rssBlair Won’t Say Whether Abdulmutallab Should Be Tried in Civilian Court
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 11:00 am
- 4 Comments
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who thinks trying Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in civilian court is a “terrible, terrible mistake,” takes Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair’s earlier statements about the role of the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Unit a step further. Does the director of national intelligence believe the culprit behind the near-attack on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 “tried in civilian court or military tribunal?
“I’m not ready to offer an opinion on that in open session,” Blair replied. “In open session”? Get read for the meme to spread…
Directing the question to Michael Leiter, McCain gets this response from the director of the National Counterterrorism Center: “I honestly don’t have an opinion.”
Blair adds that the “FBI agent-in-charge on the scene” in consultation with the Department of Justice made the decision to Mirandize Abdulmutallab.
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4 Comments
Comment posted January 20, 2010 @ 11:34 am
If they can try Abdulmutallab, who was arrested in the US, with a military commission, then they can try any of us with a military commission.
The Constitution says, “The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury.”
The Constitution doesn't say if you're accused of attempted mass murder, then you can't have a jury trial.
Comment posted January 21, 2010 @ 12:34 am
To the GOP, that's just the problem with that pesky document. It's intent is lost on them. I have been lambasted for believing in the legal, moral and ethical intent of the Constitution.
Torture someone and they'll tell you anything to make the pain stop. There is nothing to be gained by this, and how does it make US look in the eyes of the international community? We would be no better than the countries who do use it. That's also lost on them, as well. Just as it was with Tomas De Torquemada.
The Constitution must apply to all, or it means nothing.
Trackback posted January 21, 2010 @ 1:13 am
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Comment posted January 21, 2010 @ 5:34 am
To the GOP, that's just the problem with that pesky document. It's intent is lost on them. I have been lambasted for believing in the legal, moral and ethical intent of the Constitution.
Torture someone and they'll tell you anything to make the pain stop. There is nothing to be gained by this, and how does it make US look in the eyes of the international community? We would be no better than the countries who do use it. That's also lost on them, as well. Just as it was with Tomas De Torquemada.
The Constitution must apply to all, or it means nothing.
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