Secret military trial for 2 Brits and 1 Aussie. Yay America.

[Zero Signal]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/934663.asp?0cv=CB10

Two Britons and one Australian detained in Guantanamo Bay are among the six prisoners designated by President Bush who likely would face a U.S. military trial, British and Australian officials said Friday. The move has drawn renewed criticism from defense lawyers of the secretive special courts.

U.S. OFFICIALS refused to identify the six suspects being held in U.S. custody and suggested their identities might be kept secret during any military trial.

That drew criticism from the chairman of the American Bar Association’s task force on the treatment of detainees in the war on terrorism.

“The State Department issues a report every year in which it criticizes those nations that conduct trials before secret military tribunals. What I’m hearing sounds alarmingly like something similar,” said Neal Sonnett, also a former president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

“If they’re going to be charged by military tribunals then they have a right to full due process and the public has a right to know who’s being tried and what the charges are and the government has an obligation to run these tribunals in a fair and transparent way.”

All six suspects are believed to be either members of the al-Qaida terrorist network or otherwise involved in terrorism, said two Pentagon officials who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity Thursday.

The US government coerces countries into signing onto making US soldiers immune to war crimes tribunals, so this new example of their double standards is really no surprise.

But it is still infuriating.

Let us reiterate that point.

“The State Department issues a report every year in which it criticizes those nations that conduct trials before secret military tribunals. What I’m hearing sounds alarmingly like something similar,”

What is the government so afraid of that it engages in things that it blasts other countries for doing?

[AChimp]

"At leasht they won't have to shtay in the Rock!"

[El Blanco]

How did they end up in Gitmo? Were they tourists that took a wrong turn?

And keeping their identities out of the media may actually protect them. How happy do you think the public would be if three suspected terrorists got off on a technicality? You think someone might want to do their own brand of justice? Maybe find these guys' families?

[AChimp]

Well, considering that they live in the U.K. and Australia, I doubt that there would be any vigilantism. The U.S. is the only country with a hard-on for terrorists.

[El Blanco]

Well, considering that they live in the U.K. and Australia,

How did they end up in Gitmo, then?

[AChimp]

Uh... for the same reason why they arrested an AMERICAN on the same charges. Who says that they had to arrest them in the UK and Australia, respectively?

These guys were probably in Afghanistan stirring up shit with their homies and got captured by US troops there. If they were apprehended in either of the two home countries, it would be those authorities dealing with them.

I'm referring to the fact that nobody outside of the U.S. would consider going out and "dealing" with the family of any accused. Even if it was considered, it's a lot of work to track people down.

[El Blanco]

Not really. Names, photos and region are all that are needed to search a DMV. It isn't that difficult at all.

[AChimp]

Motivation, Blank. That still takes motivation.

Besides, not many other countries will sell DMV records or allow non-authorized people to search them. :P

Most people also realize that the actions of one person are not reflective of his family

[El Blanco]

Sell them? Aren't they public record?

[Anonymous]

life isn't like Project: Swordfish, blanco

[El Blanco]

Didn't see that.

and besides, you don'tneed to be a computer genius to get that shit. You go and ask.

[Zhukov]

U.S. OFFICIALS refused to identify the six suspects being held in U.S. custody and suggested their identities might be kept secret during any military trial.

The Australian guys name is David Hicks. His whole life story was on the news - he was born in Adelaide, I know where his family live....

There is no evidence to say that he was in Al-qaeda or a terrorist or anything, he only fought for the Taliban. His dad is going to Pakistan and Afghanistan to retrace his sons steps - I hope they make it into a documentary for the whole family.

Hicks' lawyer is actually pretty funny; he becomes "outraged" at everything.

Mamdouh Habib is the other Australian being held prisoner.