There are a number of men at the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay who are there for their alleged roles in the 9-11 attacks. They have yet to stand trial — and, I suspect, never actually will.
The Gitmo prisoners in general — and these, specifically — are a perfect storm of military, intelligence, and judicial fail. To try them has meant head-on collisions between profound principles of what this country represents (or wants to represent) and the realities of the weird quasi-war from which they were lifted.
One former prosecutor in these cases is quoted saying, “This was not a law enforcement investigation, but an intelligence operation.” And the rules you apply to one are very different from another, in a way that makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to shift gears.
To try someone based on evidence that cannot be presented, let alone evidence extracted from them (and others) by torture, is obscene. But setting these guys free is utterly unthinkable. But letting them sit in a cell without a trial until they die of old age is grotesque.
Every step of the way, the US government — all branches, and the citizenry behind them — have been feeling their way through these cases. Every step has been painful, has distorted law and justice, whether civil or military. Every step has lowered our international reputation. Every step has cost millions of dollars. And every step will continue to do so.
I don’t have any quick, glib answers here. There are, perhaps, lessons to be learned, but that doesn’t help with these present cases, right here.
#911
No one in Guantanamo has been put on trial for 9/11. Here’s why.
Five defendants sit in a high-security prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, waiting for a court date that is perpetually delayed.
I have often been surprised that there hasn’t been an ‘epidemic’ that just wiped out the imprisoned population, or maybe a ‘storm surge’ from the hurricanes.
@Marc – Well, if there was enough of a sentiment about such things, then the problem wouldn’t exist in the first place. The “problem” is, too many people (in the military, the judiciary, and the public) want to do the “right thing” (which they don’t all necessarily agree upon), and would look askance at such a fortuitous “accident.” That’s actually somewhat encouraging, if unresolving.