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Arabia
Families of Saudi Gitmo Detainees Meet Lawyers
2005-07-02
MANAMA — Family members of five Saudi Guantanamo detainees met here yesterday two US lawyers representing the detainees. The meeting is part of the lawyers’ preparations to meet their ‘clients’ for the first time, possibly as early as the first week of August. Lawyers Anant P. Raut and Connie Ericson from Weil, Gotshal & Manges, a New York-based law firm, described their five-day visit as an attempt to get to know their clients and build bridges of confidence between them, the detainees they are representing and their families.

Raut said that none of their five clients had been charged with anything and that they were being held on what is called ‘information return’ — which is secret information the government holds. “Our judge gave the government six months to turn this information over to us so we do not expect to know what the charges are before October,” he said. Raut and Ericson are part of more than 400 US lawyers representing the detainees on Pro Bono bases and both had lived through the terror of the Sept. 11 attacks and yet believe that the detainees deserve to have the right to defend themselves in court.

Raut defended their efforts to look after the detainees pointing out that they are not supporting terrorists but giving people the chance to challenge assumptions that they were terrorists because of their color of skin or origin. The two are representing Saudi detainees Abdullah Thani Al-Anzai, Adel Hussan Al- Nussairi, Naief Fahad Al-Otaibi, Abdulaziz Saad Oshan, and Ibrahim Sulieman Al-Rubaish.
"Al-Rubbish"? We've got a terr named "al-Rubbish"? How... apt.
Posted by:Fred

#11  Regrettably, this is only the tip of the iceberg. This is a concerted effort that includes not only these lawyers, but lawyers from several other law firms. I believe lawyers from Clifford Chance (world's largest firm) are also involved although not cited here.
Posted by: Captain America   2005-07-02 19:35  

#10  I think the answer to why the lawyers do this for free, is it gets them publicity that money can't buy. At heart the problem is the MSM focusing on Gitmo trivialities and making out like they are real news.
Posted by: phil_b   2005-07-02 19:24  

#9  Probably not as many as there used to be, Jennie. Bright kids nowadays go for MDs, PhDs, or MBAs. The lawyers chase ambulances because there is too much competition for limited opportunities -- I remember hearing a good many years ago that most lawyers have about the same income as taxi drivers.
Posted by: trailing wife   2005-07-02 18:19  

#8  There's virtually no difference between Saudi terrorist and American lawyers, except that the Americans don't wear long robes or speak Arabic...yet.
(Wonder how many of the lawyers are the "sons of monkeys and pigs," i.e. Jews.)
Posted by: Jennie Taliaferro   2005-07-02 17:26  

#7  Saudis caught in Afghanistan...

Capt. Renault: “And what in heaven’s name brought you to Casablanca?”
Rick “My health. I came here for the waters.”
Renault: “Waters? What waters? We are in the middle of the desert.”
Rick “I was misinformed.”
Posted by: True German Ally   2005-07-02 13:35  

#6  Red the key is a good diet and frequent bathing and brushing. Altho, if you are of lawng haired variety you might consider the summer haircut.
Posted by: Shipman   2005-07-02 13:31  

#5  You would never hear of one of these slimebags defending a U.S. soldier, or a conservative activist for free. What the hell do these idiots want? To get them released? So they can go back and tell all the other dune loons what dumbfucks we are?
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2005-07-02 11:13  

#4  Mrs. Davis,
Pro Bono, the first visit may be "free".
Federal suits and fees will follow on, afterll they are attorneys.

/don't get any Mange around me.
Posted by: Red Dog   2005-07-02 10:34  

#3  Saudi families= deep pockets= ambulance chasers.

Raut defended their efforts to look after the detainees pointing out that they are not supporting terrorists but giving people the chance to challenge assumptions that they were terrorists because of their color of skin or origin.
Oh spot on, I'm sure our American Troops, Bushitler, and Condi are obsessed with skin color.
OTOH...Origin, they might be on to something there, weren't they sized in the Global fight against terror.
Manges?
Posted by: Red Dog   2005-07-02 10:27  

#2  There's warrants out for half the families. But the big laugh is that they're doing this pro bono.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-07-02 06:50  

#1  What? No more ambulances to chase in New York?
Posted by: Captain America   2005-07-02 00:58  

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