US Tortures Child, Appeals Dismissal of Illegal Tribunal
I awoke today to an envelope from a friend containing the affidavit of Omar Ahmed Khadr.
Omar was brought to Afghanistan at the age of 10 when he met Osama bin Laden. He was captured during a firefight at the age of 15, severely wounded. Subsequently, he was tortured extensively and offered blatantly false statements under extreme coercion. His chief interrogator‘s unit was known by the military to have killed two men with their interrogation techniques, both ruled homicides by the military. After his capture...
In Bagram...
In Guantanamo...
Omar’s case was dismissed in late June because the illegal tribunal trying him decided they lacked jurisdiction. In early July, the government appealed.
I wonder if McCain/Palin will continue the US’s kiddie torture and trying child soldiers in illegal tribunals?
Does anyone actually think that useful or accurate information can be obtained in these extremely coercive situations?
Rolling Stone has a long article here. "The Unending Torture of Omar Khadr"
Omar was brought to Afghanistan at the age of 10 when he met Osama bin Laden. He was captured during a firefight at the age of 15, severely wounded. Subsequently, he was tortured extensively and offered blatantly false statements under extreme coercion. His chief interrogator‘s unit was known by the military to have killed two men with their interrogation techniques, both ruled homicides by the military. After his capture...
[Omar] had been denied forms of surgery to punish him for not cooperating with military forces. Later attempts to acquire darkened sunglasses to protect his failing eyesight were denied for “state security” reasons.
In Bagram...
[Omar] was refused pain medication for his wounds, that he had his hands tied above a door frame for hours, had cold water thrown on him, had a bag placed over his head and was threatened with military dogs, was flatulated upon, forced to carry 5-gallon pails of water to aggravate his shoulder wound. Unallowed to use washrooms, he was forced to urinate on himself.
In Guantanamo...
[Omar] was told “Your life is in my hands” by a military interrogator, who spat on him, tore out some of his hair and threatened to send him to a country that would torture him more thoroughly, making specific reference to an Egyptian Askri raqm tisa ("Soldier Number Nine") who enjoyed raping prisoners. The interrogation ended with Khadr being told he would spend the rest of his life in Guantanamo. A few weeks later, an interrogator giving his name as Izmarai spoke to Khadr in Pashto, threatening to send him to a “new prison” at Bagram Airbase where “they like small boys”.
In all, Khadr has been reported to have been kept in solitary confinement for long periods of time; to have been denied adequate medical treatment; to have been subjected to short shackling, and left bound, in uncomfortable stress positions until he soiled himself. ...his interrogators “dragged [him] back and forth in a mixture of his urine and pine oil” and did not provide a change of clothes for two days in March.
Omar’s case was dismissed in late June because the illegal tribunal trying him decided they lacked jurisdiction. In early July, the government appealed.
I wonder if McCain/Palin will continue the US’s kiddie torture and trying child soldiers in illegal tribunals?
Does anyone actually think that useful or accurate information can be obtained in these extremely coercive situations?
Rolling Stone has a long article here. "The Unending Torture of Omar Khadr"
