5 Guantanamo detainees withdraw offer to confess

[sabra]

Source: CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Five detainees held in the U.S. Naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, said they wanted to confess to murder and conspiracy charges for planning the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, but then rescinded the offer after the judge required two defendants to undergo competency hearings, according to a military spokesman at Guantanamo Bay.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed — the confessed architect of the attacks, who was captured two years later in Pakistan — and four other alleged co-conspirators are among the defendants in a heavily scrutinized proceeding that experts say may serve as a bellwether for future hearings involving foreign fighters.

The military judge accepted the requests from Mohammed, Ali Abdul Azziz Ali and Walid Bin Attash, but ruled that competency hearings are first needed for Mustafa al Hawsawi and Ramzi Bin al Shibh, because “questions exist as to their competency to stand trial,” Maj. Gail Crawford said in an e-mail.


Read more: http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2008/12/09/5-guantanamo-detainees-withdraw-offer-to-confess/

[truthisfreedom]

1. SO let's get this straight... the bush administration says torture is ok, so they torture these

rendered prisoners, and when they've completely cracked and plead for mercy by offering admissions of guilt, they're told by the judge that if they are now crazy, they can't plead guilty and must instead stand trial to die for their alleged crimes?

Where's Joseph Heller when you need him?

[uppityperson]

2. good summary, thank you.

incredible

[gratuitous]

3. Bush clearly has no confidence in the American justice system

Can't understand why he wanted to be president. Well, maybe the American justice system can gain back some of its credibility by convicting the Dim Son and locking him away for the rest of his miserable life.