U.S. Charges Two Men With War Crimes (Military Tribunals)

[UpInArms]

http://www.abcnews4.com/news/stories/0204/128490.html

Washington (AP) - Two men alleged to have been bodyguards and aides for Osama bin Laden (website - news - bio) were charged with conspiracy to commit war crimes and ordered to stand trial before the first U.S. military tribunals convened since World War II, officials announced Tuesday.

Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al Qosi, of Sudan, was a paymaster for al-Qaida (website - news) , and Ali Hamza Ahmed Sulayman al Bahlul, of Yemen, was a propagandist for bin Laden, the government charged in military indictments unsealed at the Pentagon.

The two men are among more than 600 foreign prisoners held at the U.S. Navy's Guantanamo prison camp in Cuba. Both spent time in terrorist training camps and served as bodyguards for bin Laden, according to military charging documents similar to indictments in the civilian court system.

Although President Bush (website - news - bio) has authorized the death penalty for suspects convicted by military tribunals, prosecutors will not seek it for the two suspects charged Tuesday, the Pentagon said. The two face a maximum of life in prison if convicted.

...more...

[underpants]

1. OIh I thought that meant W

The first paragraph could apply to him ya know.

[Don Claybrook]

2. Doesn't it sound really strange

...that the Pentagon is unsealing indictments? No, it's not a surprise; we all knew this sort of thing was coming. But every other time in my life I've read about an indictment being unsealed, it's within the context of the judicial branch of government, not the warmaking portion of the Executive.

Welcome to our brave new world, I guess.

[ex_jew]

3. Accounting as a war crime ?

Making a video about the Cole as a war crime ?

WTF.

[mobuto]

4. Why not?

My understanding is that neither of these men will face the death penalty. And that's a departure from the Nuremberg trials, where we did in fact try, convict and hang Julius Streicher, Hitler's propagandist, for Crimes Against Humanity. The man produced an Al Qaeda recruitment video. Doing so would not be protected under the First Amendment, if done in the United States, and doesn't fly as a mere "accounting" of events.

[ex_jew]

5. So because you don't approve of his video about the Cole

he's lucky to keep his life ? Glad I don't live in your ideal society.

And another thing - how can you compare OBL's propagandist to Hitler's propagandist ? How many have died thanks to OBL ? 20 million ? 30 million ? Just give me a ballpark figure.

[mobuto]

6. Approve? Disapprove?

The man made an Al Qaeda recruitment video from the Cole Bombing in which he called for martyrs to come forth to kill Americans.

You make it sound like I'm reviewing his movie for a newspaper - this isn't an unduly harsh reaction to a bad movie, this is an attempt to protect Americans from terrorist attack. Now I don't approve of many aspects of the Guantanamo tribunals, notably the rules of evidence and procedure and the lack of adequate appelate rights, but this man appears to be a real danger to the United States and should be prosecuted.

And another thing - how can you compare OBL's propagandist to Hitler's propagandist ?

Easy. Both progandandized mass murder and called for the killing of millions. If you want another example, I'd be happy to refer to Rwanda's RTLM radio station and the extremist newspaper, Kangura, both of which used propaganda to incite the Tutsi genocide. Ferdinand Nahimana, a radio host, and Hassan Ngeze, the editor of the newspaper, were just sentenced to life in prison last month for genocide. Those who incite violence are just as responsible as those who commit it.

[ex_jew]

8. How many millions has OBL killed ?

If "calling for the killing of millions" when no millions are dead is a war crime, then I suppose Saddam's lack of intention to have an intention to stop thinking about programs to make WMDs is ultra-serious too.

I definitely would not call what happened on 9/11 "genocide", by the way, making the Rwandan case completely irrelevant.

And I simply cannot see how this man and his editing machine represent a real danger to the United States.

Maybe we should wait until Osama is actually responsible for more deaths than the criminal in the White House before calling it a "war crime". I predict we'll be waiting quite some time.

[leesa]

10. Exactly what war were they criminals in???

This is total BS. The only war criminals are the Bush Crime Family who illegally invaded two countries.
IF they were involved in 9-11 then they are criminals, but certainly not war criminals. It is completely unproven who was behind 9-11 though and my guess is Bush before OBL or anyone involved in his network.
Why do you believe all these "the Muslims did it" nonsense?

[bvar22]

7. Could Rush and Faux News...

...be indicted for war crimes by Iraqi Civilians?

[JCMach1]

9. I just saw one of their MILITARY lawyers on CBS say

He didn't think his client would receive a fair trial. He has yet to be allowed to speak to his client.

[Zero Gravitas]

11. LEts see if they get fair trials

It will be interesting to see if they get fair trials or not. If it happens in secret then it can't be fair. Justice has to be done in the open to be true justice, it can not happen in secret. If the trials are open then we can all decide for ourselves if the charges are reasonable or not.