U.S. wants to send suspect to Iraq court (US citizen!)

[Barrett808]

U.S. wants to send suspect to Iraq court
By MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Government attorneys said Monday that U.S. courts have no authority to stop the military from transferring an American citizen to an Iraqi court to face charges he supported terrorists and insurgents.

It's the latest legal challenge to the Bush administration's authority to keep terrorism cases, even those involving U.S. citizens, out of American courts.

Shawqi Omar, a citizen of both Jordan and the United States who once served in the Minnesota National Guard, was captured in

Iraq in 2004. He is being held at Camp Bucca, a prison in southern Iraq, where his family says he has not been charged or allowed to speak with a lawyer.

His family is demanding that Omar be brought before a U.S. court, where prosecutors would have to show probable cause for detaining him and he could consult with an attorney.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060911/ap_on_go_ot/us_iraq_american

[MadMaddie]

1. This is so unAmerican...they should be tried in America and

jailed in America...

[geek tragedy]

2. Well, he's in Iraq, so I don't think his treatment needs

to be 'American.'

[enigma000]

3. He did the crime in Iraq

It sets a trend for when Bush is sent to the Hague

[MadMaddie]

4. Well you do have a point....

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. Correction - he was DETAINED , not charged or even convicted . .

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.
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It's thinking like this that will be the demise of the US

Rationalizing irrational behaviour of your government.

It won't last - -

Count on it . .

[enigma000]

6. Not my government - Thank goodness n/t

[Recursion]

9. Here's the problem: how do you know that?

The administration says he was in Iraq. This is the whole problem with the "enemy combatant" BS: without a public accounting and showing of cause, we simply have to take the administration's word that person X was actually captured in country Y, and that he got there of his own will.

[elehhhhna]

10. YES YES YES. But no. Not acceptable.

[MisterP]

7. tell these Roland Freisler clones to cram it sideways

dear GODS I miss my country!

[truthInCO]

8. don't let the door...

Even if the court sided with Omar, the judges said the military might only be required to release him, not to transfer him to a U.S. court. That wouldn't prevent him from being arrested and charged by Iraqis.

At least he'll go to an abu ghraib under new management, that can understand and relate to him culturally. I'm sure he'll be treated much better than the Americans.

[HuffleClaw]

11. it is NOT a crime to resist an occupying army

no matter what label BushCo. puts on it. what a horror. he, like other captured insurgents are rightly POWs.