Accountability for Torture: Still Too Little, But Not Too Late (ACLU)

[Solly Mack]

Sep 23rd, 2010

On Tuesday, lawyers for Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, the Guantanamo detainee accused of planning the USS Cole attack, http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gF-1CQDtqyHdPL4fptOapQbAB1jA">called on the Polish government to investigate and prosecute the Polish officials who knew about and authorized al-Nashiri's detention and torture in Poland after he was rendered there by the CIA.

The filing was made by al-Nashiri's lawyer in Poland in cooperation with the Open Society Justice Initiative. Amrit Singh writes at the Open Society blog:

Numerous reports have now confirmed that CIA black sites existed in Eastern Europe — in particular, in Poland, Romania, and Lithuania. In 2007, a Council of Europe report cited evidence of secret CIA detention facilities in Poland, at the Stare Kiejkuty intelligence training base, and in Romania. The same report noted that high level officials, including then president of Poland, Aleksander Kwasniweski, either authorized or were aware of the black site at Stare Kiejkuty. A 2009 ABC News report of a secret CIA prison in Lithuania prompted an inquiry by the Lithuanian Parliament, which concluded that two sites in Lithuania could have been used for CIA detention. More recently, a United Nations report on secret detention confirmed that al-Nashiri was rendered to Poland.

As we blogged earlier this month, while in Poland, al-Nashiri was subjected to mock execution using a gun and drill.

Poland is already conducting an investigation into possible abuses of power by Polish officials who knew about the CIA black site at Stare Kiejkuty. Today's action specifically asks Polish officials to investigate their government's role in al-Nashiri's abuse. Poland is the fourth European nation — joining Italy, Spain and Germany — to investigate its own role in the American torture and rendition program.

[Starry Messenger]

1. k & r

[Forkboy]

3. K&R

[Solly Mack]

7. Thanks, Forkboy.

[Forkboy]

9. Anytime.

:)

[Solly Mack]

6. Thank you, SM.

[chill_wind]

2. Meanwhile torturer "Albert"

is still working in the Panetta "no-witch hunt" CIA- now as a Contractor.

Sep 8th, 2010
Posted by Suzanne Ito, ACLU at 4:46pm

After Torturing Prisoners, "Albert" Rejoins the CIA as a Contractor

It's safe to say that many employers might frown upon a potential hire who violated domestic and international law.

Not so at the CIA. The Associated Press reported yesterday that a former CIA agent known as "Albert," who was previously disciplined for torturing detainee Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, has once again found gainful employment with the CIA, this time as a contractor.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=558923&mesg_id=558923

Incredible, isn't it?

Thanks for the update, Solly and K & R.

[Solly Mack]

5. Good thing America prides itself on being against human rights abuses.

Thank you for adding that!

[spanone]

4. k&r.

[Solly Mack]

8. Thank you, spanone

[madokie]

10. Sometimes the wheels of justice grinds ever so slowly

but grind they do. The bush/cheney cabal will not get away with all this illegality before its all said and done.

[Solly Mack]

11. Sounds good to me!