DOJ: Scott Roeder Is Not a Terrorist
Since we've been talking about domestic right wing terrorism of late, I wanted to elaborate on a point I made here. Today, the Department of Justice released a list of all the terrorist-related individuals it found guilty in civilian courts…
The 390 Terrorists Convicted in Civilian Courts
The Department of Justice has just sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee answering early questions about how many terrorists have been convicted or plead guilty in civilian courts. Between those convicted of terrorism-related crimes…
Another Reason to Use Civilian Courts
This WaPo story--which tells how Mohamedou Ould Slahi and Tariq al-Sawah got special privileges and too much fast food at Gitmo in exchange for cooperation--focuses on the things the detainees get, like Subway sandwiches, their own mint garden,…
The Comey College Of Prosecutorial Knowledge
Lockheed Martin has been hired by the US government to "train" prosecutors and public defenders in Liberia; what could go wrong?
Durham Going after the First Destruction of Torture Tapes?
Bmaz had a post up this yesterday, based on this WaPo story, concluding that we're not going to have real accountability for the destruction of the torture tapes. (Thanks to bmaz for minding the shop while I feted mr. ew's birthday.)
While…
Bull Durham Update: Torture Tape Investigation Winding Down Again
There is a report out in the Washington Post that John Durham may be winding up his torture tape investigation and that little, if anything, will come from it.
Here Comes The Judge; Gitmo Military Commissions Redux
The handwriting for a complete ObamaRhama cave to the neocon howlers on military commissions instead of civilian trials is getting carved awfully deep in the granite wall.
John Adams and Patrick Fitzgerald
About a million of you, seeing Isikoff and Hosenball's and Justin Elliott's coverage of a story about Fitzgerald getting involved in an investigation of how photos of torturers ended up at Gitmo have emailed me the story in alarm. (This is a…
Coordinated Anti-Democratic Vandalism in at Least 3 States
On Friday, former militia leader Mike Vanderboegh called for anti-Democratic vandalism across the country to protest the health care bill.
Vanderboegh posted the call for action Friday on his blog, “Sipsey Street Irregulars.” Referring…
The Chuck and Huck Show
Say, have you noticed how often Chuck Schumer has been nuzzling up to Lindsey "Huckleberry" Graham lately?
There's their plan on immigration reform which, among other things, calls for a national biometric ID card.
And there's a bill to pressure…
Judge Orders Mohamedou Slahi Released
Remember Mohamedou Slahi, the Gitmo detainee who they loaded onto a boat and drove around to give him the impression he was being moved? The judge in his habeas case has just ordered him released--though we don't know why yet. (h/t cs)
Slahi…
British Unit Used Sleep Deprivation, Stress Positions, Hooding
It looks like the Brits are discovering they were engaged in the same kind of torture we were in Iraq.
Fresh evidence has emerged that British military intelligence ran a secret operation in Iraq which authorised degrading and unlawful treatment…
Jane Mayer to Marc Thiessen: Your Guys' Ignorance Got Us Attacked
Jane Mayer has a great general purpose slapdown of torture apologist Marc Thiessen love letter to torture. She hits on most of the weaknesses of Thiessen's arguments: his false claims about what prevented the 2006 liquid explosive plane plot,…
The Prisoner Shellgame
On Friday, I pointed out that Eric Holder and Dennis Blair used language in a letter on Gitmo's detainees that suggests some subset of the detainees at Gitmo is not covered by Obama's Executive Order requiring some resolution to their status.
In…
DOD's Empty Vessel for Torture Authorization
When I asked whether DOD had any authorization for torture after 2004, Jeff Kaye reminded me we just recently saw one new aspect of authorization: an April 2006 Steven Bradbury Opinion authorizing Appendix M of the new version of the Army Field…
Did DOD Have ANY Authorization for Torture after 2004?
There are a couple of things that have been bugging me about the authorizations DOD got for interrogations. It's not clear what kind of authorization DOD used to justify detainee interrogations after the Yoo memo was withdrawn in 2003-2004--they…
Congressman Dingell: Call Bart Stupak on His Lies about Abortion
John Dingell says he is going to try to persuade Stupak to drop his efforts to sink healthcare with his anti-choice efforts.
The Congress is a place where we represent our people and where we serve our conscience. I strongly disagree with Bart,…
The "Detainees Subject to the Review"
MadDog linked to the letter that Dennis Blair and Eric Holder sent the Senate describing the process by which 6 agencies and a 100 staffers meticulously decided the ultimate fate of Gitmo detainees--who could be released or imprisoned elsewhere,…
Steven Bradbury: Breaking His Own Rules Even as He Writes Them
I'm working on a big post on the May 2005 Bradbury Memos. But I wanted to point out this tidbit about them in the interim.
As you might recall, the Jim Comey emails (probably leaked by the torture apologists last summer) provide a few clues…
Random Friday Afternoon Links
I've had a frazzled few days (dealing with stuff like dodgy cars) and I'm about to bury myself deep in the weeds. So I thought I'd throw up a few links to keep you all occupied so as to ensure there's still something left in the likker cabinet…