Ex-Chief Guantanamo Prosectuor Says Pentagon Brass Wanted 'Sexy' Detainee Hearings

Washington Post:

Politically motivated officials at the Pentagon have pushed for convictions of high-profile detainees ahead of the 2008 elections, the former lead prosecutor for terrorism trials at Guantanamo Bay said last night, adding that the pressure played a part in his decision to resign earlier this month.

Senior defense officials discussed in a September 2006 meeting the "strategic political value" of putting some prominent detainees on trial, said Air Force Col. Morris Davis. He said that he felt pressure to pursue cases that were deemed "sexy" over those that prosecutors believed were the most solid or were ready to go.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[realitytrumpsbull]

01:55 PM on 10/21/2007

I remember at one point they weren't going to
have any trials....? Our tax dollars at play...

[stargazer13]

08:33 AM on 10/21/2007

they perpetrated a most egregious crime on the wounded American physic after 911 and now that we are recovering and have understood the true crime they pretend we are not well enough to understand the true nature of there crime go figure may the American people prevail against her enemy's

[Ilvfredum]

12:07 AM on 10/21/2007

I think we ought to bring all those poor prisoners to the U.S. give them $1000 in a 401K, $500 cash, citizenship and set them free to be become good God fearin Americans. That's the least we owe those poor bastards.

[ornery]

10:53 PM on 10/20/2007

They have not had any sexy trials at all in the warrenterr.

John Walker Lind case was a dud; if it had gone to trial probably most if not all the coerced "confession" would have been thrown out.

Padilla?? A joke. Not even tried on the original charges. New charges, conspiring to murder Americans abroad. Original charge: going to dirty bomb in US.

Moussaoui? Probably drugged, definitely suffering from some disease or defect, but despite his antics, no great show trial: even some jurors impeached their own verdict afterward, saying they doubted he had anything to do with 9/11; Oldsama issued a statement that he was not tapped to be one of the 19.

Lackawana 7 or 6 or whatever? Pathetic wannabes, washouts at "training camp".

Liberty City "cell": obviously set up and choreographed by FBI undercover agent.

Fort Dix "pizza delivery boy" plot: pathetic wannabes.

Plot to blow up JFK: also pathetic wannabes, incapable of setting off a firecracker.

The authoritarians would have more credibility if they could show thwarting any plot that had a reasonable possibility of doing any damage.

But they can't, because they haven't. Unlike the Germans and Brits, who've uncovered and stopped plenty.

Does that mean terrorists are not in US?

No. They are. They're awaiting instruction as to when to administer payback.

But there have been no "sexy" trials because precious little has been dredged up to put on trial.

[ErnestineBass]

03:53 PM on 10/21/2007

With Gonzo NotSoBright in charge of the DOJ, does the lack of "successful" prosecutions surprise ANYBODY??
Now that he's gone, the Repukes are ready to try anything that might pull their party out of the shitter in 2008.

[kay]

10:23 PM on 10/20/2007

It's sort of sad and amazing how quickly and completely conservative lawyers have destroyed any pretense of seriousness or, well, "justice" in the US justice system.

Who knew how fragile it was? Perhaps 300 or so conservative political hacks brought it down, and without even a coup, or much fuss.

I look forward to the promised televised show trials, conservatives.

Who plays the judge? Will there be a defense, or is that just silly? It looks like this poor guy refused to play prosecutor.

[SaintN]

10:09 PM on 10/20/2007

Bush Gains Dictatorial Powers!

What Bush proved with Guantanamo Bay prison is that he could piss on the US Constitution and the US Congress while taking away people's rights and implement a right wing,fascist governmet.
The self serving laws that Bush & Cheney have enacted can now be used by them to target and eliminate anyone,even Americans,who oppose or who try to stop them!

[WIpatriot]

08:35 PM on 10/20/2007

Oh crap. I thought this article was going to be about sexy detainees. I was going to say that we need to capture more sexy terrorists.

[Ginzaman]

08:30 PM on 10/20/2007

I guess they forgot that most of the detainess are innocent. But who cares about small details like that?

[Wombat]

08:03 PM on 10/20/2007

Sounds to me as though the administration wanted Show Trials- not justice. There's something vaugely German about that.

[ErnestineBass]

09:20 PM on 10/20/2007

Wombat

Does this mean the "Osama Show" is going the way of "Buffy The Vampire Slayer"??

WAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!

[fact finder]

05:38 PM on 10/20/2007

Hang the cat even if it is a dog if it will get you a half pence.

[Blutus]

04:51 PM on 10/20/2007

A couple of these
and a "terrorist" attack
on American soil

and we will see another
Bush in the White House.

President Jeb at your service!

[project]

06:39 PM on 10/20/2007

The only reason for this bullshit is the cover up of the stealing from the treasury the trillions that have been wasted!