August 4, 2008

Hamdan's Lawyer Admits Client Was Deep in al-Qaeda

Hatched by Dafydd

I consider this story to be a rather stunning admission against interest -- or at least against the interests of those who have steadfastly proclaimed the innocence of Salim Hamdan, Osama bin Laden’s driver and the poster-boy for al-Qaeda suspects held "without charge" at the Guantanamo Bay military detention facility (where "without charge" has that special meaning of "without charges in an American civilian courtroom; and we ignore any charges made by military prosecutors at military tribunals, because the corrupt and incompetent Bushies just made that all up.")

During closing arguments at Hamdan's trial before a military tribunal, his lawyer, LTCDR Brian Mizer, has asked for leniency for his client because, he claims, Hamdan told military and CIA interrogators much valuable information... not only about bin Laden's whereabouts, but also details about specific al-Qaeda plots.

This rather undercuts the idea that Hamdan is but an innocent chauffeur caught up in the overly broad fishnet of post-9/11 hysteria:

Secret evidence at the war crimes-trial of Salim Hamdan, Osama bin Laden’s driver, showed that Mr. Hamdan offered “critical details” to American forces “when it mattered most” in 2001, a defense lawyer said on Monday, during closing arguments at the first war crimes trial here....

It had previously been clear from testimony given at public sessions of the trial that Mr. Hamdan cooperated with his captors, providing detailed information about possible locations of Mr. bin Laden and even leading them on a tour of some of Mr. bin Laden’s homes and training camps in Afghanistan.

It was disclosed publicly during the trial that Mr. Hamdan had told interrogators about the role that a senior Al Qaeda operative, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, played in the 2000 attack on an American destroyer, the U.S.S. Cole, in which 17 sailors were killed.

Hamdan could have known bin Laden's haunts and hangouts simply by being his otherwise innocent driver; but nobody has ever suggested that Osama bin Laden was a chatterbox who liked to discuss details of terrorist operations with every Mohammed, Achmed, or Salim underling wandering about. Hamdan could only have known this information by being significantly higher up the totem pole than a mere "driver."

So evidently, even Hamdan's own lawyer admits that Hamdan was deep enough in the conspiracy to know details about previous al-Qaeda operations, including Nashiri's bombing of the USS Cole. Not only that, but during the time he was held "without charge," he was providing valuable information that helped us towards victory in the war against the Iran/al-Qaeda Axis... according to his own defense team.

So let us have no more moaning at the bar about all those innocent farmers, goat herders, and luxury chauffeurs, like Salim Hamdan, swept up by "mistake" and held "indefinitely" for "no reason whatsoever."

Hatched by Dafydd on this day, August 4, 2008, at the time of 2:50 PM

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Comments

The following hissed in response by: JenLArt

If, for the sake of argument, we concede the point of the defense, that Hamden provided info, not just to previous attacks, but to future attacks, aiding the interdiction of those attacks, that only justifies the process of detaining Hamdan, and for that matter, any other collateral al queda contract labor.
Any detained al queda, is accessory to any plot that they withhold such info, by any credible legal standard.

The above hissed in response by: JenLArt [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 4, 2008 11:35 PM

The following hissed in response by: Dan Kauffman

I rather like the idea of claiming leniency because they gave valuable information about Al Qaeda, especially when they did not, and cutting them loose
let Al Qaeda save our taxpayers the cost of keeping them and maybe we can get some video and/or audio of their welcome back home and use that
pour l'encouragement les autres ;-)

The above hissed in response by: Dan Kauffman [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 5, 2008 3:25 AM

The following hissed in response by: hunter

It has been clear to me for years that the concern for his, and his pal's civil rights has been an excuse for at least some of those involved with defending the terrorists. The real goal of too many of the defenders has been the defeat of America and the West.

The above hissed in response by: hunter [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 5, 2008 5:03 AM

The following hissed in response by: Geoman

It is so awkward when the guilty admit their guilt. What is one to do in such a situation?

The above hissed in response by: Geoman [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 5, 2008 9:35 AM

The following hissed in response by: David M

The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the - Web Reconnaissance for 08/05/2008 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day...so check back often.

The above hissed in response by: David M [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 5, 2008 10:41 AM

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