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Politics : The Left Wing Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Thomas M. who wrote (5928)	7/6/2003 5:05:11 PM
From: Skywatcher	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 6089

The destruction of what he says we're fighting for in other countries is being wrecked here...or should I say,in Cuba? Amnesty Labels U.S. Trials 'Travesty of Justice' by Kate Holton LONDON - Amnesty International has denounced the planned U.S. military trials for six prisoners at "Camp X-Ray" in Guantanamo Bay as a "travesty of justice." "We deeply regret that the President has taken his country one step closer to running trials that will flout basic standards of justice," the human rights group said in a statement late on Friday. President Bush has designated six foreign captives in what he calls the war on terrorism as eligible to be tried for U.S. military commissions. Britain's Foreign Office announced on Friday that two Britons -- Moazzam Begg, 35, and Feroz Abbasi, 23, -- would be among the six suspects, whose names and nationalities U.S. defense officials have refused to reveal. Charges set out in the Pentagon's instructions for the trials could bring the death penalty. "Any trial before these military commissions would be a travesty of justice," Amnesty said. "We urge the U.S. administration to rethink its strategy before it causes any further affront to international fair trial norms and any more damage to its own reputation. Amnesty criticized the commissions, citing the use of a lower standard of evidence that would be admissible in an ordinary court, including hearsay evidence. It also drew attention to Pentagon guidelines which do not expressly exclude statements extracted under coercive methods. Officials said there was evidence the six had attended "terrorist" training camps and may have been involved in financing Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network -- blamed by Washington for the September 11 attacks against the United States. Military officials have had preliminary discussions about building an execution chamber at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. navy base, where about 600 prisoners are being held, but say talk of execution is premature. The Foreign Office said on Friday they were opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and had made this view clear to Washington. The U.S. chief defense lawyer for Guantanamo Bay, Colonel Will Gunn, told the BBC's Newsnight program late on Friday that he faced many challenges. "We will have a cultural divide which will take us time to overcome, if we're ever able to overcome it. So I see that as a fundamental challenge," he said. But he said he had faith in his staff who would work to provide the "very best possible defense." "This country has long said we're about justice being done," he added. "That's what the principle of Americanism means to many people." Copyright 2003 Reuters Ltd CC