The tricky subject of detaining terrorists

Here is a link to Amnesty International's report about two individuals that were allegedly detained by Americans. This is a perfect example of how AI, in its zeal to right wrongs, has shot themselves in the foot.

 

Let's take most of what these two individuals are saying at face value. Even going that far is a bit of a leap as AI has offered no corroborative evidence for the two men other than a vague quote from two unattributed Yemeni source: "now we are running prisons for the Americans" and "just a matter of telling the US authorities that we will set them free". Note that the second seems to imply that they are going to be set free and that the Americans aren't "forcing" the Yemeni's to hold them.

 

Here are the "facts" that are especially relevant:

1) The initial capture and interrogations were done by Indonesian and Jordanian officials. The US is not responsible for those actions (though we should do something to curtail them perhaps).

 

2) There is an allusion to translators which leads me to believe that the two individuals in question did not speak English. I'm curious, then, how they can positively identify the interrogators as Americans. The ascribed testimony of the two men does not appear to claim that their interrogators identified themselves as American. If the Yemeni officials are correct then the only connection the US can be shown to have with the men is in their transfer (which appears to be heading towards freedom) out of confinement. The interrogators are also noted to have been dressed like "Ninjas" and so it's uncertain if even their ethnicity was known.

 

3) The report is noteable for its ridiculous assertion regarding Diego Garcia as well. Since the second trip (which AI is guessing might have been to Diego Garcia) ended with a 2 hour helicopter flight it is impossible that that was the location unless the drop off point was an aircraft carrier (which, even blindfolded, someone could figure out).

 

4) I highly doubt that AI has made this story up. I do believe that AI has a proven history of filling in the holes in stories with clever imagination and with being rather naive when it comes to the stories that they're told by alleged victims.

 

5) AI is also fairly naive in its request to have the whereabouts of terror detainees disclosed. If there are secret underground CIA bases (doesn't this all sound a little paranoid to you guys?) then they are secret for a reason. They are likely lightly guarded and if discovered would be prime targets for attack.

 

6) The "piping in" of western music is particularly humourous to me. While it could be that the music is blared through speakers it could also be that it's little more than elevator music done to soothe the prisoners.

 

7) The title of the report, "USA: Torture and secret detentions" shows the bias against the US that will only hinder their efforts. Nowhere in the report is there even a hint of an allegation that they were tortured while in " U.S." custody. The worst things listed were the lack of a toilet and the piping in of "western music". The title might more properly have been titled Jordan: Arrest and Torture, USA: Secret detentions.

 

8) While I believe there are elements of truth to the report I could easily construct a scenario that fits the description of events. Two men are arrested by Jordanian officials. The British, suspecting them of being involved in the (then recent) attacks in Madrid arrange to have them transferred to their custody. The British hold them somewhere (pick a point 3-4 hours from Jordan). The prisoners assume that these English speaking people are Americans and the interrogators to not do anything to dissuade them of that notion. After holding them for some time, the US learns that the British have them in custody. The US has them transferred to their custody (in which conditions appear to have been just fine) and holds them for another 6-8 months then sends them to Yemen after they determine their innocence (which I'm inclined to grant them because no country that's willing to hold onto people for 2 years would release someone they suspected of terrorism simply because they couldn't find hard evidence).

 

In short, AI should focus on reality and save their wishlist for better times. AI should ask the US to disclose whether or not they do this and in what volume. The request for locations and names is just not going to happen. They should ask that some semblance of due process be exercised. If they really want to shoot the moon, they should ask that a member of the IRC be allowed to be taken (blindfolded if necessary) to one or more of these "secret" locations to examine the conditions of the facilities and the prisoners.