Author: gedwards97

George Edwards is Professor of Law & Faculty Director, Program in International Human Rights Law at Indiana University McKinney School of Law. He is Founding Director of the Law School's Military Commission Observation Project ("MCOP" or "The Gitmo Observer"). Professor Edwards is also Special Assistant to the Dean for Intergovernmental and Non-Governmental Organizations. The Guantanamo Bay Reader will be published soon.

Alleged Unlawful Influence Over Guantanamo Bay Judges
Judge Vance Spath presides over the al Nashiri case. He is hearing arguments on whether Pentagon officials exercised "unlawful interference" over him. (Photo from Miami Herald)

Judge Vance Spath presides over the al Nashiri case. He is hearing arguments on whether Pentagon officials exercised “unlawful interference” over him. (Photo from Miami Herald)

In Monday afternoon’s court session in the Guantanamo case involving the alleged mastermind of the 2000 USS Cole suicide bombing case, the defense claimed that Pentagon officials were interfering with the judge’s independence, threatening to undermine the entire case. The judge, Air Force Col. Vance Spath, is conducting further inquiry before determining whether unlawful interference exists, and if it does, what the remedy should be.

The defendant, al Nashiri, was arraigned several years ago, and there have been many delays in this death penalty case. The officials stated in e-mails and other communications that they wanted the case to move more quickly, and one official signed an order commanding the judge to change from part-time to full-time on the case, and to physically relocate to Guantanamo Bay until the case was finished, which could be many months or years.

The defense argued that only the judge controls the pace of the trial, and it is “unlawful interference” for a non-judicial official to seek to interfere with a judge’s command of his courtroom.

Most participants commute to Guantanamo Bay

Virtually all participants in the Guantanamo Bay cases live in the U.S. mainland, and commute to Guantanamo Bay for hearings. This includes the defense and prosecution lawyers, the court staff, the press and the NGO Observers, and the interpreters. The judges in this and the other two active cases are the only ones ordered to move to Guantanamo Bay. The chief prosecutor, who is a Brigadier General Mark Martins, was not ordered to move to Guantanamo, and neither were other military officers assigned to work on the cases.

Vaughn Ary - https://www.linkedin.com/pub/vaughn-ary/3b/644/b7

Retired Major General Vaughn Ary

Stalled hearings

Judge Spath halted the hearings mid-afternoon after ordering the Pentagon official who made the order to testify about the order. That official, called the Convening Authority for the military commissions, is Retired Major General Vaughn A. Ary. Judge Spath said General Ary could fly to Guantanamo Bay to testify, or he could testify by video. His testimony is expected as early as tomorrow, Tuesday, 24 February 2015.

What is “unlawful interference” with the judge.

The Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual discusses law related to “unlawful interference”, and the independence of judges, and identifies a checklist of questions to ask in seeking to determine whether judges’ independence has been compromised. Under international and domestic U.S. law, judges are required to be independent, and are required to appear to be independent. Outside, objective observers should be able to view a judge and his decisions and not be concerned about whether some outside, non-judicial entity is “pulling the strings” or exercising unlawful command authority over the judge.

All stakeholders in the Military Commissions have rights and interests. This includes not only the defense, which clearly has rights, but also includes the prosecution, the victims and their families, the media, NGO Observers, court personnel, security guards, and others. The Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual outlines many of these rights and interests.

(George Edwards, Ft. Meade, 23 February 2015)

My Morning at Guantanamo Bay Hearings at Ft. Meade
In front of the Post Theater at Ft. Meade.

In front of the Post Theater at Ft. Meade.

I am up early this Monday morning for my first visit this year back to Ft. Meade, Maryland to monitor Guantanamo Bay, Cuba hearings in the U.S. Military Commissions case against al Nashiri. He is the alleged mastermind of the U.S.S. Cole suicide bombing in 2000 that killed 17 U.S. sailors.

What, Guantanamo Bay proceedings in Maryland?

Yes. The Pentagon runs a secure videolink direct from the Guantanamo Bay courtroom to select viewing sites in the U.S. where press, NGO Observers, victims and their families, and others may view the proceedings. The only site in the U.S. at which NGO Observers and members of the public may see what’s happening in the courtroom is at Ft. Meade, Maryland, about 35 miles outside of Washington, DC.

It’s kind of like watching a Court TV show, except that the viewing venue at Ft. Meade is an actual live theater, where they screen first run movies on a huge commercial theater-sized screen, and host live plays, lectures and other activities on a stage. Its concession stand sells buttered popcorn, Milk Duds and Skittles, and fountain drinks. This week’s feature film is Selma, screened in the evenings after the Guantanamo courtroom goes dark.

Courtroom sketch of al Nashiri by artist Janet Hamlin. Today in court he was wearing a similar casual white short sleeve shirt. His hair appeared to be a little longer than in this sketch, but it appeared equally as kempt.

Sketch of al Nashiri from a previous court session. Today in court he wore a similar casual white short sleeve shirt. His hair appeared to be a little longer than in this sketch, but it appeared equally as kempt. (Sketch by Janet Hamlin)

Al Nashiri’s February 2015 hearings

The al Nashiri case is in the pre-trial hearing stage. Every month or two they schedule two weeks of court time in which defense and prosecution lawyers argue about logistical, substantive, or technical issues to be resolved before the actual trial begins. For the February 2015 hearings, the lawyers are arguing whether the prosecution must provide the defendant certain information, whether al Nashiri will face the death penalty, and the relevance of the U.S. Senate’s 2014 Torture Report.

But before they reach those issues, they are arguing over whether certain Pentagon officials are exercising “unlawful influence” over the al Nashiri judge, who like other Guantanamo Bay judges was ordered permanently to relocate to Guantanamo Bay and surrender all non-Guantanamo judicial responsibilities, as these changes purportedly would help speed up the trials. U.S. law clearly provides that judges are to be in control over their trials, including the speed at which their trial proceed, and outside U.S. government officials are not meant to intervene.

I won’t know what will happen in today’s hearings until 1:00 p.m., since the morning session, which was scheduled to begin at 9:00, is closed to NGO Observers. I have over four hours of out-of-court time to catch up on reading al Nashiri court documents, blog writing, and working on the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual.

Driving to Ft. Meade

Getting to Ft. Meade is not easy.

I woke up this morning before 6:00, and took a taxi from my downtown DC hotel to Washington National Airport, where I rented a car to drive to Ft. Meade. The taxi ride to the airport was historically scenic, passing the Watergate, the Washington Monument, and Arlington Cemetery.

Driving from the airport to Ft. Meade was slow, not because of rush hour, but because much of the 35 miles to the base is on narrow, two lane roads with many stop lights. I will try another route back to DC this afternoon. Perhaps it was a GPS problem?  It might be an advantage driving into DC when most of the traffic is driving out at the end of the day. All said, it was a pretty uneventful trip, which took about an hour from airport to the Ft. Meade Visitor’s Entrance.

Photo courtesy of CNN

Photo courtesy of CNN

Arriving at Ft. Meade

I remembered from last time I was here where the Ft. Meade Visitor’s Entrance is, off of Reese Road, and pulled up to the base security checkpoint. But I’d forgotten about the separate vehicle inspection line, just to the right before base security. So I had to make a quick U-turn, adding 30 seconds to my journey. The vehicle inspector asked me a few questions about my Indiana drivers license, my rental car  contract, and whether I was a member of the press. He was easily convinced that I was a credentialed NGO Observer, and very generously gave me a Ft. Meade color map, on which he traced lines to the Post Theater, where I am now.

I arrived here just before 8:30 a.m., took a couple of selfies in front of the Post Theater sign, and then bumped into Bev, who is a Department of Defense contractor who I believe supervises this viewing site. She announced to me that court was commencing at 9:00 a.m., but that the morning session would be closed to NGO Observers. They close the proceedings when they are discussing classified information that NGO Observers, victims and their families, press, and others are not permitted to hear. So, none of us can be in the courtroom or on a video-link, whether we are in Guantanamo Bay or Ft. Meade.

I wondered why those of us at Ft. Meade were not warned in advance that the unclassified, open proceedings would not commence until early afternoon. At the very least, none of us would have had to wake at the crack of dawn, only to hurry up and wait all day. (As it turns out, two people in the Observation room received notification last night at 10:00 that the open session would start at 1:00 p.m., and they arrived at the Post Theater at 12:45, well-rested after a good night’s sleep and a 50 mile drive.)

So, what do I do for the next four hours from 9:00 – 1:00 waiting for the open hearing? I could drive back to Washington, and come back this afternoon. But that would be a wasted time.

So, of course, I immediately thought that this would be a great time to catch up on Gitmo Observer blog writing, to review court documents in the al Nashiri case, and to brush up on the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual.

Drug sniffing dog Axa and her handler

Drug sniffing dog Axa and her handler at Post Theater today, after finding all the drugs planted by the MPs.

Canine Patrol

A little while after I entered the Post Theater, a group of Military Police (MP) Canine Patrol staff came in, asking whether the Guantanamo Bay hearings were on. I told them that the hearings were closed until 1:00 p.m., and that there would be no live broadcast until then. In fact the screen was showing the morning news, with stories about al Shabaab and threats to U.S. shopping malls and the weather.

The MPs said that they wanted to do some training with some of their dogs.

The next hour or so was extremely interesting, watching 5 different dogs successfully sniff out planted explosives and illegal drugs that the MPs planted in different parts of the theater.

The first dog, a black lab, was an explosives expert. She found three different satchels of explosive powder and other incendiary material, hidden inside a trash can, underneath a movie theater seat, and high above the arch of a doorway. All in record time. After each find the shiny, fine-coated lab received an award, a tug and tussle with a “kong”, which is a plastic toy attached to a colorful twisted heavy rope.

The next two explosive expert dogs performed equally as well, quickly finding all the planted explosives and receiving well-deserved treats.

Then came Axa, the first of two drug-sniffing dogs. She was a small dog, with a rugged black and grey fluffy coat. The

Fram - A drug sniffing dog and his handler.

Fram – A drug sniffing dog and his handler this morning, after the 9-year old canine gracefully located all of the drugs planted by the MPs.

MPs had hidden the drugs on the opposite side of the theatre from the explosives.  Axa’s handler gently waved her open palm towards the trash can next to the door leading from the lobby into the theater, and Axa did not react.  The handler repeated the hand gesture, called a presentation (the hand wave gesture), this time towards the door frame. Axa stood on her hind legs and leaned against the door frame, circled around beneath the frame, stood up again, and excitedly sat on her hind legs. Axa found the 5 grams of marijuana hidden in the frame above the door. She was rewarded with a yelp by the handler who tossed Axa a kong for finding the pot.

Axa then found cocaine in a trash can in front of the theater, and ecstasy underneath a seat in about row 8. Axa is only 2 years of age and has been working as a canine sniff dog only since October 2014. Well done.

Finally, Fram, the senior sniffer, was brought into the theater.

Fram was 9 years of age, lived his first 7 years in Germany, and arrived at Ft. Meade only 2 years ago. He was seasoned, he knew the drill, and he was very good at what he does.

Today Fram earned his kongs, and hugs from his handler who said “I’m going to adopt Fram when he retires”. Several other handlers chimed in “No you’re not! I’m going to adopt him”! So, we’ll see who ends of with a handsome, smart and talented dog who even at the ripe old age of nine did not look like he was anywhere near retirement.

Dog Handlers are gone — What Next?

The dog handlers have left, and I’m back to full concentration on my work (despite interruptions by a person stopping in to ask for directions to a base office, a guy coming in to turn on the bathrooms’ water which had been turned off over the weekend to prevent frozen pipes during the snow storm, and a guy changing lightbulbs above the concession stand.

My next post will have more substance and will report on my al Nashiri motion-review and my Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual work.

(George Edwards, Ft. Meade, 23 February 2015)

At Ft. Meade for Guantanamo Hearings

I just arrived at Ft. Meade, Maryland for today’s live hearings in the Guantanamo Bay case against al Nashiri, who allegedly orchestrated the bombing of the USS Cole off the coast of Yemen in 2000. It’s actually a secure feed live from the courtroom at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, broadcast in a movie theater (the Post Theater) at this military base in Maryland.

Ft. Meade is the only place outside of Guantanamo that NGO Observers accredited by the Pentagon, like me and Affiliates of the Indiana University McKinney School of Law, can monitor in real time what’s happening in the Guantanamo Bay courtroom.

More to come later today.

(George Edwards, Ft. Meade, Maryland, Monday, 23 February 2015)

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Going to Ft. Meade to Monitor Guantanamo Bay Hearings

I’m traveling to Washington, D.C. this morning, bound for Ft. Meade, Maryland where on Monday morning I plan to monitor Guantanamo Bay US Military Commission hearings in the case of al Nashiri, a man accused of masterminding the suicide attack on the U.S.S. Cole off Yemen’s coast in 2000.

Why Ft. Meade?

Not everyone who wants to view Guantanamo Bay hearings is able to travel to Guantanamo Bay. It’s complicated to get there.

The Pentagon has opened a few select viewing sites for interested persons to view what is happening in the Guantanamo Bay courtroom, via secure videolink. It’s kind of like watching a courtroom drama on TV, and that courtroom scenario is real.

My colleague Professor Tom Wilson of Indiana University McKinney School of Law is scheduled to fly to Guantanamo Bay tomorrow, Sunday, to monitor the al Nashiri hearings. He will blogging about rights of all Guantanamo Bay stakeholders.

He will also be telling us at Ft. Meade what is happening outside the Guantanamo Bay courtroom that we can’t see or hear in Maryland.

The photo is of a group of NGO Observers at Guantanamo Bay in August 2014, on my last mission to the Cuban military base.

(George Edwards, Washington, D.C.., 21 February 2015)

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Guantanamo Bay Conviction of Australian David Hicks Overturned
David Hicks after learning that his Guantanamo Bay conviction was overturned on 18 February 2015. (From Sky Sydney news.)

David Hicks after learning that his Guantanamo Bay conviction was overturned on 18 February 2015. (Sky Sydney / The Guardian.)

A U.S. military appellate court overturned Australian David Hicks’ 2007 Guantanamo Bay conviction on charges of “material support for terrorism”. On 18 February 2014, the U.S. Court of Military Commission Review ruled that the crime Hicks was convicted of did not exist as a matter of law before 2006. The alleged criminal acts occurred in or before 2001, before “material support for terrorism” was criminalized. A copy of the court’s ruling is below in full text or here:  Hicks v. United States (CMCR 2015).

David Hicks' Defense Team returns to Andrews Air Force Base after his conviction in March 2007 for material support for terrorism. His conviction was overturned on 18 February 2015. Left to right – Professor Tim McCormack (Australian Expert Witness), Professor George Edwards (U.S. Expert Witness), Major Michael “Dan” Mori (Hicks’ Detailed Military Counsel), (Sarah Finnin, Australian civilian volunteer), Rebecca Snyder (Military Counsel Detailed as Civilian Counsel), Mick Griffith (Australian Civilian Counsel), Sergeant Rios (Team Assistant), Dave McCleod (Australian Civilian Defense Counsel).

Hicks’ Defense Team at Andrews Air Force Base after his conviction for material support for terrorism, which was overturned on 18 February 2015. Left to right – Professor Tim McCormack (Australian Expert Witness), Professor George Edwards (U.S. Expert Witness), Major Michael “Dan” Mori (Hicks’ Detailed Military Counsel), (Sarah Finnin, Australian civilian volunteer), Rebecca Snyder (Military Counsel Detailed as Civilian Counsel), Mick Griffith (Australian Civilian Counsel), Sergeant Rios (Team Assistant), Dave McCleod (Australian Civilian Defense Counsel).

Professor George Edwards and his students from the Indiana University McKinney School of Law provided pro bono legal research for Hicks’ defense team from 2004 until Hicks’ 2007 guilty plea. Professor Edwards was also tendered as an expert witness on the Hicks case, along with Professor Cherif Bassiouni, Professor Tim McCormack, and the late Judge Antonio Cassese. The Military Commission prohibited the experts from testifying live, and in lieu of live testimony, the experts provided affidavits. Professor Edwards’ two affidavits were on the right to a fair trial under international humanitarian law (the law of war / law of armed conflict), international criminal law, and international human rights law.

During Hicks’ 2007 guilty plea, Professor Edwards (from the U.S.) and Professor McCormick (from Australia) were in the Guantanamo Bay courtroom, and are believed to be the first expert witnesses permitted to travel to Guantanamo Bay for a U.S. Military Commission.

Hicks was sentenced to 7 years in prison, with most suspended. He remained at Guantanamo for two months after pleading guilty, and then after 5 ½ years at the remote island prison was returned to Australia, where he spent an additional 7 months in prison before being released.

George Edwards, Tim McCormack & David McCleod on Airplane to GTMO - March 2007

Expert witnesses George Edwards and Tim McCormack, and  Hicks’ civilian attorney David McCleod on a U.S. military aircraft from Andrews Air Force Base Airplane to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for David Hicks’ U.S. Military Commission & guilty plea. (March 2007)

According to Military Commission spokesperson Myles Caggins, the U.S. government will not appeal the appellate court’s ruling.

Hicks’ military lawyer for his initial Guantanamo Bay proceedings, Lt. Col. Michael Dan Mori (ret.) (then Major Mori) was not available for comment. He is pictured above with the Hicks defense team as they arrived back at Andrews Air Force Base after the March 2007 guilty plea. Pictured also in this post are Professor George Edwards (Indiana University McKinney School of Law) and Professor Tim McCormack (University of Melbourne Faculty of Law), on a military aircraft traveling from Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, DC to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for the U.S. Military Commission proceeding during which Hicks pleaded guilty in March 2007. Seated next to them is David McCleod, an Australian lawyer who served as Hicks’ civilian defense counsel.

A copy of the court’s ruling is here:  Hicks v. United States, 13-004 Decision (Feb 18 2015) – US Court of Military Commission Review

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A copy of the Indiana University’s Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual can be found here. 

Three Indiana McKinney Law Professors Travel to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Professor Lemmer to return to Guantanamo Bay to monitor the 9/11 case against Khalid Shaik Mohammad and 4 co-defendants

IU McKinney Professor Lemmer to return to Guantanamo Bay to monitor the 9/11 case against Khalid Shaik Mohammad and 4 co-defendants

Indiana University McKinney School of Law will send three law professors to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to monitor U.S. Military Commission hearings in February 2015. They represent the law school’s Military Commission Observation Project, also known as the Gitmo Observer, that was selected by the Pentagon to observe, analyze and report on war crimes trials at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station.

Professors Edwards & Lemmer – The 9/11 case

Professors George Edwards and Professor Lemmer will monitor pre-trial hearings in the case against five alleged masterminds of the 9/11 airplane attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The lead 9/11 case defendant is Khalid Shaik Mohammad (KSM).

Professor George Edwards on a US Military C-17 flight from Andrews Air Force Base to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (June 2014)

Professor George Edwards on a US Military C-17 flight from Andrews Air Force Base to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (June 2014)

Professors Edwards, who is founding director of Gitmo Observer, said “The IU McKinney School of Law is fortunate that we can help promote transparency at the Guantanamo Bay war crimes trials, and that we can observe, analyze and form conclusions about whether Guantanamo Bay stakeholders are being afforded all rights to which they are entitled. In the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual we are publishing, we examine rights of the defendants, as well as rights of victims and their families, rights of the prosecution, rights of witnesses, rights of the U.S. military personnel who provide Guantanamo Bay security, and rights and interests of all other stakeholders”.

 

Professor Edwards is scheduled to return to Guantanamo Bay from 14 – 21 February 2015. Professor Edwards’ first visit to Guantanamo Bay was in 2007, when he was an expert witness in the case against Australian David Hicks, who at Guantanamo Bay became the first person since World War II to be convicted by a U.S. Military Commission.

Professor Lemmer, who is a lawyer and international librarian, has played instrumental roles in the development of the Gitmo Observer. She is scheduled to travel to Guantanamo Bay for 9 -13 February hearings. She was at Guantanamo Bay in December 2014 for hearings in that same case. Professor Lemmer has been library liaison to the Gitmo Observer, and a key developer of the Gitmo Observer website, briefing materials, and project policies. She has also undertaken to help develop the NGO Observer Library, which will be a functioning resource center for NGO Observers to use while they are on missions to Guantanamo Bay to monitor hearings.

Professor Wilson — The USS Cole / al Nashiri case

Professor Wilson is scheduled for Guantanamo Bay travel to monitor the USS al Nashiri case.

Professor Wilson is scheduled for Guantanamo Bay travel to monitor the USS al Nashiri case.

Professor Wilson, is scheduled to travel to Guantanamo Bay during the week of 23 – 27 February 2015 to monitor the case against al Nashiri, who is alleged to have masterminded the 2000 suicide attack against the USS Cole, a U.S. Naval ship that was docked off the coast of Yemen, and that killed and wounded numerous U.S. sailors.

Professor Wilson, in preparing for his first mission, will be posting his preliminary observations on the Gitmo Observer blog very soon!

Are you interested in travel to Ft. Meade or Guantanamo Bay?

Indian McKinney School of Law students, faculty, staff and graduates are eligible to be considered for travel to Ft. Meade and Guantanamo Bay through the Gitmo Observer. Registration forms are available on our website.

Dean Andy Klein - in front of building

In 2014, Dean Andy Klein was scheduled to travel to Ft. Meade, Maryland to observe Guantanamo Bay courtroom proceedings simultaneously video-cast by secure link. The hearings were cancelled, and Dean Klein is expected to reschedule in the near future.

IU McKinney Law School Dean Andy Klein is expected to travel to Ft. Meade, Maryland to monitor military commission trials during the Spring 2015. 

(Post by by George Edwards)

CIA Detention & Interrogation Report Released – Details Torture of GTMO Prisoners

Today the Senate released the Executive Summary of its report that details torture of Guantanamo Bay prisoners, many of whom were held in secret prisons spread around the globe and subjected to treatment deemed “harsh” and “brutal” and that rises to the level of torture.

The report is titled the “Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Detention and Interrogation Program,” and resulted from a 5-year study conducted by the U.S. Senate’s Select Committee on Intelligence.

The 525-page Executive Summary, which is heavily redacted, can be found here: CIA Detention & Interrogation Senate Report – 9 December 2014

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Minutes after the Executive Summary was released, defense counsel in the 9-11 case, that is pending at Guantanamo Bay, circulated an e-mail that stated “The government has excluded from the report the identities of the torturers, the locations of the torture, and many other facts no doubt contained in the remaining 6,125 pages of the report.”

Indiana Law Affiliate Traveling to GTMO this weekend

Ms. Catherine Lemmer, an international librarian at the Indiana University McKinney School of Law, is scheduled to travel to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba this weekend for hearings in the 9-11 case. Ms. Lemmer, who has been instrumental in the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual and in building the The Gitmo Observer website and blog, will be posting her impressions of the “Torture Report” soon.

Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual “required reading for anyone who goes to Guantanamo Bay to observe”

The Gitmo Observer has shared the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual with many NGO Observers and others who have traveled to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba or Ft. Meade, Maryland to monitor U.S. Military Commission hearings. We have also shared the Manual with many others who may or may not have involvement with the Guantanamo Bay proceedings. Comments returned to us on the Manual have been generally very favorable, constructive, helpful and supportive.

From time to time, the Gitmo Observer will post some of these comments on our website.

Here’s a comment that came in today from an Observer who was recently in Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual -- 11 November 2014 - First PageGuantanamo Bay to monitor hearings:

“While I was there [at Guantanamo Bay last week] I was given a copy of the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual for U.S. Military Commissions.  I read it cover to cover.  This is simply required reading for anyone who goes [to Guantanamo Bay] to observe.  Thank you for the enormous effort it must have taken to produce it… . I feel a high calling to meet the obligations you note for an observer to report what they have observed.”  

If you have any comments about the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual, please let us know! Please write to us at GitmoObserver@yahoo.com.

We would love to hear from you:

  • if you have monitored hearings at Ft. Meade or Guantanamo Bay
  • if you are scheduled to monitor hearings at Ft. Meade or Guantanamo Bay
  • if you have not monitored hearings, but have comments

In short, we are happy to hear from you!

E-mail us at GitmoObserver@yahoo.com.

17 November Hadi al-Iraqi Hearings at Guantanamo Bay – Hattie Harman
Hattie Harman - at GTMO - Camp Justice - 17 June 2014 - IMG_1097

Hattie Harman at Camp Justice, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

This morning proceedings commenced in the pre-trial hearings in the government’s case against accused war criminal Hadi al-Iraqi.  Hadi is charged in a non-capital case with several crimes arising out of his alleged involvement as an al-Qaeda commander in Afghanistan.

Courtroom Facility/Personnel and Rights Implications

Hadi entered the courtroom unassisted and unrestrained and greeted his counsel in what appeared to be a congenial, even warm, exchange.  At Hadi’s defense table sat Hadi, his interpreter, and two military defense counsel.  Hadi was escorted by three uniformed (in fatigues) guards.  These guards sat within 12 feet of Hadi through the entirety of the proceedings.  There were from two to four other guards in the courtroom during the proceedings.  A fellow observer who had worked on the  UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) case of Radovan Karadžić (an alleged genocidaire) told me that there was not near the security presence around the defendant in that case as there was in the Hadi al Iraqi case. [Eds. The Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual addresses security personnel in the court and the issue of a defendant’s presumption of innocence.*]

I watched the proceedings from an observation gallery at the rear of the courtroom which was separate from the main courtroom, but allowed clear visual observation of the entire courtroom through thick glass windows.   Audio speakers in the observation gallery conveyed the sound of the proceedings to the observers, with a 40-second delay to allow for censorship of any unintentionally disclosed classified information in the courtroom.  No such censorship occurred today.   But we thirteen NGO observers were “joined” in the gallery by six uniformed military security persons.

Courtroom Proceedings and Rights Implications

Today’s hearing focused on three defense motions.  These motions implicated issues of

  1. Whether the executive branch or the DoD exerted any “unlawful command influence” regarding the timing of the referral of charges against Hadi.  Curiously, in the view of the defense, Hadi was charged on the Monday after the Friday, May 31, 2014 media coverage of the release of Bowe Bergdahl in exchange for five Guantanamo detainees.
  2. Whether Hadi’s charging document properly included numerous “common allegations” preceding the charges themselves.  These allegations, the defense argues, are simply another mechanism to try to get unproven “facts” before the Commission (MCA equivalent of a jury) before the commencement of proceedings which could prejudice Hadi’s right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
  3. Whether Hadi is entitled to a status determination pursuant to Article 5 of the 3rd Geneva Convention as to whether he is actually an “unlawful enemy belligerent” to whom the MCA applies.  If Hadi were determined to be a POW rather an unlawful enemy belligerent, the MCA would not provide personal jurisdiction over him, which in theory would mean he would have to be tried in a different tribunal which presumably would afford him more expansive procedural rights.

[Eds.] *The Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual identifies the right to be presumed innocent as a fundamental right that should be afforded to all criminal defendants at Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere. The Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual suggests that when assessing whether the defendant is being afforded a fair trial, NGO observers might consider whether, among other things, the level security personnel surrounding the defendant might be more in line with a presumption of guilt rather than a presumption of innocence.]

Arrival at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station (GTMO) – Hattie Harman
GTMO - Air Miami - IMG_1085 - Hattie Harman - 16 November 2014

My Air Miami plane parked at Guantanamo Bay air field after arriving from Andrews Air Force Base.

[Gitmo Observer staff posted this item for Ms. Hattie Harman because she had no internet access at Guantanamo Bay to post this herself.]

After a very pleasant flight, I arrived at GTMO a little after 1:00 p.m. today (Sunday).  In addition to the contingent of NGO observers, press, and defense, prosecution, and judicial personnel, passengers on the flight included several “regular” military travelers to the Naval Station (i.e., military personnel with no involvement in the legal proceedings against the detainees but traveling to GTMO on other military business).  The flight included a movie (Spiderman 2), a hot meal (choice of lasagna or chicken), and hot towel service.  It was reminiscent of air travel in the 1980s!

After Arrival

We were busy all afternoon getting badges for access to the court areas, obtaining supplies at the Naval Exchange, and doing a lot of waiting.  Despite the warnings of recent Gitmo Observer travelers, I expected more from the Internet here.  My attempt to purchase (at the cost of $150.00) wired Internet access from the NGO “internet cafe” was foiled for my lack of a proper adapter.

I was able to make it into “town” at 7:00 p.m. to a location that reportedly had wireless Internet access only to find it was not functioning.  Not only am I presently unable to post to the Gitmo Observer Blog, I am without any access to email or any other Internet-dependent mode of communication.  There is of course no cell phone service either.   We’ll see what tomorrow brings on the communication front.

 Hearings Commence Tomorrow, Monday, November 17

 In the morning, I expect to be escorted along with the other NGO observers to the courtroom in advance of the 9:00 a.m. commencement of this set of pretrial hearings in the United States’ prosecution of abd al Hadi al-Iraqi.  Hadi is accused of several crimes arising out of his alleged role as an al Qaeda commander in Afghanistan during the post-9/11 period.  Four motions are scheduled to be heard in this three-day session.

PS:  For access to the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual, click here.

Indiana Lawyer Lectures Before Guantanamo Bay Mission
Chuck Dunlap - Lecture - Indiana University McKinney School of Law - 31 October 2014

Chuck Dunlap lectures in Professor George Edwards’ International Criminal Law class. Students in the class have conducted research on fair trial rights to incorporate into the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual.

Days before his mission to the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station (GTMO), Charles (Chuck) Dunlap lectured about the Military Commission hearings he will monitor at the remote military outpost on behalf of the Military Commission Observation Project (MCOP) of the Indiana University McKinney School of Law. Mr. Dunlap is scheduled to observe pre-trial hearings in the case against Abd al-Rahim al Nashiri, who is alleged to be a mastermind of the 2000 suicide attack on the U.S.S. Cole off the coast of Yemen. The attack killed 17 U.S. sailors and wounded several dozen.

The Military Commission Observation Program has been sending Indiana McKinney School of Law to monitor hearings at Guantanamo Bay and at Ft. Meade, Maryland, where the GTMO hearings are simultaneously video-cast on secure lines. The MCOP mission is for IU McKinney students, faculty, staff and graduates to attend, observer, analyze, critique, and report on pre-trial hearings and trials.

Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual

MCOP monitors are expected to use the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual as a tool to help them ascertain whether they believe that all Guantanamo Bay Stakeholders are receiving a fair trail. the Manual lists dozens of fair trial rights that are to be afforded to the prosecution, victims and victims families, the defendants, the press, security and other personnel who work with the prisoners and with the court, the U.S. public, and others.

Chuck Dunnlap & George Edwards - 31 October 2014 - With Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual Draft - Stacks

Professor Edwards and Mr. Dunlap and stack of Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manuals Mr. Dunlap will carry to Guantanamo Bay for NGO Observers to use in assessing fair trial rights. Copies of the draft Manual can be downloaded from www.GitmoObserver.com.

IU McKinney Law Students Assist in Fair Trial Project

IU McKinney law students enrolled in Professor George Edwards’ International Criminal Law class have been conducting legal research that is being incorporated into the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manuals. Mr. Duncan met with students in the class, lectured on issues to be raised during the al Nashiri hearings during his mission, and discussed with the students their research. Each student in the class has been assigned one or more specific fair trial rights to explore, and the students are examining the international law and domestic U.S. law that define the rights in the Guantanamo Bay context.

Mr. Dunlap traveled to Ft. Meade several months ago to monitor Guantanamo Bay hearings. The MCOP, which is also known as The Gitmo Observer, is part of the Indiana University McKinney School of Law Program in International Human Rights Law. Professor Edwards is the founder of the Program in International Human Rights Law, and the MCOP / Gitmo Observer.

Ambassador, Congressman, Law Professors & Journalist Discuss Guantanamo Bay’s Future
From left Dean and former U.S. Ambassador to Poland Lee Feinstein, Miami Herald Senior Correspondent Carol Rosenberg, Professor Edwards of The Gitmo Observer, Special Assistant to the International Criminal Court Prosecutor Professor Leila Sadat, and former Congressman Lee Hamilton who was Vice Chair of the 9-11 Commission.

From left Dean & former U.S. Ambassador to Poland Lee Feinstein, Miami Herald Senior Correspondent Carol Rosenberg (@CarolRosenberg), Professor George Edwards of The Gitmo Observer (@GitmoObserver), Special Assistant to the International Criminal Court Prosecutor Professor Professor Leila Sadat, and former Congressman Lee Hamilton who was Vice Chair of the 9-11 Commission.

The Guantanamo Bay detention facilities and U.S. Military Commissions were intensely discussed at a panel hosted by the Indiana University School of Global and International Studies.

Panelists spoke about the rationale and feasibility for closing Guantanamo’s detention facilities, how the international community views Guantanamo and its trials, insights from a journalist who has covered Guantanamo Bay since the first detainees arrived in January 2002, and measuring whether all Guantanamo Bay stakeholders’ human rights are being afforded to them.

Former Indiana Congressman Lee Hamilton, who was Vice-Chair of the 9-11 Commission, discussed the US government rationale for the shutting down of Guantanamo Bay and the difficulties in effecting such closure, from a Washington perspective. He described political and logistical challenges to a rapid closure.

Ms. Carol Rosenberg, who is Senior Correspondent for The Miami Herald, was in Guantanamo Bay to witness the January 2002 arrival of the first group of approximately 20 detainees, who were housed in “Camp X-Ray” wearing iconic bright orange prison. Ms. Rosenberg spoke about the history of the detention facilities, and its past, current and future challenges. She further elaborated on her perspective as a journalist assigned to the Guantanamo Bay.

Professor Leila Sadat, of the Washington University School of Law, is Henry H. Oberschelp Professor of Law and Israel Treiman Faculty Fellow, Director of the Whitney R. Harris World Law Institute and the Special Adviser on Crimes Against Humanity to the ICC Prosecutor. She provided a perspective on how the international community, outside of the U.S., views Guantanamo Bay and its Military Commissions.

U.S. Ambassador to Poland (former) Lee Feinstein, who is Founding Dean of the School of Global and International Studies, provided perspective given his many years of diplomatic and international law public experience and research. Dean Feinstein moderated the panel.

Professor George Edwards is founder of The Gitmo Observer, which is also known as the Military Commission Observation Project (MCOP) of Indiana University McKinney School of Law. Professor Edwards spoke on “Assessing Human Rights Protections for All Guantanamo Bay Stakeholders, Not Just the Rights of the Defendants”.

Professor Edwards descried how he founded the Indiana University McKinney Law School’s Program in International Human Rights Law, and how the Pentagon’s Convening Authority selected that program to be granted non-governmental observer status to permit it to send representatives to Guantanamo Bay to monitor hearings in person, or to Ft. Meade to monitor via secure video feed. Professor Edwards created then created the Military Commission Observation Project, which is now known as The Gitmo Observer. He talked about The Gitmo Observer’s most recent project, the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Manual, which those who monitor the Guantanamo Bay proceedings and process use to determine whether a fair trial is being held.

The panel was held at the University Club, at the Indiana Memorial Union, with a reception that followed in the Faculty Room.

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Hadi al Iraqi’s First Guantanamo Bay Pre-Trial Hearing – Jeff Papa
Jeff Papa at Camp Justice, holding Indiana folder.

Jeff Papa at Guantanamo Bay’s Camp Justice, before hearings opened today in the war crimes case against Hadi al Iraqi.

Hadi al Iraqi was arraigned at Guantanamo Bay on 18 June 2014 for war crimes allegedly perpetrated in Iraq and other countries when he was a senior member of al Qaeda Iraq and liaison with the Taliban.

Hadi’s first pre-trial hearing was set to begin today at 9:00 a.m., but was delayed until 1:30 p.m. The judge noted that in conference the previous afternoon, the defense had asked for a delay until 1:00 for Hadi to meet his new counsel, whom Hadi would have met for the first time.  Defense had then asked for an additional 30 minutes to accommodate prayers.

Hadi

Just before the hearing began, I could see Hadi and his defense team through the soundproof window that separates the inner courtroom from the public gallery, where the NGOs sit in assigned seats. In addition to myself, 8 other NGOs representatives were present for today’s (more…)

Hadi al Iraqi Hearing commences at GTMO – Jeff Papa
Jeff Papa at Camp Justice, holding Indiana folder.

Jeff Papa at Camp Justice, holding folder with an Indiana logo.

Jeff Papa reported that the Hadi al Iraqi hearing commenced today at 1330 (Monday, 15 September 2014). Due to erratic internet connections, he could not send in his commentary on the hearing. He was able to send this photo. He promises more later.

My First Afternoon at Guantanamo Bay (Jeff Papa)
Jeff Papa - At Camp Justice - GTMO - 14 September 2014

“Camp Justice” is the name of the barracks-like Tent City where NGOs are housed at Guantanamo Bay. Immediately to my left, out of the camera’s view, is the court house complex.

  Andrews Air Force Base – Early Sunday Morning

The military instructed us to arrive at Andrews Air Force Base no later than 0630 this morning for our 10 am flight to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

There was some confusion since the address given for the Andrews Visitor Center was apparently wrong. Several of the nine Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) representatives traveling with us arrived at the Andrews main gate, and got turned back. One of our escorts arrived at 6:30 and transported us to the air terminal on the base.

Flying to Guantanamo

As those familiar with the GTMO process know, the planes to Guantanamo contain many different categories of participants, including the presiding officers, defense counsel, prosecution, victims’ family members, NGO representatives, and the media. Today was no different. We met several of these people, including Carol Rosenburg of the Miami Herald who routinely covers GITMO proceedings (she mentioned Indiana’s own Justice Steve David, who served here previously).

The flight to Guantanamo was a little over three hours. The weather on arrival was perfect – blue sky and temperatures in the 80s.

This is my bed for the next few days at Guantanamo Bay. They keep the tents very cold to discourage insects, banana rats and iguanas.

This is my bed for the next few days at Guantanamo Bay. They keep the tents very cold to discourage bugs, banana rats and iguanas.

We took a ferry from the airfield across the bay to the main base area and were escorted to our quarters – barracks-like tents kept ice cold to discourage bugs, banana rats and iguanas from intruding.

No more WiFi.

Unfortunately, a change in access now prevents non-military persons (like the NGOs) from accessing WiFi in the area where our tents are. No mainland U.S. wireless carriers function here. We also have no access to Cuban carriers.

We received photo identification badges that give us access to the courtroom. We then visited the Navy Exchange store for supplies. Still no WiFi was available.

We finally found a restaurant with extremely slow WiFi some distance away – but too slow to upload or download much more than email (thus no photos with this posting, at least not today).

front cover - Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist

Front cover of Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist. It has been well-received at Guantanamo Bay.

 Sunday Afternoon Business

Prosecution and defense counsel met with the judge this afternoon to review the schedule for this week’s hearing. It is rumored that tomorrow’s hearing may start late as defense counsel is transitioning and the accused, Hadi al Iraqi, has not yet met the incoming counsel.

Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist a “Must Have”

The newest draft of the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist prepared by Professor George Edwards and his law students at the Indiana University McKinney School of Law has been well-received by the other NGO representatives (a very diverse group). I believe the Checklist is quickly becoming the “must have” guide for NGOs observing GITMO proceedings.

NB:  Update just in… Hearings will not begin until 1300 hours tomorrow (Monday afternoon, instead of 9:00 in the morning as scheduled). And a few photos made it through the slow internet connection.

Jeff Papa - Camp Justice Sign - long one -- GTMO -- 14 September 2014

Another view of the front of Camp Justice.

 

Indiana University McKinney Law Students Assist Guantanamo Bay Stakeholders
Guantanamo Bay -- Indiana McKinney Law School - The Gitmo Observer - Proposed Rights Project - Autumn 2014 - George Edwards (1)

Handout on Indiana McKinney Law Gitmo Observer Research Project

Indiana McKinney Law Student Guantanamo Bay Gitmo Observer Project

During the Autumn 2014 semester, Indiana University McKinney School of Law students will research domestic and international rights to be afforded to stakeholders in the U.S. Military Commissions being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The research will be published as part of the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist.

Professor George Edwards, who has incorporated this project in his International Criminal Law class stated: “The Indiana McKinney law students in my class will help all Guantanamo Bay stakeholders understand what their rights are. We care about the rights of victims and victims’ families, rights of the prosecution, rights of the media, rights of defense and prosecution, and rights of other stakeholders. International and domestic law provide that all stakeholders are entitled to the right to a fair trial at Guantanamo”.

The project is being conducted by The Gitmo Observer, which is the name given to the Military Commissions Observation Project (MCOP) of the Program in International Human Rights Law (PIHRL) of Indiana University McKinney School of Law.

Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist

The Gitmo Observer will provide a resource (e.g., The Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist) to assist all Guantanamo Bay stakeholders, particularly those seeking to ascertain whether fair trial rights are being afforded to all. Gitmo Observer representative travel to Guantanamo Bay will facilitate research and contact with different stakeholders who may use Gitmo Observer materials for informational, (more…)

Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist Launched

The Gitmo Observer has launched a Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist to help guide those interested in Guantanamo Bay Military Commission pre-trial hearings and trials. It can be used by anyone who seeks to ascertain whether fair trial rights are being afforded to all Military Commission stakeholders, including the defense and prosecution, victims and victims’ families, witnesses, the press, and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Observers.

NGO representatives who travel to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to monitor military commissions may find the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist to be a particularly useful tool, as they carry out the remits of their sending organizations.

Professor George Edwards of Indiana University McKinney School of Law founded The Gitmo Observer, and is the principal author of the Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist.

Professor Edwards said “I hope the Fair Trial Checklist provides a framework for NGO Observers and others who are assessing whether the Guantanamo Bay system meets international and U.S. standards for a fair trial. The Checklist identifies binding rules of international and U.S. law, and presents a series of questions that observers might consider in their fair trial analysis”.

The Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist was launched on 12 August 2014, from Expeditionary Legal Complex at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where Professor Edwards is monitoring pre-trial hearings in the case against Khalid Shaik Mohammed and other alleged masterminds of the September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

A limited number of copies of the GGuantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist are available for distribution in the Guantanamo Bay NGO Internet Lounge. Copies are available for download below at this link:

Click here — Guantanamo Bay Fair Trial Checklist

 

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