US to lift ban on new cases for Guantanamo detainees

[Judi Lynn]

Source: New York Times

US to lift ban on new cases for Guantanamo detainees
Tribunal trial preparations said to be underway
By Charlie Savage
New York Times / January 20, 2011

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is preparing to increase the use of military commissions to prosecute Guantanamo detainees, an acknowledgment that the prison in Cuba remains open for business after Congress imposed steep new impediments to closing the facility.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is expected to soon lift an order blocking any new cases against detainees, which he imposed on the day of President Obama’s inauguration. That would clear the way for tribunal officials, for the first time under the Obama administration, to initiate new charges against detainees.

Charges would then come within weeks against one or more detainees who have already been designated by the Justice Department for prosecution before a military commission, including Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, a Saudi accused of planning the 2000 bombing of the US destroyer Cole in Yemen; Ahmed al-Darbi, a Saudi accused of plotting, in an operation that never came to fruition, to attack oil tankers in the Straits of Hormuz; and Obaydullah, an Afghan accused of concealing bombs.

Preparations for the tribunal trials — including the circulation of new draft regulations for conducting them — were described by several administration officials familiar with the discussions. A spokeswoman for the military commissions system declined to comment.



Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2011/01/20/us_to_lift_ban_on_new_cases_for_guantanamo_detainees/

[Hell Hath No Fury]

1. Fuck. That. Shit.

Military tribunals becasue the "evidence" they have against the defendents is so weak or gotten by ill means that it would not hold up in a US court. :puke:

[Solly Mack]

2. k/r

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. President Obama promised during campaign and then signed Exec. Order closing Gitmo.

On several occasions during President Obama's campaign he promised to immediately close Guantanamo once he is elected.

In fact, here is You Tube clips of his several ptomises while campaigning:
including this one:

" I have said repeatedly I intend to close Guantanamo and I will follow through on that"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8USRg3h4AdE

but, WTF??????.............
"Just last week, Obama signed into law under protest a huge defense bill which effectively blocks his bid to close the Guantanamo jail."
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/01/10

and..
many more stories on same issue, re Google

edited to add Pres. Obama's Exec. order closing the facility:

The detention facilities at Guantánamo for individuals covered by this order shall be closed as soon as practicable, and no later than 1 year from the date of this order.
If any individuals covered by this order remain in detention at Guantánamo at the time of closure of those detention facilities, they shall be returned to their home country, released, transferred to a third country, or transferred to another United States detention facility in a manner consistent with law and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.

BARACK OBAMA


THE WHITE HOUSE,
January 22, 2009.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/ClosureOfGuantanamoDetentionFacilities/

[SpartanDem]

4. Congress still has to appropriate funding

and overwhelming majority Dems and the GOP refused funding the cost of transfer prisoners and buying a new prison for them. You probably count one hand the number of people in Congress favor of closing Gitmo.

[pettypace]

5. Guess Obama wasn't smart enough to figure that out

Love how majority of DU gives him a pass on this.