UK High Court demands U.S. torture document

[tomm2thumbs]

Source: Yahoo

LONDON — The chief justice of the British High Court on Wednesday gave the British government one week to obtain the U.S. release of classified information about the alleged torture of a British resident who'd been detained at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba .
The court indicated that it would issue its own order if the government doesn't respond or justify why continued secrecy is warranted.
Noting that President Barack Obama had released highly sensitive documents tracing the decisions on torture during the Bush administration's war on terror, the high court judges voiced exasperation that the British government hasn't acted in what they said was the British public interest in being similarly open.

<snip>

Lord Justice Thomas scolded Britain's Foreign Office for not directly seeking clarification of the new U.S. administration's policy on the release of classified documents in the case of Binyam Mohamed , who was returned to Britain in February after seven years of detention in several countries, including four years in the prison at Guantanamo Bay .
Noting the change of tone between the Bush and Obama administrations, Lord Thomas said It was "self-evident as he (Obama) became president that he was going to take a different view" from the Bush administration on issues of torture and detention.
He noted that the U.S. president's recent statements on the need for transparency and the public interest in treatment of detainees were similar to views he himself expressed in writing a few months ago. Although Obama had said it more "elegantly and shortly", Lord Thomas noted, "the message is, I think, the same."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20090422/wl_mcclatchy/3218126

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another wrinkle

[Grinchie]

1. Torture, the gift that keeps on giving

The noose appears to be tightening on the other side of the pond.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Rumsfeld found after a housekeeper notices a strange smell coming from his studdy. That certainly would be the cowards way out, which would be fitting for him.

[ashling]

2. I can't put into words how refreshing this is

actually, "refreshing" doesn't begin to cover it. I actually got chill bumps.

A respected court somewhere else in the world is looking at an action taken by our president and sayin, "why can't we be more like him."
:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:

[ashling]

3. And to think I elected him!

Many of you know that I have had a lot of pain issues lately, but I gotta' say, this is new thing called respect better than vicodin!
:rofl:

[democrank]

4. K & R

[Bluenorthwest]

5. Release all of it, now

It will all come out anyway. All of it, here, there, and everywhere...the tapes and photos Rumsfeld testified contained blatant sadism, rape and murder at Aub Ghrahib should be the first out of the gate. Hold nothing back.

[tekisui]

6. Spain, Briton, The House, The Senate, The DoJ.

Everyone is working on this. Keep going, we need more sunlight and prosecutions!

[Chuckleberry]

7. I think the US will cooperate

In the last few days we've seen willingness in the part of the US to reveal important details of what went on in the dark Bush years. I'd be optimistic if I were this judge.

[Gregorian]

8. This is wonderful. Let the snowball roll.

Now I feel like starting my day. Yahoo! The truth is going to come out at an increasing rate now.