A man serving a 17-year prison sentence for terrorist activities has been given the green light to sue a former US government lawyer who wrote memos that allegedly led to his torture, US media reports said Sunday.
Jose Padilla, a US citizen arrested in 2002 for an alleged “dirty bomb” plot only to have the charges dropped three years later, was jailed in January 2008 for separate charges of providing support to the Al-Qaeda terror network.
Lawyers for Padilla have filed a lawsuit against John Yoo, a former lawyer in the George W. Bush administration, arguing that he was responsible for crafting the legal memos which led to his detention and harsh interrogation.
Padilla, who was held in solitary confinement as an “enemy combatant” for more than three years at a US Navy installation in Charleston, South Carolina, alleges he was tortured.
I have said it before, but it bears repeating, EVERY single person involved with allowing torture to happen in the name of the United States of America must be held accountable.
I hope that John Yoo is only the first of Bush's team to face a judge on this matter and that Congress soon launches a serious investigation that finds out exactly what happened and who was responsible. And then punishes them accordingly.
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Totally agree with you. Those responsible for torture should be held accountable and punished accordingly.
ReplyDeleteWe need to revive the spirit of the 60's.
ReplyDeleteStudents should be protesting both colleges to fire Yoo and Rice for their roles in allowing torture.
All involved in torture should face justice.
I don't know the answer. I do know that we can't turn our backs on what we as a nation have endorsed and even promoted. We cannot try to sweep this under the rug, we must learn how and why it was even made possible at all, so we can avert it later.
ReplyDeleteStarting with Yoo works for me. It was his "opinion" that "enhanced interrogation techniques" were just ducky. He may not have used these techniques personally, but he was certainliy instrumental in their adoption.
Charles Manson didn't actively take part in the murders he is serving time for. But he IS serving time because he was instrumental in the commission of those murders.
Who ever would have thought that the USA would have a conversation like this, ever. Or have a need to.
Nan
AMEN!!!
ReplyDeleteAno @6:24: Unfortunately, IMHO, that will never happen again. My reasoning: The Internet. It is way safer and cozier to sit anonymously in your parents basement, clad in your PJs (who said that? :/), and type away than to actually GO OUT THERE and expose your face and your views, open for everyone to see...
I totally agree with you Gryphen.
ReplyDeleteTorture is a WAR CRIME.
These people have no honor!