home

Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo

The New York Times reports Monday that six of the detainees held at Guantanamo were under 18 when they were seized - and that at least one reports being brutalized.

Lawyers representing detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, say that there still may be as many as six prisoners who were captured before their 18th birthday and that the military has sought to conceal the precise number of juveniles at the prison camp.

One lawyer said that his client, a Saudi of Chadian descent, was not yet 15 when he was captured and has told him that he was beaten regularly in his early days at Guantánamo, hanged by his wrists for hours at a time and that an interrogator pressed a burning cigarette into his arm.

The military is denying the claim, and says that there were three juvenile detainees but that they were released in January, 2004. However, it's all in how you define juvenile:

The dispute is clouded by two issues: military authorities define a juvenile as someone younger than 16 years of age, not 18, as do most human rights groups. Further, the ages of the detainees brought to Guantánamo as enemy combatants cannot be determined with certainty, leaving officials to make estimates.

How's this for a callous response?

"They don't come with birth certificates," said Col. Brad K. Blackner, the chief public affairs officer at the detention camp.

More on the young detainee's claims:

The details of M.C.'s accusations are contained in a 17-page account prepared by Mr. Stafford Smith, in which the prisoner said that he was suspended from hooks in the ceiling for hours at a time with his feet barely missing the floor, and that he was beaten during those sessions. M.C. said a special unit known as the Immediate Reaction Force had knocked out one of his teeth and later an interrogator burned him with a cigarette. Mr. Stafford Smith said he saw the missing tooth and the burn scar.

Some of M.C.'s descriptions match accounts given not only by other detainees, but also by former guards and interrogators who have been interviewed by The New York Times.

He describes being shackled close to the floor in an interrogation room for hours with music blaring and lights in his face. He also said he was shown a room with pictures of naked women and adult videos and told he could have access if he cooperated. His description fits the account of former guards who described such a room and said it was nicknamed "the love shack."

The Red Cross has said that it believed three detainees were between 12 and 14. One other juvenile detainee (who was 15 when seized) is Omar Khadr, whose story we related here.

< Cheney Zaps Howard Dean's Mother | Supreme Court Tosses Texas Death Sentence >
  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


  • Display: Sort:
    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#1)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    Old News, but as we all find more info, we see some families are selling kids to our boys as terrorists. but maybe Bush wants to start a day care up in gitmo?, after all the kids some day will be "American civilian's", of our new ideals of what a nation is, the world or one world of happy people all living as one inside the walls of justice.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#2)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    So what do you do with juveniles who will act as suicide bombers and fight like an 18 year old? Understand something. The rest of the world doesn't share our position about when a person becomes an adult.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    One of 'em's Canadian, too... And now we know why the 'cons were so F%$king P&ssed off when the Supreme Court told them "no deep-frying kiddies..." Foiled Again by Judicial Activism!! Doooh!!!!

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#4)
    by Mreddieb on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    PPJ Why do you assume these kid are Terrorists? You are just echoing the pentagon/admin misinformation. For all you REALLY know these kids could have been turned in simply for the reward? They could have been caught up in one of those sweeps. They certainly could have been soldiers too. They deserve a fair hearing and it's is becoming very clear that Guantanamo is not working for them or American interests.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    Ed, you'd better be careful what you say...ask Ari Fleischer... Plus, they're guilty until proven innocent...that's America's unspoken "Brown-Peoples" Constitutional Amendment...and that one's not going away...

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#6)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    Well said Ed, well said. Calling the youths terrorists is specualtion, nothing more, without a hearing.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    Yeah guys...as we all know... The US military (being the bad nasty people that they are) just went through the streets and rounded up anyone they could find then shipped them off to Cuba. All these guys are completely innocent..... Jeeesh.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    BB, before you open your big fat mouth, are you aware of the dozens of "illegal combatants" released from Guantanamo without charge? So they're all guilty, eh? How about f*$king trying them first, the way you'd like it?

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#9)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    How do we know BB without a hearing? A warzone is chaotic, some innocent teens could be rounded up in the shuffle, unscrupulous folks could be selling innocents into US custody for a payday, any number of explanations are plausible for innocents ending up in indefinite detention. Standing up for freedom is a burden, but it's worth it. Give the detainees a god damn hearing.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    Nah, Jesus's Bush says their guilty, so they must be... Hey, you know, Tom Delay's been accused of a bunch of stuff too...what do we need a trial for? Where there's smoke, there's a pig waitin' to be roasted... Who's with Blagh?

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    BlaghD... So they're all guilty, eh? Never said that! But I realize (something many of you can't seem to grasp) that they are there for a reason. Now, if after interrogation they turn out to be innocent they will, as you pointed out, be released. So what's the problem?

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    The problem is having beaten, starved and denied Geneva protection before they were let go- if they were released without charge, you genius you, they were not "illegal combatants" (an American invention, doesn't exist anywhere in international law, double-whammy for the Yanks), and that would mean that their human rights were violated... Unless you think that was kosher? "Even once is a crime," as the judge will tell a murderer. How many do you need, BB? Are you close to the magic number that reaches criminality? Let us know when you get there...

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    So, BB, If the Iraqis took you for your pro-bush remarks and held you in a prison for a few years without a trial, that would be fair? Asshat.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#14)
    by desertswine on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    They are illegal combatants only in the same sense that the US has 15-20000 mercenary "contractors" running around Iraq taking pot-shots at civilians are. These guys are also "illegal" but suffer no consequences. Jeez, my English not good today.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    It's as good as the President's...should be good enough for you, you Freedom-Hater* (*copyright notice - the word "hate" has been copyrighted the religious right, and a full disclaimer is now required whenever using the word "hate"*)

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:58 PM EST
    as I have suggested at various points, please take the little waifs in then. it seems to me though, for the claim that we randomly take people in to custody, that we would have more than a few hundred in Gitmo.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:59 PM EST
    "And the KKK are decent citizens," David Duke declared, "'cause there would have been alot more of them n!ggers hangin' from trees if the KKK was out to get them..." Yeah, great defense...

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:59 PM EST
    So let's throw innocent in with the guilty, yeah, that's so American... Do you people hear yourselves, screaming for justice for every last American accused of anything, and the rest of the world citizens who fall through the cracks can what- go blow? Since when is "most of them are guilty" an excuse to imprison and torture even one innocent person? What if you were an Iraqi and that guy was your dad going out for milk? Or your f*$king son? Even one is o.k. by you? You racists make Blaghdaddy puke...

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#20)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:59 PM EST
    Since when is "most of them are guilty" an excuse to imprison and torture even one innocent person? What if you were an Iraqi and that guy was your dad going out for milk? Or your f*$king son?
    Well said sir. Americans used to have the courage to believe it was better to set 100 guilty men free than to imprison one innocent man. I guess 9/11 changed that too, along with "everything". What cowards we have become.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:59 PM EST
    Uh, are you saying those people tortured in Abu Graib by England et al were 'captured on the battlefield' in Afghanistan? And FYI, all of bloody Afghanistan is a bloody war zone...so you sleep easy at night...lucky you... And you don't have to be white to be an American-Crimes-Against-Other-Peoples Racist...pretty sure a couple of black dudes haven't been behavin' themselves in Iraq, if you look into it...oops, already have... So what's your point?

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:59 PM EST
    you have to understand with this site, jihadists are considered a minority race, not a religion, so they are not expected to be civilized. Americans are racist for opposing them. Abu Ghraib is the catch all excuse for why we should lose the war. Once you understand that, all becomes clear because we deserve what we get.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#24)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    Uh, locking up non-Americans and torturing them for not being Americans who love freedom without a trial or access to lawyers is about as racist as you can get, isn't it? As for your analogy, Blaghdaddy makes the same analogy about Israel and Terrorism ... When you get bitten, don't expect the world to cry for any of you... That's the American Way...who's crying for the dead innocent Iraqis? Not America, from the sound of you guys... Blagh hears a few snakes right now...

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#25)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    Who said trial narius? All I ask for is a hearing to determine the person captured is an actual combatant, and not some poor slob herding goats. Basic, bare bones human rights. The basic right not to be tortured. The basic right to some form of due process.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#26)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    Uh, you won't get any of that from the non-racist Americans who love freedom...what you're going to get is Saddam-lite and be told it ain't the real thing so shut the f*$k up... That's what you'll get from America with King George the Wretched steering the ship... And you people really wonder how people in other countries could cheer on 9/11? Your government is handing out the bloody part favors in Abu Graib...Guantanamo...every evil dictator-run country with a U.S. base in it (hello, S.A., hello, something-stan...the other something-stan...all the bloody 'stans)... You all need to understand that people don't have to be terrorists to enjoy you getting a black eye after doing what your country does... Blagh ain't joining in the cheering, 'cause he doesn't like anyone dying, but when he heard the cheers on 9/11, he was a little surprised by all the hurt feelings in America... When you act like you're the only ones who matter, people will do certain things to show you they disagree...

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#27)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    BlaghD... The problem is having beaten, starved and denied Geneva protection before they were let go- So says who...?? Newsweek? You gotta stop believing in all the crap you here in the (very biased) press. And, please don't make me explain the Geneva convention stuff again. if they were released without charge, you genius you, they were not "illegal combatants" Not necessarily...but probably not enough info to make the charge stick. Besides, you don't know that until you interrogate them now do you? Plus, there are very guilty people in this country let go all the time due to technicalities ..etc..etc. And, with all you bleeding hearts screaming about these poor guys, you can bet some are being released before they should be just to shut you guys up. And who's to say once under U.S. influence some of them haven't renounced Osama and re-joined the human race? As far as I'm concerned..(being an American first) if just one of these guys gave up info that would prevent another 911...I'm all for it!!!!

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#28)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    v2MARTY... If the Iraqis took you for your pro-bush remarks I'm not pro Bush...I'm pro American. held you in a prison for a few years without a trial, that would be fair? No..it wouldn't be fair... SO? Ask Nick Berg if it was fair to have his head sawed off just for being an American in Iraq!

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#29)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    Right now, the military/admin's credibility is so low, I can only marvel at their inability to recognize that the American people are dubious of anything they say. I guess they don't care. They know what's best for everyone. Sociopaths.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#30)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    BlaghD... So let's throw innocent in with the guilty, yeah, that's so American... What a stupid comment. No Blagh...let's just let them all run free until we can prove something and then try to find them again...right? ...or better yet, let's wait till they do something else real drastic...and then act...right? Maybe next time they'll pick on Canada... and then you'll really scream won't you? You racists make Blaghdaddy puke... In case you were buried in snow up in the great white north the last few years.... Middle Eastern men are causing some trouble in the world. Sorry if you think its racist for us (the rest of the free loving world) to single them out...but that's too bad. Puke away.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#32)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    narius... We didn't do that for Nazis soldiers in the 2nd world war, did we? Good point. As I have said before... it's good thing these bleeding hearts weren't around during WWII or they would have given Hitler a pass. Yes...just because you catch a German soldier...carrying a German rifle... wearing a German uniform... shooting at Americans...doesn't make him guilty! We should get him a good American lawyer shouldn't we? Gotta make sure we don't tramp on his rights don't we? What a bunch of crap from people who should know better.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#33)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    perhaps they should be carded before captivity-if underage, paroled to home of nearest liberal. I would just note that "callous comment" is true-they aren't required to show ID to shoot at people.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#34)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    Please provide links showing these children, or anyone else at gitmo, were carrying arms against the US ... go ahead, I'll wait. ... still waiting ... You can't, because there is no proof published except 'wesayso'. Charge them, try them or release them, it's the American way.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#35)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    why are they there? again, if we are randomly snatching trick or treaters, why so few? do you want public trials with full constitutional protections for those captured on battlefield (american courts/judges/pd's). should we have then ready for the field.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#36)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    What battlefield? What war? Did congress declare war and I missed it? please provide links for your assertions.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#37)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    And apprently someone missed history class on the day they covered the Nuremberg trials.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#38)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    Sailor writes:
    "You can't, because there is no proof published except 'wesayso'."
    These folks aren't thought to have robbed a QuickiMart. And yes, you'll just have to get along with a "wesayso." Life's a beach and then you dye, eh? ;-) Ed B writes:
    Why do you assume these kid are Terrorists?
    Because I trust the government more than I do the people they have captured in the ME. Blag writes:
    "Nah, Jesus's Bush says their guilty, so they must be..."
    And the Blag assumes they are innocent. Hate to tell you this, but having listened to Bush, and read you... I believe Bush. He seems much more reasonable. BTW - I heard a snippet from FNC on Sunday where a CA Congressman read the menu at GITMO. These folks are eating better than our troops. I also see that Time says.... GASP! They have been abused and tortured by being forced to listen to music! Now I confess to disliking hiphop and RAP, especially gangsta RAP, but abuse and torture? I think not. I am LOL.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#39)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    Yes...the menu beats the hell out of the rations I ate in SEA....and shame on us for even giving them copies of the Koran. I thought we were suppose to be mean & inhumane? Ya think Nick Berg got a copy of the bible before they cut his head off?

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#40)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    I believe the executive can wage war without a declaration-one doesn't follow the other. your credibility sinks like a rock when you say so. are you ready to take one of the little tikes in? In case you weren't aware given your vast historical knowledge, Nuremburg took place after a war was won, not during it.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#41)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    Once again, WHAT WAR! Only congress has the power to declare war. Please read the constitution before making such ignorant statements. "I believe Bush" - bush has been proven to be a liar over and over, if you believe a proven liar then there is no sense in responding further to your ad hominem attacks. That's pretty much the whole problem with the faith (or feith;-) based reality that repubs have. 'For god's sake, please don't confuse us with facts!' And wesayso is not an argument, is not a fact, is not a charge, it is merely an uninstantiated allegation from proven liars. Charge them, try them, or let them go. It is the American way.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#42)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:00 PM EST
    sorry for being polite. You don't need a declaration to wage war/Congress authorized use of force/Congress could cut off funding(will not and did not)-If that doesn't sink in, sorry and I apologize for your poor history teacher.

    Re: Report: Six Juveniles Held at Guantanamo (none / 0) (#43)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:01 PM EST
    Rocker - I agree it is somewhat of a Hobson's Choice. Problem is, the Left is just as bad.