Can the ‘20th hijacker’ of Sept. 11 stand trial?

[sabra]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15361462/

Can the ‘20th hijacker’ of Sept. 11 stand trial?
Aggressive interrogation at Guantanamo may prevent his prosecution

SPECIAL REPORT: INSIDE GITMO

Mohammed al-Qahtani, detainee No. 063, was forced to wear a bra. He had a thong placed on his head. He was massaged by a female interrogator who straddled him like a lap dancer. He was told that his mother and sisters were whores. He was told that other detainees knew he was gay. He was forced to dance with a male interrogator. He was strip-searched in front of women. He was led on a leash and forced to perform dog tricks. He was doused with water. He was prevented from praying. He was forced to watch as an interrogator squatted over his Koran.

That much is known. These details were among the findings of the U.S. Army’s investigation of al-Qahtani's aggressive interrogation at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

But only now is a picture emerging of how the interrogation policy developed, and the battle that law enforcement agents waged, inside Guantanamo and in the offices of the Pentagon, against harsh treatment of al-Qahtani and other detainees by military intelligence interrogators.

In interviews with MSNBC.com — the first time they have spoken publicly — former senior law enforcement agents described their attempts to stop the abusive interrogations. The agents of the Pentagon's Criminal Investigation Task Force, working to build legal cases against suspected terrorists, said they objected to coercive tactics used by a separate team of intelligence interrogators soon after Guantanamo's prison camp opened in early 2002. They ultimately carried their battle up to the office of Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, who approved the more aggressive techniques to be used on al-Qahtani and others.

...

And they described their disappointment when military prosecutors told them not to worry about making a criminal case against al-Qahtani, the suspected "20th hijacker" of Sept. 11, because what had been done to him would prevent him from ever being put on trial.

[Kagemusha]

1. That was then. This is now, with the New, Improved Trial System!

Now evidence that couldn't possibly be presented in a court of law Can Be Used... in a military tribunal of the President's choice! The President's choice because if he doesn't choose one, you don't get a trial, and you are imprisoned until the End Of TIME!!! (crowd cheers wildly) But wait, should the President deem you worthy of the mercy of a trial before your commissioned American military officers, you will have the opportunity to defend yourself against Secret Evidence!! What, you say? You can't defend yourself against evidence you can't see? Well that's your problem, big boy! :) You'll just have to suck it up and deal! :)

All this CAN be yours... and the best part is, you don't have to make any hard decisions! The Decider in Chief gets to make them for you. Isn't that simple! :) No reason to get the panties on your head in a knot! Everything will be taken care of. You included. :P

... :sarcasm: :grr:

[gratuitous]

2. Whaddya mean, "trial"?

We don't even have to try people anymore. On George W. Bush's say-so alone, we can lock up anyone forever. None of that messy "evidence" or conflicting "testimony." Neat, sweet, totally complete. And the bad guys will go down to horrible defeat.

[ContraBass Black]

3. What happened to that other 20th hijacker, the one who turned out

To just be the clown who hoped for glory but couldn't fly a plane?

[Parche]

4. plane

But all CIA trained operatives know how to fly a plane!!!!

[daleo]

7. I thought Mohamed Atta was supposed to be the 20th hijacker

I suppose it is a phrase that gets used fairly indiscriminately.

[frylock]

8. seems that it's more of an honorary title than anything else..

kinda like calling NBA fans the sixth man.

[Kagemusha]

9. That's the best description I've seen yet.

I'll have to remember that one..

[CJCRANE]

5. The lunatics are running the asylum.

Georgie and Rummy's merry band of perverts make the terrorists look sane. That really takes some doing. They're a disgrace.

[Jester_11218]

6. Do they mean Cheney?

http://cheney.tvnewslies.org

Hijackers found alive: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1559151.stm

When are people going to realize that we were duped! It was an inside job!