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New Guantanamo Abuse Investigation Ordered

By Jeralyn, Section Terror Detainees
Posted on Fri Oct 13, 2006 at 11:29:58 PM EST
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Marine Sgt Heather Cerveny went to Guantanamo three weeks ago to serve as a legal aide to military lawyers. She reported that five Navy guards told her how they beat up detainees. The Pentagon has ordered an investigation.

"The one sailor specifically said 'I took the detainee by the head and smashed his head into the cell door'," she said in the affidavit. "From the whole conversation, I understood that striking detainees was a common practice," the sergeant wrote.

"Everyone in the group laughed at the others' stories of beating detainees."

Sgt. Cerveny's charges mirror those of military lawyers:

Military lawyers who represent detainees at the camp have filed an affidavit that describes guards boasting of abusing prisoners.

British Foreign Secretary Marjorie Beckett has called for the closure of Guantanamo.

She said the US detention camp did as much to radicalise extremists as it did to promote security.

"The continuing detention without fair trial of prisoners is unacceptable in terms of human rights, but it is also ineffective in terms of counter-terrorism."

The U.S. has rejected her request. And now, thanks to the Military Commissions bill, detainees who are abused or tortured can't bring habeas claims in federal court to challenge the conditions of confinement. What happens when there are no outsiders to witness the abuse? I guess it's "What happens in Guantanamo stays in Guantanamo."

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    New Guantanamo Abuse Investigation Ordered | 4 comments (4 topical)
    Re: New Guantanamo Abuse Investigation Ordered (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Oct 14, 2006 at 09:32:56 AM EST
    The interesting case of Sean Baker, and American plant who got brain damage nonetheless.

    Re: New Guantanamo Abuse Investigation Ordered (none / 0) (#2)
    by Dadler on Sat Oct 14, 2006 at 09:39:34 AM EST
    Here's some info about Sean Baker, since the link by Lost Cause above didn't get formatted.

    Re: New Guantanamo Abuse Investigation Ordered (none / 0) (#3)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Oct 14, 2006 at 11:10:48 AM EST
    Two buckets of whitewash, comin' right up.

    Re: New Guantanamo Abuse Investigation Ordered (none / 0) (#4)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Oct 14, 2006 at 03:47:41 PM EST
    here's the latest on the Pendleton 8

    New Guantanamo Abuse Investigation Ordered | 4 comments (4 topical)