Friday, March 16, 2007

Sharing Germany's Skepticism

Rightful justice cannot be obtained under the wrong conditions.
Die Tageszeitung

Der Speigel are running an article titled Confessions of a Terrorist Mastermind .

The sweeping confession of alleged al-Qaida mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who has claimed involvement in 31 terror plots, has been met with skepticism from German commentators. Some editorialists have stronger feelings about the "show" trial against Mohammed than whether or not he is telling the truth.


They go on with what is surely on the minds of so many ... German commentators criticize the conditions under which the confession was obtained, noting that Mohammed had been subjected to years of "rough" interrogations at the hands of the CIA. Apart from condemning a hearing that did not adhere to the laws laid out in the United States constitution, along with a transcript that was heavily edited, German papers also cite allegations that Mohammed was tortured during his four years at the Guantanamo Bay prison facility for suspected terrorists. Can his testimony be trusted or was he coerced into giving it?

4 comments:

Harvey Molloy said...

There was a good joke about this trial on National Radio on Thursday: Apparently he's also admitted to being the mastermind behind The Bay City Rollers and Kylie Minogue's cover of 'The Locomotion.'

And, yes, I had a short nap this morning!

Kay Cooke said...

You are so busy I am not surprised you feel you can't keep up politically - but I do admire so much all you do and say about the unfairness of the world ... I am so pleased for you that your daughter and granddaughter will be with you soon - SO exciting!!!
Looking forward to the new site you'll share with Alison.

Di Mackey said...

News of the National Radio joke kept me smiling whenever I thought of it ... Good to read the important things were fitted into your weekend ... happy napping :)

Thanks chiefbiscuit ... I'm never sure about what I blog but sometimes things have to be said.

I found a gorgeous little baking set for my granddaughter last week ... real little cooking tins, an oven mitt and rolling pin, all usable.

The site with Alison is up and running at http://naturallightimages.blogspot.com/

So far so good.

paris parfait said...

I don't believe anything the Pentagon has to say and surely at least some of his testimony was coerced. I just keep remembering Thomas Jefferson's remark about given a choice between newspapers without government or government without newspapers, he'd choose the former. And with no press or legal representation at any of these proceedings, all we know is what they tell us - and who can believe what "they" say? After all, their track record of telling the truth is abysml. Sigh.