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The Guantanamo Bay detention center is a United States military prison located within Guantanamo Bay Naval Base,. This military prison is also referred to as Guantánamo Bay or GTMO (pronounced 'gitmo'), which is located in Cuba. In January 2002, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said the prison camp was established to detain extraordinarily dangerous people, to interrogate detainees in an optimal setting and to address cases for war criminals. Since then there have been hundreds of people detained at GTMO without trial and without representation. In 2008 there was an argument made that the people held in captivity within Guantánamo Bay did not have legal rights within the United States so the treatment of them did not have to be deemed Constitutional. Meaning they did not have rights to habeas corpus. Luckily in 2008 the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the individuals held within the military prison and declared it legal for inmate within the prison to apply for habeas corpus
For your blog post this week - answer the following prompts. 1) Do research online and find a case of a person who has or is detained at the military prison. Explain their case based on the information you can find online and from other sources. 2) Do you believe that people incarcerated in this military prison should be freed? Why or why not? 3) Do you believe that the detainment of these people is just? Why or why not? How should the United States address potential terrorist threats? Is the military prison an actual deterrent to violent terrorism? Why or why not? FOR YOUR INFORMATION - THE VIDEO BELOW IS OF MOS DEF (HIP HOP ARTIST) WHO WAS IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE DETAINEES WHO WERE ON HUNGER STRIKE. HE WANTED TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT THE FORCE FEEDING PROCEDURE LOOKED LIKE IN CIVIL CONDITIONS. Original Posts 250 words (minimum). Respond to three other students 50 words (minimum). Original post due Thursday @ midnight. Responses (3) due Sunday @ midnight.
38 Comments
Megan Fernandez
3/4/2016 04:30:38 pm
Shaker Aamer was the last British detainee released from Guantanamo Bay. He returned home to the UK and was able to see his wife and children. Shaker’s lawyer, Cori Crider (an American attorney) explained that Shaker was detained not specifically for anything that he did, but for things that he witnessed while at the Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan by both UK and US forces. Shaker was tortured. He experienced extreme temperature, sleep deprivation, and was placed in stress positions. Shaker was held for 13 years without a trial. Shaker, like other reprieves, were deemed acceptable for release two years ago, but was not released until four months ago. Looking at the list Prof. Crain provided, of the 91 prisoners that remain, some are also deemed worthy of release. Shaker’s case is an example of one of the reasons why so many, including current President Obama, believe gitmo should be closed, because it is unrepresentative of the American justice system.
Michael Stevens
3/8/2016 04:08:45 pm
Hello Megan,
Gabriel Alcantara
3/13/2016 11:48:23 pm
I feel sorry for people like Shaker, who did nothing but still went through such suffering. IF there is a reason to destroy that place, is so that people like him wouldnt have to go through such horrific scenarios again.
Madalyn Hart
3/13/2016 11:53:37 pm
I really liked what you had to say in regards to evaluating each and every case. I also liked how you brought up the high rate of prisoners going back to terrorist activity upon release from GTMO. Its something that really cements that they should not be releasing all of them for the sake of it.
Abhisheak Sharma
3/4/2016 11:21:34 pm
Shaker Aamer, a normal person like everyone else. He was born in Saudi Arabia, then later moved to the United States and worked as a translator for the American army during Gulf War. Later he moved to London where he met his wife and decided to moved back to Afghanistan. In Afghanistan he was turned into the US military because of the suspicion of helping Al Qaida. Aamer was supposedly linked to Bin Laden as his close associate who was helping Bin Laden with his plans. He was shipped to Guantanamo Bay in 2002 and was detained there for 13 years without charge. He was allowed to be released in 2007 but was kept in till 2015. His stay in the prison was disrespectful and unjustified. Many times he was beaten, torched and foodless for days was the conditions he was put under for 13 years.
Michael Stevens
3/8/2016 04:15:20 pm
Hello Abhisheak,
Anteo Swenson
3/10/2016 08:04:20 pm
I agree that torture procedures and this prison is simply inhumane. However, there's a certain point that has to be considered. The detainment of these prisoners is based on a possibility that they might cause major harm, or to prevent amor harm. I'm not justifying the torture, only their detainment. And yes, there might be many (although I don't know) that were detained unfairly and under no apparent charge. Guantanamo Bay is in fact something that is tied to the US' image. This publicly known place where torture is internationally accepted.
Gabriel Alcantara
3/14/2016 12:07:58 am
To think that someone was arrested and imprisoned in such a hellish place is insane. It shows that GTMO is by no means being used for what it should be. If danger-free people are still suffering through all the horrors, imagine what could happen if someone like trump becomes president, all immigrants are gonna join GTMO
wenli zhou
3/20/2016 03:13:15 pm
Hi Abhisheak, thank you for sharing this case with us. I strongly agree that these prisoners should be freed. Barack Obama pledged to close Guantánamo, both before and after he became president. But like most promises made by politicians, and especially presidential candidates, it never came to pass. What we should do is to continue send pressure to the government.
Mark De Martini
3/6/2016 04:30:16 pm
Ahmed Umar Abdullah al Hikimi is detained at Guantanamo Bay's Camp X-Ray in Cuba. The driver and body guard to Osama Bin Laden, al Hikimi will spend 16 years in captivity this March. He was captured in 2001 fleeing the Tora Bra Mountains into Pakistan. al Hikimi's docket reads like a poster boy for someone who should be locked up in such a detention facility. al Hikimi is a hard resister. He refuses to cooperate with guards and interrogators. His membership to Bin Laden's Al Qaeda 55th Arab Brigade was confirmed and substantiated by his peers. in 2010 al Hikimi was recommended for transfer to Yemen if certain conditions were met. He is still detained. Camp X-Ray was created to detain high threat enemy combatants who were captured during the war on terror. There were few places suitable to detain the large numbers of foreign fighters scooped up on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq, not to mention those caught on the streets by counter terrorism units. Camp X-Ray served a purpose but the question of how long the detained should be kept, nd under what form of justice they be tried is still uncertain. It is legally impossible to try most of the detained in the U.S. legal system. The collection of evidence isn't under the same standard, nor are the crimes remotely similar to any felony case. The detainees are classified as enemy combatants and should stand a military tribunal. The Obama Administration attempted to try the detainees under the U.S. federal justice system and failed. Not for trying, but because the legal and threat based realities couldn't reconcile with the political intent. The detainees are unique because they operate as in terrorist organizations non-state actors and are a high threat to civilized nations. A willing member of a support cell can be just as dangerous and guilty as the terrorist detonating the bomb. Still, I believe these men should have stood trial for whatever crime they were accused. Currently, the Administration is freeing many of the detainees by placing them in the custody of countries willing to take them. In my opinion I don't think releasing all the detainees is going to make much difference. They are spent as useful intelligence assets, and many of them are now past the military age of service. I hope they return to a peaceful life with time served for making really poor, or unlucky choices. If the detainees return to terrorism so be it. They can be killed in a drone strike, or find their end by some other violent means. Camp X-Ray can stand to be closed down if empty, but similar facility will be required if another war on terror results in the capture of several hard core terrorists. The next time around I hope reasonable procedures will be put in place to guarantee captives receive justice in a realistic period of time. Camp X-Ray was never intended to be a deterrent. Terrorists are too dedicated to the cause to be dissuaded by prison. Most are willing to die for the cause, so the Camp in terms of caring about it, is meaningless to them.
Michael Stevens
3/8/2016 04:24:51 pm
Hello Mark,
Mark De Martini
3/11/2016 10:00:58 pm
Michael,
wenli zhou
3/20/2016 03:20:57 pm
Hi Mark, thanks for sharing this case in such detail.I learned a lot from your post. I also hope that the next time there will have reasonable procedures for guarantee captives receive justice in a realistic period of time.
Mary Rasooli
3/25/2016 08:26:12 am
Thank You for sharing this specific case, I found it to be very interesting. I also agree with what you stated about how trying the members in the system is a complex and difficult task. Additionally I agree that these men should have a fair trial regardless as they are human and we have seen innocent men go in and stay there while their lives waste away.
wenli zhou
3/7/2016 01:22:15 am
Yusef Abbas is one of the 15 Chinese Uighurs that being held at the US military base in Guantanamo Bay. They were suspected to be related with Taliban regime at first. In late 2003, United States Department of Defense identified that they were not terrorist and authorized release. the non- horror elements by the US Department of Defense. Because of their political background ,
Thu-Thao Ho
3/8/2016 09:55:06 am
It is interesting how the United States uses imprisonment as a way of obtaining "justice". The US should not detain people because of their beliefs or where they came from. People who care causing harm should be kept locked away in prisons, but we must bear in mind that these war camps have innocent people who are thrown into harsh conditions. Men, women, children, the elderly can all be placed into war camps. Most do not even know why they are being placed into these camps because they have never done anything incriminating.
Abhisheak Sharma
3/9/2016 09:06:27 pm
Hey Wenil,
Anteo Swenson
3/10/2016 08:11:30 pm
It's a very interesting case you shared, thanks for that. Now, I think you agreed to the procedures done in a military prison, since you said that they can do things that can't in a civilian one. So you agree with the torture that's taken place there? I do understand that it is for the wellbeing of the majority, but it's all based in possible situations, right?
Gabriel Alcantara
3/13/2016 11:52:16 pm
What is missing from Guantanamo Bay is regulation and transparity. We do not know what goes on in there, why they are in there, who put them in there, any of those things, we only know what the media tells us, which is a problem that eventually leads people who did not deserve to be tortured to live through such hell.
Thu-Thao Ho
3/8/2016 09:48:40 am
Shaker Aamar was an Afghanistan man who was detained for nearly 13 years in Guantanao Bay. Though he was given the right to leave in the year of 2007, it took nearly another eight years before he could physically leave imprisonment. There, he was brutally tortured, starved, and lived under harsh conditions.
Michael Stevens
3/8/2016 03:58:08 pm
Badr Zaman Badr and his brother were detained in Guantanamo Bay for three years. They ran a political satire magazine in Pakistan, and they published a piece that offended a high ranking official. In retribution, this official contacted authorities to inform them that Badr Zaman Badr and his brother had links to Al-Qaeda. The two were apprehended in their apartment and detained in Guantanamo Bay. In particular, there was one piece in their magazine that poked fun of Bill Clinton. Over three years, Badr Zaman Badr was interrogated over 150 times in reference to the piece of political satire on Bill Clinton. After three years of explaining the joke to American authorities, they were set free. I do not believe that the detainment of these people is just because if they apprehend the wrong person, as was the case for Badr Zaman Badr, then even the most innocent person will have no recourse to fair representation, protection from torture, or a speedy trial. Personally, terrorist threats should be handled the same as regular threats, and terrorist combatants should be treated as regular combatants. Just because someone is labeled a terrorist, it does not mean that Americans can circumvent the law when it comes to their treatment. In my limited opinion, Guantanamo Bay is not an actual deterrent to violent terrorism because it actually feeds into the terrorist narrative of the United States as an enemy to Muslims and the Middle East. If the United States does not treat people from the Middle East as equals, then it feeds the flames that America perceives itself as superior to people in the region.
Anteo Swenson
3/10/2016 08:18:31 pm
I really liked your case, thanks for sharing. It is the perfect example of an over reaction and the unjust apprehension of suspects by the American government. Ever since the 9/11 attack, such paranoia has become a standard sentiment among the US' foreign affairs. I agree that terrorist threats should be handled as regular ones, that's a great point. Also, I like your conclusion to your post, such military detention camps are not a deterrent to the goals of the terrorist groups. It is true that the existence and the detention of predominantly Middle Easterns is affecting, or enforcing the image the US may have in some places.
Madalyn Hart
3/14/2016 12:03:10 am
I agree and like what you said about GTMO fueling the flames of hate towards the United States. Im curious on how you think they should try to get away from this?
Mary Rasooli
3/25/2016 08:28:14 am
Hi Michael, I like what you said here, "If the United States does not treat people from the Middle East as equals, then it feeds the flames that America perceives itself as superior to people in the region." I agree and believe that overall GTMO should not be operating the way it is and we are not approaching the issue of terror the way we should.
Anteo Swenson
3/10/2016 07:49:32 pm
Mohammed al-Qahtani is a Saudi citizen who has been detained since June 2002 in Guantanamo Bay. He travelled to the United States a few months before the 9/11 attack, but was returned to Saudi Arabia for suspicion of immigrading illegally. He was then captured in Afghanistan in the fall of 2001, where he was sent to Guantanamo Bay immediately. He was suspected to be the 20th highjacker from the terrorist attack. He was interrogated and put through a variety of "interrogation procedures". It was strongly suspected that he had vital information about al-Qaeda, and was put through torture just like many other prisoners. He was charged on numerous counts, but throughout the years such charges were dropped and then reenforced again and again. His case is particular because this was the first time an official of the Bush administration had admitted any torture of detainees at Guantanamo. In 2009, Susan Crawford from the department of defense had admitted a variety of torture procedures that were used over this individual. Also, The Time magazine published an article in 2006 where a secret log is exposed. It consisted of 49 days of the 20-hour-per-day interrogation of Qahtani at Guantanamo Bay detention camp from late November 2002 to early January 2003.
Mark Demaritni
3/12/2016 10:30:44 am
Anteo,
Mary Rasooli
3/25/2016 08:30:10 am
Anteo, thank you for your thoughts. I very much agree with the idea that the US has truly overstepped the line as well as done some hypocritical things to gain intelligence from these detainees. It is absolutely disgusting that we would resort to the torture of human beings, in addition to not providing a fair trial.
Christian Trinidad
3/10/2016 11:17:00 pm
Mohammed Kamin is a native of Afghanistan who has been held at Guantanamo bay for over 11 years on war crimes. He is still being held and has been denied transfer. He is tied to Al-qada, the Taliban, and other extremist groups. His crimes include weapons trafficking and planning attacks against the United Sates. According to a statement released from his review hearing Kamin has been helpful and cooperative in efforts to weed out terrorist organizations and states “ i am human we all make mistakes”.
Megan Fernandez
3/12/2016 01:33:11 pm
Hi Christian:
Christian Trinidad
3/13/2016 10:21:09 pm
Hi megan
Madalyn Hart
3/14/2016 12:01:06 am
I agree that not all prisoners should be released for the protection of others. I also agree that they shouldn't be treated as badly as they are, however considering the horrible things some of them have done to other innocent human beings it makes it kind of hard to say that they should be treated absolutely perfectly. However having said this I don't believe torture should ever be allowed.
Gabriel Alcantara
3/10/2016 11:30:37 pm
Sadik Ahmad Turkistani is an ethnic Uyghur born and raised in Taif, Saudi Arabia and an opponent of the Taliban. He was once arrested by the taliban, however later on he was freed from them once the Taliban was overthrown. Once freed, he was captured by the americans. Once he was deemed “innocent” by the CSRT, he was sent to Saudi Arabia. Many people who are detained like was are tortured and go through horrific situations. Although conditions are poor and actions inside GTMO are are inhumane, I do believe that it is a necessary establishment if used correctly. Keeping dangerous people locked up , in my opinion, is necessary in order to make us feel safer. Although it sounds wrong to have people locked up for our own personal gain, if the right people are locked up, it can help us walk forward towards a safer future. Of course the GTMO would not be necessary if we lived in a world where education was priority and equal opportunity was natural. However, different beliefs, lack of education, and lack of opportunities lead many people to lead towards a path of no return, which is why a place like GTMO is necessary. There is still a long way to go in order to make GTMO a truly functional prison. People like Sadik who are eventually deemed innocent or not an enemy combatant still go through all the tortures and misfortunes inside the prison. If we can correct those mistakes, GTMO would be an incredible tool in order to walk us towards pseudo peace.
Megan Fernandez
3/12/2016 01:45:02 pm
Hi Gabriel,
Madalyn Hart
3/11/2016 12:00:25 am
A prisoner being held in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba is Abdul Bagi from Afghanistan. Back in Afghanistan he was a cow herder. On his record it records him as being of LOW risk to the United States, but that he was imprisoned because of the color of his jacket. It was assumed by the American soldiers that he was part of the group of men who had previously attacked them. Because of this he was captured and has been held at GTMB since 2003.
Christian Trinidad
3/13/2016 10:47:24 pm
Hi madalyn
wenli zhou
3/20/2016 02:42:01 pm
Hi Madalyn，
Mary Rasooli
3/25/2016 03:05:30 pm
Said Abassi Rochan from Afghanistan was detained in 2002 by afghan authorities under suspicion that one of his passengers was related to the Zadran tribe’s leader (Pacha Khan). He was only detained for a total of 20 minutes before being turned over to US forces and then being sent to GTMO. The statements online say that he was transferred to GTMO because of his general knowledge of the activities in his region. He was then deemed not affiliated with Al Qaida or the Taliban and his information was deemed not valuable or “tactically exploitable”. He transferred a year later to Afghanistan, but his detention essentially accomplished nothing.
Michelle Bounkousohn
3/26/2016 11:34:36 am
Adnan Farhan Abd Al Latif was a Yemeni man who had been incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay for over 10 years, passing away in 2012 at the age of 36 after an apparent suicide attempt. Latif was arrested in Pakistan on 2001 with suspicion of receiving military training from al Qaeda, though he claims he had traveled from his native Yemen to Pakistan in order to receive medical treatment for a car accident that had left him with neurological problems. Latif was not allowed to protest his detention at this time due to George W. Bush's claim in 2001 that habeas corpus did not apply to Guantanamo Bay detainees. This was later overturned in 2004 by a Supreme Court Ruling, and repealed again by the Detainment Treatment Act of 2005. In 2010, District Court judge Henry Kennedy had actually demanded Latif's release, as there was a lack of evidence backing up his arrest, though this was ignored and appealed by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Leave a Reply. |
Poli 3 - DeAnza
Winter 2016 |
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