Here’s a story of one Guantanamo interrogation. Here’s the video. I really couldn’t watch much of it — I admit it. It’s gut-wrenching. I’m just warning you.
Cernig summarizes it better than I could do.
Well now. A tape of a Canadian 16 year old sobbing as he’s interrogated at Gitmo has surfaced after the Canadian Supreme Court ordered it released. The teen was captured in Afghanistan and accused of being a terrorist, alleges torture at Bagram, was held in solitary and subjected to disorientation techniques at Gitmo – – and is still held there. He may well be a teen terrorist, may well be guilty as sin. But torture and "hearsay" evidence in kangaroo courts fails entirely to uphold the notion of the rule of law for all, a hallmark of free and just society. (Newshoggers; emphasis added)
Digby says:
Apparently the authorities think that this kid’s family is heavily involved in radical Islam. The prisoner himself sounds very confused and at 15, far too young to know any kind of operational plans his family might be involved in, if indeed, any existed….
If there was ever a case where the modern professional interrogation techniques of trust and dependence would have likely worked far better than this stupid Jack Bauer crap, it would be with a frightened and wounded 15 year old. But according to the article they also put this prisoner through extreme sleep deprivation and disorientation in addition to the torture he is alleged to have suffered at Bagram (which would be par for the course.) It sounds as though he didn’t know which end was up by the time they were through with him.
By the way, it turns out the kid didn’t have any useful information. (emphasis added)
According to Jeralyn,Khadr faces life in prison if convicted at his military tribunal trial.
Here’s a bit of background from the CBC story.
The footage is from five formerly classified DVDs consisting of 7½ hours of questioning that took place six months after Khadr was captured, following a 2002 firefight in Afghanistan. Khadr, who is a Canadian citizen, has been held at Guantanamo Bay for six years on charges that he killed a U.S. medic during a firefight in Afghanistan….
When the agent accuses Khadr of crying to avoid interrogation, Khadr tells the agent between gasping sobs, "You don’t care about me."
(CBC)
One Talk Left commenter wrote:
I can’t even begin to say how shattered my heart is hearing and watching that child moaning for someone to help him. God Bless the Canadian court system for being the only official channels that have actually done something to help him.
Here’s a piece about ‘Guantanamo’s child.’ (Warning: Graphic photos of injuries).
Sadly, as Cernig says, there are certain commentators who don’t understand the concept of ‘rule of law.’ A brave and free people don’t place punishment, revenge, and a craven desire for ‘safety’ before the principles on which their own freedom is founded.
I do realize that there are bad people who need to be caught and prevented from further wrongdoing. But the procedures of a free and just society must preserve and foster the dignity of the individual. The young in particular aren’t to be tried as if they had the judgment or free will of adults.
Talk Left has a lot of background on the case.
