Germany to drop 9/11 plot charges

[muriel_volestrangler]

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1263796,00.html

German prosecutors are preparing to drop all the most serious charges against the only man convicted for the 11 September attacks, because they fear that crucial American evidence was obtained by torturing detainees.

The case is set to deepen further the rift between Germany and the United States, which accused the Germans of failing to act against terror when it first emerged three of the hijacking pilots had lived in Hamburg. 'No doubt they will complain bitterly,' a German anti-terrorist official said yesterday. 'Let us say we have different views on how to handle this problem.'
...
However, Binalshibh and Mohammed are prisoners not of the military but of the CIA, at an undisclosed location. It has been widely reported that their techniques have been harsher and have included 'waterboarding' - covering a prisoner's face with towels and pouring on water until he believes he is about to drown.

'In Germany, any use of force to produce a statement is unlawful,' said Graessle-Münscher. 'After Abu Ghraib, if the Americans want to see Motassadeq convicted for 9/11 they are going to have to prove both Binalshibh and Mohammed are in good health, and that they say Motassadeq was a conspirator.'

Yet another notable success for Bush's methods ...

[Kellanved]

1. Well

The German agencies are pissed, because the 9/11 commission report available on the Internet contains more information about the role of the Hamburg cell than any source ever shared via the official channels.
That the role of said cell was vastly overblown in many reports and releases is showing to be problematic, the agencies are even further hurt in their pride by being forced to let suspected terrorists go because of lack of evidence.

Of course no German court would accept US interrogation protocols; the witnesses would have to interviewed by a German court in person in order to get legal evidence.

[ScrewyRabbit]

2. Once again, our secret torture policy pays great dividends

We further alienate a strong ally.

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. This guy was all but convicted by the US media

And that goes for ALL the media. He achieved anti-Christ status for a while. It goes to show what a God Damn old west vigilante shit system this can be the minute there is a scare or panic.

[Cocoa]

4. Freedom shepards?

Freedom measles?

[leesa]

5. Another bogus 9-11 suspect. Look to the neocons for the clue to

who did 9-11.

[stickdog]

6. What else is new? Can't punish the folks who did 9/11, now can we?

They are BushCo's best friends!

[bobthedrummer]

7. The German prosecutor that was scheduled to testify to the 9/11

Commission canceled abruptly last month too. He had expertise on the Hamburg al-Qaida cell.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-4207799,00.html

[struggle4progress]

8. kick

:kick: