Thirty-three relatives of people killed in the 9/11 attacks on the US have denounced the Guantanamo war crimes trials as illegitimate and unfair.
In a letter posted on a civil liberties website, the relatives say the military trials are politically motivated.
Pre-trial hearings began on Monday in Guantanamo for five prisoners charged with plotting the 9/11 attacks.
Other 9/11 relatives brought to the hearings by the Pentagon praised them as giving the accused a fair trial.
"Many of us do not believe these military commissions to be fair, in accordance with American values, or capable of achieving the justice that 9/11 family members and all Americans deserve," says the statement posted on the website of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
"These prosecutions have been politically motivated from the start, are designed to ensure quick convictions at the expense of due process and transparency, and are structured to prevent the revelation of abusive interrogations and torture engaged in by the US government."
The statement continues: "No comfort or closure can come from military commissions that ignore the rule of law and stain America's reputation at home and abroad."
Nearly 3,000 people were killed on 11 September 2001 when four planes were hijacked and crashed into New York City's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a farm field in Pennsylvania. ... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7776666.stm
9/11 Family Members Challenge Legitimacy Of Guantánamo Military Commissions (12/10/2008)
As family members who lost loved ones on 9/11, we feel compelled to speak out about this week's proceedings at Guantánamo. Recently, the Guantánamo military commissions office announced that victims' family members would be permitted, on a lottery basis, to attend the Guantánamo legal hearings of those accused of planning the 9/11 attacks. The lottery system inherently results in the granting of media attention to the select few who are chosen, and whose views are not necessarily representative of all victims' families. The media coverage of Monday's commission hearings included statements attributed to attending family members that the tribunals provided a fair hearing for these prosecutions and that family members "were struck by the extensive rights accorded the accused men."
While we support everyone's right to their individual opinions about these proceedings, including, of course, other family members who have suffered the devastation we have, we also feel obliged to make clear that many of us do not believe these military commissions to be fair, in accordance with American values, or capable of achieving the justice that 9/11 family members and all Americans deserve.
We believe that the secretive and unconstitutional nature of these proceedings deprive us of the right to know the full truth about what happened on 9/11. These prosecutions have been politically motivated from the start, are designed to ensure quick convictions at the expense of due process and transparency, and are structured to prevent the revelation of abusive interrogations and torture engaged in by the U.S. government. Unfortunately, any verdict borne of these proceedings will lack legitimacy and leave us wondering if true justice has been served. No comfort or closure can come from military commissions that ignore the rule of law and stain America's reputation at home and abroad.
We are strongly encouraged by the incoming administration's promise to end this shameful system, and we are hopeful for a fresh start for these and all other Guantánamo prosecutions in U.S. courts worthy of American justice. It is time for our nation to stop betraying its own values – and the values of so many who died on 9/11.
Anne M. Mulderry, Kinderhook, New York, mother of Stephen V. Mulderry
Terry Kay Rockefeller, Arlington, MA, sister of Laura Rockefeller
J. William Harris, Arlington, MA, brother-in-law of Laura Rockefeller
Loretta Filipov, Concord, MA, wife of Alexander M. Filipov
Alissa Torres, New York, NY, wife of Luis Eduardo Torres
Bob McIlvaine, Oreland, PA, father of Bobby McIlvaine
Wright Salisbury, Lexington, MA, father-in-law of Edward Hennessy, Jr.
Barbara and Jim Fyfe, Durham, NC, parents of Karleton Douglas Beye Fyfe
Robyn Bernstein, Bolton, MA, daughter of Roberta Bernstein Heber
Patricia J. and James L. Perry, M.D., Seaford, NY, parents of NYPD officer John W. Perry
Rita Lasar, New York, NY, sister of Abraham Zelmanowitz
Valerie Lucznikowska, New York, NY, aunt of Adam Arias
Marion Kminek, Cape Coral, FL, mother of Mari-Rae Sopper
Kate Walsh Calton, Tampa, FL, wife of James Walsh
Beverly Eckert, Stamford, CT, wife of Sean Rooney
Monica Gabrielle, wife of Richard Gabrielle
Lorie Van Auken, wife of Kenneth Van Auken
Dr. Robin S. Theurkauf, wife of Thomas Theurkauf
Andrea N. LeBlanc, Lee, NH, wife of Robert G. LeBlanc
Frank Tatum, Stillwater, NY, son of Diane Moore Parsons
Antonio Aversano, Hadley, MA, son of Louis F. Aversano, Jr.
Nissa Youngren, Rochester, NY, daughter of Robert G. LeBlanc
Paula Shapiro, Pala, CA, mother of Eric Adam Eisenberg
Patricia Casazza, wife of John Casazza
Mindy Kleinberg, wife of Alan Kleinberg
Sheila Rooney, Fayetteville, NY, sister of Sean Rooney
Rosemary Dillard, wife of Eddie A. Dillard
Blake Allison, Lyme, NH, husband of Anna S.W. Allison
Roxanna K. Myhrum, Cambridge, MA, niece of Sean Rooney
Carolyn LeBlanc, Lee, NH, daughter of Robert LeBlanc
Matthew Lasar, New York, NY, nephew of Abe Zelmanowitz
= = = = STILL FEELING LIKE THE MAINSTREAM U.S. CORPORATE MEDIA IS GIVING A FULL HONEST PICTURE OF WHAT'S GOING ON? = = = =
On usenet (groups.google.com) see misc.activism.progressive
= = = = Sorry, we cannot read/reply to most usenet posts but welcome email FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://EconomicDemocracy.org/wtc/ (peace) http://economicdemocracy.org/eco/climate-summary.html (Climate) And http://EconomicDemocracy.org/ (general)
** New email: econdemocracy[at]gmail[dot]com
Stan De SD
2008-12-11 01:09:38 EST
On Dec 10, 6:32 pm, EconomicDemocracy Coop <econdemocr...@gmail.com> wrote: > 9/11 families condemn tribunals > > Thirty-three relatives of people killed in the 9/11 attacks on the US > have denounced the Guantanamo war crimes trials as illegitimate and > unfair.
Even if that's one relative per person (or person per relative), that only represents 1% of the fatalities. I'm willing to bet that the relatives of the other 99%, who witnessed their loved ones being incinerated, curshed, or falling out of buildings on TV, have a lot less sympathy for a bunch of human scum who are enjoying a nice rest in a relative tropical paradise compared to the hell that occurred on 9/11.
Jack
2008-12-11 08:35:35 EST
Stan de SD wrote: > On Dec 10, 6:32 pm, EconomicDemocracy Coop > <econdemocr...@gmail.com> wrote: >> 9/11 families condemn tribunals >> >> Thirty-three relatives of people killed in the 9/11 >> attacks on the US have denounced the Guantanamo war >> crimes trials as illegitimate and unfair. > > Even if that's one relative per person (or person per > relative), that only represents 1% of the fatalities. I'm > willing to bet that the relatives of the other 99%, who > witnessed their loved ones being incinerated, curshed, or > falling out of buildings on TV, have a lot less sympathy > for a bunch of human scum
How can anyone know if someone is human scum or not without a legitamate trial to determine guilt or lack thereof?
> who are enjoying a nice rest in > a relative tropical paradise compared to the hell that > occurred on 9/11.
P*@gmail.com
2008-12-11 08:39:25 EST
On Dec 11, 9:35 pm, "Jack" <furgfurgf...@yahoo.com> wrote: > Stan de SD wrote: > > On Dec 10, 6:32 pm, EconomicDemocracy Coop > > <econdemocr...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> 9/11 families condemn tribunals > > >> Thirty-three relatives of people killed in the 9/11 > >> attacks on the US have denounced the Guantanamo war > >> crimes trials as illegitimate and unfair. > > > Even if that's one relative per person (or person per > > relative), that only represents 1% of the fatalities. I'm > > willing to bet that the relatives of the other 99%, who > > witnessed their loved ones being incinerated, curshed, or > > falling out of buildings on TV, have a lot less sympathy > > for a bunch of human scum > > How can anyone know if someone is human scum or not without a legitamate > trial to determine guilt or lack thereof? >
What? You call yourself a loyal American yet you speak of trials and law?
Docky Wocky
2008-12-11 09:23:14 EST
Basically, the military tribunals have simply demonstrated for all to see the lack of intestinal fortitude our illustrious politicians have nagged into our military system when it comes to dispensing justice.
Military tribunals are supposed to work - for the lack of any better term - rapidly.
Tribunals still in action years after the offenses shows what a joke they have become.
A hearing, a decision, and an execution - preferably by the time the Sun goes down. Let the historians decide if justice was done or not.
The islamic nut jobs we are up against have no such time constraints, and are prepared to sacrifice untold numbers of themselves and innocent folks in order to achieve their goals in minutes.
They do their work fast and without any thought of repercussions. "Kill 'em first and worry about the details later..."
Our military tribunals have let down the people of the USA by allowing political sensibilities to dominate the quest for justice.
The same gutlessness pervades the American criminal justice system. A condemned murderer still on death row after 20 years is the only example anyone needs to see in arriving at that conclusion.
GITMO needs to have an efficient tribunal system - so they can try every last one of these nut jobs and have them dead and buried by the time today's 6 o'clock news announces they are over and done with
Jack
2008-12-11 09:23:54 EST
p*s@gmail.com wrote: > On Dec 11, 9:35 pm, "Jack" <furgfurgf...@yahoo.com> wrote: >> Stan de SD wrote: >>> On Dec 10, 6:32 pm, EconomicDemocracy Coop >>> <econdemocr...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> 9/11 families condemn tribunals >> >>>> Thirty-three relatives of people killed in the 9/11 >>>> attacks on the US have denounced the Guantanamo war >>>> crimes trials as illegitimate and unfair. >> >>> Even if that's one relative per person (or person per >>> relative), that only represents 1% of the fatalities. >>> I'm willing to bet that the relatives of the other 99%, >>> who witnessed their loved ones being incinerated, >>> curshed, or falling out of buildings on TV, have a lot >>> less sympathy for a bunch of human scum >> >> How can anyone know if someone is human scum or not >> without a legitamate trial to determine guilt or lack >> thereof? >> > > What? You call yourself a loyal American yet you speak > of trials and law?
Thing is, where's the satisfaction for these families if the trial is rigged?
Freedom Fighter
2008-12-11 15:32:34 EST
"Stan de SD" <StanDeSD@gmail.com> wrote in message news:119471cb-26db-43bb-89fe-7ef93432e489@v5g2000prm.googlegroups.com... On Dec 10, 6:32 pm, EconomicDemocracy Coop <econdemocr...@gmail.com> wrote: > 9/11 families condemn tribunals > > Thirty-three relatives of people killed in the 9/11 attacks on the US > have denounced the Guantanamo war crimes trials as illegitimate and > unfair.
Even if that's one relative per person (or person per relative), that only represents 1% of the fatalities. I'm willing to bet that the relatives of the other 99%, who witnessed their loved ones being incinerated, curshed, or falling out of buildings on TV, have a lot less sympathy for a bunch of human scum who are enjoying a nice rest in a relative tropical paradise compared to the hell that occurred on 9/11. ---------- Yes, the perpetrators of 9/11 ARE scum, but the ones on trial, and those we have been told are responsible by the government controlled media, are probably little more than scapegoats for the REAL perpetrators.
As of now it appears that the mass-murdering 9/11 conspirators were probably agents of American and Israeli "intelligence" agencies, acting with the knowledge and consent of the fascist neo-KKKon$.
Al Dykes
2008-12-11 16:10:34 EST
In article <CNe0l.194312$Mh5.192461@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>, Freedom Fighter <liberty@once.net> wrote: >"Stan de SD" <StanDeSD@gmail.com> wrote in message >news:119471cb-26db-43bb-89fe-7ef93432e489@v5g2000prm.googlegroups.com... >On Dec 10, 6:32 pm, EconomicDemocracy Coop <econdemocr...@gmail.com> >wrote: >> 9/11 families condemn tribunals >> >> Thirty-three relatives of people killed in the 9/11 attacks on the US >> have denounced the Guantanamo war crimes trials as illegitimate and >> unfair. > >Even if that's one relative per person (or person per relative), that >only represents 1% of the fatalities. I'm willing to bet that the >relatives of the other 99%, who witnessed their loved ones being >incinerated, curshed, or falling out of buildings on TV, have a lot >less sympathy for a bunch of human scum who are enjoying a nice rest >in a relative tropical paradise compared to the hell that occurred on >9/11.
I live in the suburb of Manhattan said to be the highest concentration of victims of 9/11; WTC office workers, firemen and other first responders, and hence the largest number of friends and family of the victims of 9/11. I see newly renamed streets freshly-made car bumper stickers all the time.
The questions we hear are about WTC air quality on and after 9/11 and survivor's benefits. The topics "beloved of the "Truth Movement" (man-made demolition and molten steel and no planes and no phone calls) is ZERO, ZIP, NADA here. The handful of people that do know about the core claims of the "Truth Movement" think the movement consists of a bunch of sick children that don't know anything about the claims they parrot.
-- Al Dykes News is something someone wants to suppress, everything else is advertising. - Lord Northcliffe, publisher of the Daily Mail
Stan De SD
2008-12-11 20:09:24 EST
On Dec 11, 5:35 am, "Jack" <furgfurgf...@yahoo.com> wrote: > Stan de SD wrote: > > On Dec 10, 6:32 pm, EconomicDemocracy Coop > > <econdemocr...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> 9/11 families condemn tribunals > > >> Thirty-three relatives of people killed in the 9/11 > >> attacks on the US have denounced the Guantanamo war > >> crimes trials as illegitimate and unfair. > > > Even if that's one relative per person (or person per > > relative), that only represents 1% of the fatalities. I'm > > willing to bet that the relatives of the other 99%, who > > witnessed their loved ones being incinerated, curshed, or > > falling out of buildings on TV, have a lot less sympathy > > for a bunch of human scum > > How can anyone know if someone is human scum or not without a legitamate > trial to determine guilt or lack thereof?
Catching one fighting on the side of Al Qaeda or the Taliban is plenty proof. They are incarcerated as military detainees, not as defendants in a civilian justice system.
Stan De SD
2008-12-11 20:10:54 EST
On Dec 11, 12:32 pm, "Freedom Fighter" <libe...@once.net> wrote: > "Stan de SD" <StanD...@gmail.com> wrote in messagenews:119471cb-26db-43bb-89fe-7ef93432e489@v5g2000prm.googlegroups.com... > On Dec 10, 6:32 pm, EconomicDemocracy Coop <econdemocr...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > 9/11 families condemn tribunals > > > Thirty-three relatives of people killed in the 9/11 attacks on the US > > have denounced the Guantanamo war crimes trials as illegitimate and > > unfair. > > Even if that's one relative per person (or person per relative), that > only represents 1% of the fatalities. I'm willing to bet that the > relatives of the other 99%, who witnessed their loved ones being > incinerated, curshed, or falling out of buildings on TV, have a lot > less sympathy for a bunch of human scum who are enjoying a nice rest > in a relative tropical paradise compared to the hell that occurred on > 9/11. > ---------- > Yes, the perpetrators of 9/11 ARE scum, but the ones on trial, and those we > have been told are responsible by the government controlled media, are > probably little more than scapegoats for the REAL perpetrators. > > As of now it appears that the mass-murdering 9/11 conspirators were probably > agents of American and Israeli "intelligence" agencies, acting with the > knowledge and consent of the fascist neo-KKKon$ (snip)
SET DOWN THE CRACK PIPE AND STEP AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD!!!