Trials of Guantanamo suspects begin without a lawyer or reporter in sight

By Andrew Buncombe in Washington

Campaigners have condemned the Bush administration's plan to proceed with secret proceedings against 14 "high-value" terrorism suspects currently being held at Guantanamo Bay. The suspects include Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, accused of organising the 11 September 2001 attacks.

The military tribunals, scheduled to begin tomorrow, will take place behind closed doors and away from the scrutiny of the media. Hundreds of previous hearings held to determine the formal status of the prisoners have been open to reporters. None of the suspects will be able to have a lawyer present.

The Pentagon has said that the so-called Combatant Status Review Tribunals (CSRT) are being held in secret to prevent the possible leaking of classified information. But legal campaigners said the decision had been taken to prevent the revelation of information embarrassing to the Bush administration.

"They're not going to let anybody close," said Clive Stafford Smith, of the UK-based group Reprieve, which represents several dozen Guantanamo prisoners, though none of the 14. "They are trying to stop anyone saying anything about the way they have been abused or which countries they were abused in."

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article2338360.ece

Nazi Germany but I will bring it up for the sake of argument


What is different about how the Pentegon and this Administration are carrying out these Tribunals and what the Nazi's did in putting people in front of their Tribunals?

Everyone knew in Germany and everyone one knows now in the Pentagons (CSRT) that all the suspects will be found guilty.

So what is the point of having a trial. There is no validity, no transparancy. The verdicts won't hold up in the world court.

Don't misundertand me these terrorist suspects should go in front of the Hague not some rigged trial.