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| Algerian Gitmo detainee vows to kill Americans |
| 2004-08-04 |
| An Algerian detainee at the Guantanamo Bay US detention camp vowed before a military tribunal to "kill Americans" if he was released, officials said today. Another of the six detainees to go before special tribunals at the base where almost 600 'war on terror' suspects are held was with al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in caves in Tora Bora, Afghanistan during the war in 2001, officials said. The first Combatant Status Review Tribunal, which will recommend whether detainees should still be considered "enemy combatants" was held behind closed doors at Guantanamo last Friday. Six have been held so far and a seventh was under way, a Defence Department spokeswoman Commander Beci Brenton told reporters here. Only two of the inmates, an Algerian and a Yemeni, chose to appear before the three man tribunal and testify. The four others boycotted the hearings. Ms Brenton said the 24-year-old Algerian had gone from France to Afghanistan with the help of al-Qaeda and was given training to use small arms and rocket propelled grenades at the Malik training camp. The man, who like all of the detainees has not been named, was captured after he was injured by a grenade accidentally set off by another fighter. Ms Brenton said the Algerian "stated he would kill Americans if released". A 49 year-old Yemeni, who was among the four to boycott the hearings, has admitted he was with al-Qaeda leader bin Laden during the siege of the Tora Bora caves near the Afghanistan-Pakistan frontier in 2001. "He was present in Tora Bora while Osama bin Laden was there," said Ms Brenton. "He participated in the battle of Tora Bora and was captured with an AK-47 rifle." The others to boycott the hearings were a 29-year-old Saudi who was also at Tora Bora, a 32-year-old Moroccan who fought at Baghram near Kabul before being captured as he tried to cross into Pakistan, and another Yemeni. "These four have historically been uncooperative," Ms Brenton said of the four who refused to attend the hearings. While they have been here they have not cooperated with interrogators." Navy Secretary Gordon England is to observe a tribunal hearing at Guantanamo Bay today and representatives of the foreign and US media are to be allowed to watch hearings tomorrow and Friday. But reporters will not be able to identify the detainees and will only be allowed to listen to what the Defence Department has called "unclassified" details on individual cases. Each detainee can also only review "unclassified information relating to the basis for his detention." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #7 The guy admitted his guilt. Now fry him. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-08-04 10:57:22 PM |
| #6 And they thought it would be hard to get a conviction! Talk about a ‘Slam Dunk’ case! But I suspect some lawyer will say he was crazy to make such a statement. But then aren’t all Islamofacist crazy? |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2004-08-04 4:27:20 PM |
| #5 72 grapes, Ed. |
| Posted by: jojo the idiot circus boy 2004-08-04 3:50:35 PM |
| #4 An Algerian detainee at the Guantanamo Bay US detention camp vowed before a military tribunal to "kill Americans" if he was released, officials said today NYT Headline: Tortured Guantanamo Detainee Vents Frustrations |
| Posted by: john 2004-08-04 3:36:53 PM |
| #3 Why are we having the media watching the proceedings? This is a war tribunal, not a court hearing. The media will just spin this their way anyway. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-08-04 1:33:31 PM |
| #2 "anything you say may be held against you...like that statement you just made, asshat!" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-08-04 1:31:15 PM |
| #1 Thank you for your honesty. Now, we will place you in a 5x5x5 foot unlit solitary confinement cell. Enjoy your dreams of your 72 virgins. Next. . . |
| Posted by: BigEd 2004-08-04 1:09:16 PM |