UPDATE BELOWUH-oh. I guess Abu Gonzales won't be going to the running of the bulls in Pamplona anymore...
A Spanish court “has agreed to consider opening a criminal case against six former Bush administration officials…over allegations they gave legal cover for torture at Guantanamo Bay.” The officials include former attorney general Alberto Gonzales, former undersecretary of defense for policy Douglas Feith, former Cheney chief of staff David Addington, Justice Department officials John Yoo and Jay S. Bybee, and Pentagon lawyer William Haynes. The AP has more details on the case:
Spanish law allows courts to reach beyond national borders in cases of torture or war crimes under a doctrine of universal justice, though the government has recently said it hopes to limit the scope of the legal process. […]
Human rights lawyers brought the case before leading anti-terror judge Baltasar Garzon, who agreed to send it on to prosecutors to decide whether it had merit, Gonzalo Boye, one of the lawyers who brought the charges, told The Associated Press. […]
The judge’s decision to send the case against the American officials to prosecutors means it will proceed, at least for now. Prosecutors must now decide whether to recommend a full-blown investigation, though Garzon is not bound by their decision.
Old Spanish saying: "Si quieres el perro, acepta las pulgas."
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(CNN) -- A senior Spanish judge has ordered prosecutors to investigate whether key Bush aides should be charged with crimes over the Guantanamo Bay detention center, a lawyer said Sunday.
Garzon says the case can be brought under Spanish law because several Spaniards were held at Guantanamo.
Investigating magistrate Baltasar Garzon has passed a 98-page complaint to prosecutors that accuses former Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and five others of being the legal architects of system that allowed torture in violation of international law, human rights lawyer Gonzalo Boye told CNN.
Garzon says the case can be brought under Spanish law because several Spaniards were held at Guantanamo.
Investigating magistrate Baltasar Garzon has passed a 98-page complaint to prosecutors that accuses former Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and five others of being the legal architects of system that allowed torture in violation of international law, human rights lawyer Gonzalo Boye told CNN.
Prosecutors will review the document to determine if a crime has been committed.
The prosecutor's office will make a decision within five days, said Boye, one of the report's authors. Garzon accepted the complaint under Spanish law because there were several Spaniards at Guantanamo who allegedly suffered torture.
The prosecutor's office will make a decision within five days, said Boye, one of the report's authors. Garzon accepted the complaint under Spanish law because there were several Spaniards at Guantanamo who allegedly suffered torture.
The complaint was filed in March 2008 by Boye and the Association for the Rights of Prisoners.
It names Gonzales -- who was President George W. Bush's counsel when the Guantanamo Bay detention center was established -- and other top Bush administration officials John C. Yoo,
It names Gonzales -- who was President George W. Bush's counsel when the Guantanamo Bay detention center was established -- and other top Bush administration officials John C. Yoo,
Douglas J. Feith, William J. Hayes II, Jay S. Bybee and David S. Addington.
A former top aide to Colin Powell, who was secretary of state in the early days of the Bush administration's "war on terror," testified before Congress last summer that the six officials "colluded" to develop a legal rationale for allowing detainees to be subjected to harsh treatment.
Lawrence Wilkerson was Powell's chief of staff in President Bush's first term.
Lawrence Wilkerson was Powell's chief of staff in President Bush's first term.
16 comments:
I wonder how they feel about about Beheading?
Tell 'em to go defecate in their sombrero and pull it down over their ears.
The Spaniards probably think they're experts at torture due to their experience
Daniel Hannan of Great Britain’ is also apparently a guilt tripped white dude. He supported Barack Obama during the election—and even now is hesitant to take him to task. When is he going to get his act together? It is my belief that this white race guilt is the greatest threat confronting the West. Obama is a master at manipulating the Hannans of the world.
sparkycat,
Just because an enemy is unspeakably inhuman to their captives doesn't give a nation that has agreed to the Geneva Accords the right to debase itself and join the enemy in the same sort of debauchery.
We're supposed to be the Light of the World, not copycat tortureres and murderers.
If you believe torturing the enemy will stop the beheadings, you're sadly misinformed.
God Of Bacon,
Is that "White Race Guilt" you speak of the same guilt that put Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court, and got Condoleeza Rice appointed Secretary of State; and Michael Steele elected the first black head of the RNC?
Is it the same WRG that allowed Toni Morrison to win the Nobel Prize in Literature; Ronald McNair and Stephanie Wilson to become astronauts; John Hope Franklin to win the Presidential Medal of Freedom; Martin Luther King, Jr., to win the Nobel Peace Prize; Hank Aaron to be listed as the 5th greatest player in the history of baseball; Jesse Owens to win 4 gold medals and piss Adolph Hitler off at the 1936 Olympics. Is it the same WRG that bestowed on Louis Armstrong the honor of being America's "Ambassador of Goodwill, and ultimately allowed a young man whose father abandoned him, whose mother was away during most of his formative years, to overcome many daunting obstacles to use his intellectual talents and succeed in the world to the point where he became the Leader of the Free World?
You mean that White Race Guilt?
Because if you do, you too are wildly misinformed.
If you follow the logic of White Race Guilt then it would explain why intellgient people voted for George W. Bush....
They felt guilty for their intelligence....and on and on we go...
Its funny how the knife of logic cuts both ways....
This is a good step towards justice for the crimes of the Bush regime. I hope there are many more.
The other bit of good news regarding Gonzo is his continued unemployment. No one seems to require his services. Oh well.
"White Race Guilt" Guilt of what? A Committee Leader, or a tax cheat?
YOU are pathetic
tao: "intellgient people voted for George W. Bush".
Very true.:)
Modampli, are you talking about Geithner?
Considering what some of the leaders of the G20 nations are saying about Obama's economic policies, perhaps it's not wise for him to travel in Europe, either.
Somehow I think the Spaniards can distinguish between a disagreement on economic policies and state sanctioned torture. Obama will be welcomed.
The cabal who hyped the GWOT & instituted torture hopefully will not. Even if there isn't the courage in this country to hold these criminals responsible I'm happy our neighbors aren't so reticent
Arthurstone, I'm utterly unsurprised that you find this stupid idea to be wonderful.
But all one needs to do is look at other rhetoric of the left vis-a-vis "economic justice" as well as the idiocies brought forth by human rights lawyers to understand that my scenario is not far fectched.
And isn't it funny how Fidel Castro, whose record is long and legion in trampling on human rights, is able to travel freely in and out of Spain? You don't think that maybe, you know, politics might be part of the game?
And isn't it funny how Fidel Castro, whose record is long and legion in trampling on human rights, is able to travel freely in and out of Spain? You don't think that maybe, you know, politics might be part of the game?
I find it even funnier that the "Beacon of Liberty," the USofA, finds it necessary to ban distasteful people from entering its borders. We have a long history of being wusses when it comes to allowing those we do not agree with to come here and speak.
Apparently Spain isn't frightened of bad guys, and we are.
Gordon-
Of course it's a 'stupid idea' Gordon. It would force the US to consider how true our government is to our core values.
Fidel Castro? That has f**k all to do with what exactly? I love when apologists such as yourself make excuse criminal behavior on the part of our leaders by throwing in the old Fidel red herring. Oy.
Remember. We're the good old US of A. We're supposed to be 'better'. And those criminals in the last administration sitting around the office watching after an episode of 24 and trying to figure out their next step in the misconceived GWOT are not our among our brightest lights.
Don't worry though. Prosecutions are unlikely. About the best we can expect, sadly, is that Gonzo and Feith and Cheney, Yoo and his Georgeness are inconvenienced by the uncertainty of foreign travel.
Oh well, life isn't fair.
But then it won't bother George much. He likely won't venture much farther than Houston anyway. I can't imagine his dim curiosity is much changed after his time as the Prez.
Interesting that someone would use my name, God of Bacon to publish their words in my name.
Ignore the previous comment under the name God of Bacon.
Notice the absence of my avatar in his or her comment about guilt tripped blah blah blah.
EL JUEZ GARZÓN Y GUANTÁNAMO.
Rafael del Barco Carreras
Abril 2009. Para quien ha pasado TRES AÑOS en La Modelo de Barcelona, 1980-3, que un juez español investigue GUANTÁNAMO, ya no es que sea una ininteligible falacia, que merece profundos estudios psiquiátricos o sicológicos, a la par que sociales e históricos… por el olvido colectivo de una perversión propia de las peores cárceles del TERCER o ningún Mundo.
Garzón podría citar a todos los vecinos de unos 50 años de edad de alrededor del tétrico edificio que muchas noches, en masa, salieron al balcón gritando “asesinos, asesinos…” por los alaridos de los encadenados en LOS SÓTANOS DE LA QUINTA GALERÍA, perfectamente audibles. O consultar varios sumarios con “muertos”, verdaderos “asesinatos”, y como aun vivirán familiares y denunciantes… interrogar. !Qué ni han prescrito y sin alcanzarles la injusta Ley de "borrón y cuenta nueva"!
Él disfrutaría, porque en este sumario, no debería dictar un auto pidiendo la partida de defunción de FRANCO (habían pasado cinco años de su muerte), y aunque hayan muerto varios, el director CAMACHO (una verdadera bestia), viven de los que borrachos en sus guardias nocturnas se divertían torturando. Inmensas palizas…con muertos. En Barcelona eso lo saben todos los JUECES Y FISCALES de entonces, pero no buscan Guantánamos para montar numeritos… con olvidarse de lo sobreseído y archivado, basta. Preguntar al Presidente actual de la Audiencia, José Luis Barrera Cogollos, digno sucesor del de entonces Alfonso Hernández Pardo, con quien compartió Tribunal ESPECIAL (montado solo para ese caso "jueces contaminados") en el Juicio por el Consorcio de la Zona Franca, donde se me condeno a esos tres años pasados en prisión.
Las imágenes que tanto se han difundido de las especiales prisiones americanas son “infantiles” comparadas con lo que he vivido y visto… en una prisión rodeada de una CIUDAD que ya había votado PROGRESISMO SOCIALISTA, y que poco le importaba si allí había inocentes (que por las habituales torturas y sistema judicial los había muchos) o terroristas con decenas de muertos. 2.600 hacinados, y ríanse del “Expreso del medianoche”.
En www.lagrancorrupcion.blogspot.com reproduzco las páginas de “Barcelona, 30 años de corrupción” para refrescar la memoria con el propio relato del primer juez de Vigilancia Penitenciaria en Barcelona, el otrora gran amigo de Garzón, Gómez de Liaño, preguntándose que fue de aquellas denuncias.
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