no guarantee when the case was heard it would succeed.

He said there were formidable arguments against such an order being made. Gareth Peirce, the lawyer who represents the men, welcomed the ruling as "the first ray of light that we have had". "(This is) the first ability to hope that this might be the beginning of the end for the ordeal of these three families," Peirce said. The move came a day after the United Nations told the United States it should close the widely-condemned prison on Cuba.

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=6476886&cKey=1140122135000

[LynnTheDem]

1. Let's repeat that...

Top UK judge;

United States' idea of what constituted torture was "not the same as ours and doesn't appear to coincide with that of most civilised countries."

Ain't MY idea either...not ALL Americans are criminal, sick, stupid MFers.

[cal04]

2. Exactly and how does this help our national security

This is an issue that should not be ignored by the democrats. We are not safer when a judge tells a high court it doesn't appear to coincide with that of most civilised countries