Guantanamo Inmates Sentenced in Paris
The latest feature at Watching America.com is a piece translated from French in Le Temps of Switzerland, Five Inmates of Guantanamo Sentenced in Paris
The French have sentenced five out of six inmates for “criminal association in connection with a terrorist enterprise”
These convictions are significant as, according to the New York Times, a month ago only ten inmates had been charged with any crime, and only one convicted. These numbers compare with the number of detainees said by the Pentagon to have resumed hostile activities against the United States after release – at least 30.
What makes this Swiss article particularly interesting is that it appears that not only the American intelligence services – but also the French – are taking advantage of the huge legal loophole that is Guantanamo. The lack of legality has been exploited in ways that have caused inmates to incriminate themselves – if only to leave the camp.
French agents visited the detainees in Cuba by pretending to be diplomats from the embassy.”They came to see us three times between January 2002 and January 2004, says Mourad Benchellali, one of the five convicted (see below). They told us they would bring us to France if we answered their questions. “I started to wonder when they showed me a album-photos of supposed terrorists that was the same as that used by the Americans.”
