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Thursday, November 20, 2008

As expected, the government doesn't have much evidence against many of the folks who've been held in Guantanamo for the last six years. These five Algerians were ordered released when a judge finally heard their case after all these years:

The Algerians, former residents of Bosnia, were picked up by Bosnian authorities in October 2001 and were sent in January of 2002 to Guantanamo, where they have been held as "enemy combatants" without being charged.

After they were detained in 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush said the six men had been planning a bomb attack on the U.S. embassy in Sarajevo.

But last month, Justice Department attorneys said they were no longer relying on those accusations to justify the continued detention of the six men.

The U.S. government has said the six Algerians planned to go to Afghanistan to fight U.S. forces. But Leon said that allegation was based on a single source, and he did not have enough information to judge the source's reliability or credibility.

The quicker that President Obama unwinds this fiasco, the better.

Posted by Will Bunch @ 1:03 PM  Permalink | 44 comments
Comments   
Posted 01:21 PM, 11/20/2008
jmc
"...doesn't have much evidence..." That never stopped you, Will. It's unfortunate that there will be six more terrorists out there for President Obama to contend with. Let's hope they don't kill an American soldier or citizen.
Comment removed.
Posted 01:32 PM, 11/20/2008
ET
Hold on to your fanny pack Will. President elect Obama is not in office yet. By the looks of things I wouldn't be waiting for that check in the mail any time soon either. With the reincarnation of the Clinton White House things may not change that much. All of those voters who had a hope and vision of a new form of leadership now are left with an emptiness, not unlike that of a White House intern who held on to a sperm stained dress.
Posted 01:44 PM, 11/20/2008
pagoda
The Messiah will have a lot of 'splainin' to do... b.atkinson, the "Messiah" shtick is getting soooooooo old. I pray sometime you say it in front of an offended religious person and they whack that smirk right off your face. Not sure what's more messianic than you morons blindly reelecting Bush in 2004, regardless what reality was saying.
Posted 01:49 PM, 11/20/2008
James TL
How would you like to be held for over 6 years doing time for a crime you didn't commit? I'm glad these detainees are getting their time in court. It's immoral and against the Constitution to hold people without trial. If they are guilty, sentence them. Execute them if the crime warrants it.
Posted 01:50 PM, 11/20/2008
phlcynic
The emptiness was the last eight years: empty-headed decisions, empty words, and now an empty national wallet.
Posted 01:51 PM, 11/20/2008
E.Plebnista
"The Messiah will have a lot of 'splainin' to do when one of these animals kills an American soldier/citizen after they are set free on society." - right, because these guys that were held and then released under the Bush Administration are obviously Obama's fault. Gotcha. Again, what passes for "analysis" for the marginalized minority.
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Posted 02:18 PM, 11/20/2008
E Plebnista
I wonder what will is going to saw when we stay in iraq, gitmo stays open, and torture continues under the obama administration....It will be called a "nuanced" approach, briliiant, not his fault, and historic.
Posted 02:23 PM, 11/20/2008
SteveMG
The Republican Supreme Court seems to think these people have a right to some sort of due process (I forget exactly how that Hamdan case worked out). That would mean the Constitution DOES apply.
Posted 02:28 PM, 11/20/2008
jfar86
Steve, Republicans and Democrats have different Supreme Courts? When did this happen?
Comment removed.
Posted 02:34 PM, 11/20/2008
legatus
"Turn 'em lose in Philly...near N. Broad Street." Better yet, turn them loose near S. Broad Street. After all, they've been in Cuba for 6 years...maybe one of them can fill in for Utley at 2nd base for a few weeks/months.
About Will Bunch
Will's book: Learn about it here and purchase it here.

Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.

E-mail Will by clicking here.

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