US faces war crime case for abuse

[Judi Lynn]

US faces war crime case for abuse
From correspondents in Berlin
November 30, 2004

LAWYERS acting for a US advocacy group will file war crimes charges in Germany against senior US officials for their alleged role in torture at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

"German law in this area is leading the world," Peter Weiss, vice president of the New York-based Centre for Constitutional Rights, a human rights group, was quoted as saying in the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper.

According to the group, German law allows war criminals to be investigated wherever they may be living.

Those to be named in the case to be filed at Germany's Federal Prosecutors Office include Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld, former Central Intelligence Agency chief George Tenet and eight other officials.
(snip/...)

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11542537%255E1702,00.html

[Kagemusha]

1. It'll be thrown out.

How many times do I have to keep raising attention to the legal atrocity that was the UN security council's voiding of international war crimes statutes regarding US actions inside Iraq? (And for the record, Abu Ghraib is in Iraq.)

The US wanted the immunity to be permanent. The world settled for a fixed term of complete immunity, not just for the soldiers, but ESPECIALLY for "senior US officials".

The UN said countries can't put US citizens on trial for war crimes in this instance. Only the US can. And the US won't. And there is, no longer, any legal recourse whatsoever, until the time limit expires and new war crimes are committed.

People should show outrage at THAT, but apparently everyone went home and forgot.

[anarchy1999]

5. Humm...., "only the US can"?

Does that mean different groups across the US could get together and file an action here, in a court in the US? Instead of just another "mock trial", could we get a real case going?

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. This is in a German court

which means that the Security Council's old exemption of the US doesn't automatically apply there. Now, the US won't recognise the German court's jurisdiction; and will doubtless put pressure on the German government to get the case thrown out, perhaps arguing that the UN agreement has the status of a treaty that the German courts have to recognise. But I'm not sure that would be a hard rule in German courts (I don't think it would be in British courts - the EU is said to be the first time that international bodies can override British law).

And I think the exemption ran out on June 30th, 2004. Which means that the attack on Fallujah wasn't covered by it, interestingly.

[riverwalker]

2. thank you CCR

a lone voice in a forest of apathy. The group is based in New York, but there is no media coverage in the US.

http://www.ccr-ny.org/v2/home.asp

[damntexdem]

3. Whatever happens with this one, ...

the next case should be filed charging U.S. officials with war crimes in the attack on Falluja.

[PurityOfEssence]

4. I hear it's lovely in Nuremberg this time of year...

It's tough when you're just following new world orders...

[420inTN]

6. Dupe Thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1029935

[Politicub]

7. Please

Like this will lead to anything.

I don't know what can be used as a check to BushCo --- short of massive public outcry.

[Just Me]

8. Right-wingers HATE justice and fight it every step of the way.

But, that's 'cause,...they don't LIVE "personal responsibility" 'cause it's too damn much fun IMPOSING it.

Weaklings.

They never could walk the walk 'cause they're too damned selfish and self-centered, and self-involved. Talk about "elitists"!!!

[struggle4progress]

10. kick

:kick:

[Cheney Killed Bambi]

11. kick