Secret CIA prisons don't exist! Proof? Links?

[Donkey®]

Oh yeah...they do. Go figure.

CNN.com - Bush: CIA kept terror suspects in secret prisons - Sep 6, 2006

Originally Posted by article

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is among 14 high-level detainees in the war on terror that will be transferred from CIA to Pentagon custody, according to news reports Wednesday.

A senior official says the U.S. government will be putting more than one of the detainees on trial before a military tribunal.

President Bush is expected to announce the move Wednesday, the first time the administration has acknowledged the existence of CIA prisons.

Bush will announce that the transferred detainees will get rights under the Geneva Convention once transferred to Pentagon custody.

Bush is set to offer legislation Wednesday to change the law to allow military tribunals to try detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

In the third of a series of speeches on the war on terrorism, he'll discuss this summer's U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down his administration's plan for military tribunals for "enemy combatants," according to White House deputy spokeswoman Dana Perino.

Afterward, Bush will send the proposed legislation to Capitol Hill.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Virginia, began circulating draft legislation two weeks ago. Key players met with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tennessee, on Tuesday night to discuss the matter.

While specifics are sketchy on what form the bill will take, a Warner spokesman said lawmakers have been working "cooperatively" with the administration on the version, "even though they have somewhat different views."

Bush has said that he wanted to close the Guantanamo facility, which many world leaders have pressured him to do, including allies. But White House spokesman Tony Snow said the president wasn't planning to introduce such a proposal Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.

"We want to bring to justice those who are detained there," the AP quoted Snow as saying.

The president's proposal comes on the same day the Pentagon issued a new directive on detainee treatment. (Full story)

"All detainees shall be treated humanely and in accordance with U.S. law, the law of war, and applicable U.S. policy," the directive says.

"All persons subject to his directive shall observe ... at a minimum the standards articulated in Common Article 3 to the Geneva Conventions of 1949," it says.

In a 5-3 decision in June, the Supreme Court ruled that existing law barred military commissions. The decision effectively means officials will have to come up with new procedures to prosecute at least 10 "enemy combatants" awaiting trial or release them from military custody.

In the concurring opinion, Justice Stephen Breyer said, "Congress has not issued the executive a blank check."

"Indeed, Congress has denied the president the legislative authority to create military commissions of the kind at issue here," he wrote. However, he noted, "Nothing prevents the president from returning to Congress to seek the authority he believes necessary."

The case was brought on behalf of Yemeni suspect Salim Ahmed Hamdan, who was captured in Afghanistan in 2001 and who officials say has admitted being Osama bin Laden's bodyguard and driver.

The United States has claimed that the Guantanamo detainees are not on U.S. soil and therefore are not covered by the U.S. Constitution.

The government has argued that enemy combatant or "unlawful combatant" status means detainees can be denied legal protections usually afforded prisoners of war, as outlined in the Geneva Conventions.

On Tuesday, Bush once again defended the war in Iraq as central to the war on terrorism, saying that a U.S. withdrawal would only propel bin Laden and other terrorists into more powerful positions. (Watch Bush argue why Iraq is central to the war on terror -- 1:51)

Bush has aggressively asserted the power of the government to capture, detain and prosecute suspected terrorists in the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

CNN's Ed Henry and Ted Barrett contributed to this report.

Copyright 2006 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

[thomez]

It's nice to see the judiciary slapping the administration around when need be.

[ballz2wallz]

as if that's even surprising. i'd be upset if they DIDN'T have secret prisons.

[motivez]

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

as if that's even surprising. i'd be upset if they DIDN'T have secret prisons.

Yes, it'd be a shame to be able to hold our government accountable for things they do which break the laws of war and violate treaties that we've signed in good faith.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by motivez

Yes, it'd be a shame to be able to hold our government accountable for things they do which break the laws of war and violate treaties that we've signed in good faith.

It sickens me that we're supposed to be the bastion of freedom, yet we have secret prisons that are accountable to no oversight authority.

[Ardentfrost]

Originally Posted by motivez

Yes, it'd be a shame to be able to hold our government accountable for things they do which break the laws of war and violate treaties that we've signed in good faith.

[thomez]

ibnolawsinwararguement

ibbushdidn'tsigngenevaarguement

[Donkey®]

Originally Posted by thomez

ibnolawsinwararguement

ibbushdidn'tsigngenevaarguement

ibihadtoreadthose6timesyouterrorist

[IminWonderland]

Originally Posted by Donkey®

ibihadtoreadthose6timesyouterrorist

[archangel003]

Originally Posted by thomez

ibnolawsinwararguement

ibbushdidn'tsigngenevaarguement

don't forget:

ibtheyarentlawfulcombatantssowedonthavetotreatthem likehumansarguement

[imind]

Originally Posted by archangel003

don't forget:

ibtheyarentlawfulcombatantssowedonthavetotreatthe"_"likehumansarguement

rookie

i'd be upset if they DIDN'T have secret prisons.

why?

[archangel003]

Originally Posted by imind

rookie

why?

I'm not a rookie, vBulletin always does that to long strings of characters for some reason.

[imind]

Originally Posted by archangel003

I'm not a rookie, vBulletin always does that to long strings of characters for some reason.

funny how i was able to squeeze it together, huh?

[archangel003]

Originally Posted by imind

funny how i was able to squeeze it together, huh?

to you, sir.

[PetriW]

The "unlawful combatants" is such bullshit. If a civilian takes up a gun in defense of his country somewhere else it's bad, but I bet if it was done by an american to defend america he'd be a hero.

[kinggovernor]

Originally Posted by PetriW

The "unlawful combatants" is such bullshit. If a civilian takes up a gun in defense of his country somewhere else it's bad, but I bet if it was done by an american to defend america he'd be a hero.

no, that does not meet the geneva convention requirement.

[ballz2wallz]

Originally Posted by imind

why?

they wouldn't be a very effective central intelligence agency if we knew everything about them, would they? there are some parts of government that would be worthless if they were completely transparent and open to the public. sometimes they need to pull away and do their job without idiot citizens constantly harping down their backs. we have no idea what kinds of intel they got from these few prisoners they've kept, and how that's possibly helped us in the war. is it possible that they didn't get any intel? sure i guess so, but highly unlikely since these were 'top dawgs' in the ranks of our enemy.

[PetriW]

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

no, that does not meet the geneva convention requirement.

Sounds like a problem with the convention to me...

[thomez]

I have no problem with secrecy from the general public, I have a problem with autonomous programs without an oversight function.

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by thomez

I have no problem with secrecy from the general public, I have a problem with autonomous programs without an oversight function.

amen