U.S. appeals court dismisses Guantanamo torture suit

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday that four former Guantanamo prisoners, all British citizens, have no right to sue top Pentagon officials for torture and violations of their religious rights.

The decision by a three-judge panel to dismiss the lawsuit was issued on the sixth anniversary of the arrival of the first detainees at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

...

The four who brought the lawsuit -- Shafiq Rasul, Asif Iqbal, Rhuhel Ahmed and Jamal al-Harith -- were released from Guantanamo in 2004 after being held for more than two years.

...

Their suit sought $10 million in damages and named then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and 10 military commanders.

It claimed the men were subjected to various forms of torture, harassed as they practiced their religion and forced to shave their religious beards. In one instance, a guard threw a Koran in a toilet bucket, according to the lawsuit.

A federal judge dismissed the constitutional and international law claims, but ruled the former detainees could pursue their claims of religious rights violations.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1129837820080111

[villager]

1. you can sure see why the Bushies hate the idea of a "world Court"

One not as corrupt and venal as our own.

[Maccagirl]

2. They can only sue on 'religous rights" grounds

after being held for 2 years? Boggles the mind...I really am speechless.

[rodeodance]

3. this Reuters story SUCKS---here is some of the REAL story:

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/01/court_throws_out_islambased_gi.html#more

[Barrett808]

4. "Torture is a foreseeable consequence of the military’s detention of suspected enemy combatants"

Comment from your link:

"The three-judge panel also held that the U.S. officials were immune from the torture claims because 'torture is a foreseeable consequence of the military’s detention of suspected enemy combatants.'"

There you have it folks. The United States admits that it not only tortures captives, but that everyone should expect to be tortured by the United States.

We should all be ashamed.

Rec'd.

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. " U.S. officials were immune from the torture claims because 'torture is a foreseeable consequence

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really . . .

USA tortures people

NOT news IMO