Americans Accused of Torture Sentenced

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=516&ncid=716&e=2&u=/ap/20040915/ap_on_re_as/afghan_us_vigilantes

KABUL, Afghanistan - Three Americans accused of torturing Afghans in a private jail were found guilty by a three-judge panel Wednesday after a trial denounced by the defense as failing to meet basic international standards of fairness.


Two of the men — accused ringleader Jonathan Idema and his right-hand man, Brent Bennett — were sentenced to 10 years in jail. The third, New York journalist Edward Caraballo, received an eight-year term. Four Afghan accomplices were also convicted and sentenced to terms ranging from one to five years.


Presiding Judge Abdul Baset Bakhtyari issued the unanimous verdict after a 7 1/2 hour session in which the defense that the war-battered Afghan justice system did not guarantee basic rights.


The judge had indicated earlier that he would be willing to give the defense more time to make its case, but apparently changed his mind after allowing lawyers for the men to show several videotapes they said attested to their innocence.

more

[MaineDem]

1. Will they be sent to Afghan prisons? (nt)

[Ganja Ninja]

2. 10 Years & 8 years mmmm?

I wonder who'll be in power by the time they complete those sentences.

[Southpaw Bookworm]

3. Loved this bit

. . . failing to meet basic international standards of fairness.

Just like what we've been doing in places like Gitmo and Abu Gharib? Turnabout is fair play then, I think.

[emad]

4. BBC News coverage:

US vigilantes convicted in Kabul
Snip:

The three Americans were arrested in a Kabul house in July
Three Americans have been jailed for up to 10 years for torturing Afghans and running a private jail in Kabul. Jonathan Idema and Brent Bennett were sentenced to 10 years in jail and Edward Caraballo eight years.

Idema, who the US calls a bounty hunter, said his work had been approved by Afghan and US authorities. He told the court the FBI was setting him up.

Four Afghans working with the Americans were also found guilty and sentenced to between one and five years in jail.

Idema said after the trial: "I apologise that we tried to save these people... We should have let the Taleban murder every... one of them." The judge said the defendants, who were arrested in Kabul in July, had the right to appeal. A lawyer for Idema, John Edwards Tiffany, said an appeal would be launched.
More:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3657744.stm

[gratuitous]

5. 10, 10 and 8 years

That seems about right to me. Maybe President Hillary Clinton will intervene to have the remainder of Idema's sentence commuted when she takes office.