Khalid Sheikh Mohammad got a hearing...

oldreliable67 · 03-16-07, 11:07 AM

The Geneva Conventions establish a procedure called an "Article 5" hearing, conducted by a military tribunal, to review whether someone captured on the battlefield is in fact an enemy combatant. Such hearings are mandatory under the Geneva Conventions only if the combatant's status is in doubt, as KSM's surely was not. Nonetheless, KSM got a hearing Saturday, thanks to the U.S. military's liberal reading of the Geneva Conventions.

In the 2004 case of Hamdi v. Rumsfeld the U.S. Supreme Court held that combatants with U.S. citizenship were entitled to Article 5 hearings, doubt or no doubt. Although the plaintiff in that case was the only Guantanamo detainee to hold U.S. citizenship, the military responded to Hamdi by extending Article 5 rights to all Guantanamo detainees.

The military has now released a redacted transcript (PDF), and it makes for fascinating reading. There is one part of it everyone should read: the list of 31 actual or prospective attacks in which KSM acknowledged having been "a responsible participant, principal planner, trainer, financier . . ., executor, and/or a personal participant." Here it is, quoting verbatim from the transcript (pages 18-19):

Quote:

1. I was responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center Operation

2. I was responsible for the 9/11 Operation, from A to Z.

3. I decapitated with my blessed right hand the head of the American Jew, [Wall Street Journal reporter] Daniel Pearl, in the city of Karachi, Pakistan. For those who would like to confirm, there are pictures of me on the Internet holding his head.

4. I was responsible for the Shoe Bomber Operation to down two American airplanes.

5. I was responsible for the Filka Island operation in Kuwait that killed two American soldiers.

6. I was responsible for the bombing of a nightclub in Bali, Indonesia, which was frequented by British and American nationals.

7. I was responsible for planning, training, surveying, and financing the New (or Second) Wave attacks against the following skyscrapers after 9/11:
a. Library Tower, California.
b. Sears Tower, Chicago,
c. Plaza Bank, Washington state.
d. The Empire State Building, New York City.

8. I was responsible for planning, financing, & follow-up of Operations to destroy American military vessels and oil tankers in the Straights of Hormuz, and Straights of Gibralter, and the Port of Singapore.

9. I was responsible for planning, training, surveying, and financing for the Operation to bomb and destroy the Panama Canal.

10. I was responsible for surveying and financing for the assassination of several former American Presidents, including President Carter.

11. I was responsible for surveying, planning, and financing for the bombing of suspension bridges in New York.

12. I was responsible for planning to destroy the Sears Tower by burning a few fuel or oil tanker trucks beneath it or around it.

13. I was responsible for planning, surveying, and financing for the operation to destroy Heathrow Airport, the Canary Wharf Building, and Big Ben on British soil.

14. I was responsible for planning, surveying, and financing for the destruction of many night clubs frequented by American and British citizens on Thailand soil.

15. I was responsible for surveying and financing for the destruction of the New York Stock Exchange and other financial targets after 9/11.

16. I was responsible for planning, financing, and surveying for the destruction of buildings in the Israeli city of Elat by using airplanes leaving from Saudi Arabia.

17. I was responsible for planning, surveying, and financing for the destruction of American embassies in Indonesia, Australia, and Japan.

18. I was responsible for surveying and financing for the destruction of the Israeli embassy in India, Azerbaijan, the Philippines, and Australia.

19. I was responsible for surveying and financing for the destruction of an Israeli 'El-Al' Airlines flight on Thailand soil departing from Bangkok Airport.

20. I was responsible for sending several Mujahadeen into Israel to conduct surveillance to hit several strategic targets deep in Israel.

21. I was responsible for the bombing of the hotel in Mombasa that is frequented by Jewish travelers via El-Al airlines.

22. I was responsible for launching a Russian-made SA-7 surface-to-air missile on El-Al or other Jewish airliner departing from Mombasa.

23. I was responsible for planning and surveying to hit American targets in South Korea, such as American military bases and a few night clubs frequented by American soldiers.

24. I was responsible for financial, excuse me, I was responsible for providing financial support to hit American, Jewish, and British targets in Turkey.

25. I was responsible for surveillance needed to hit nuclear power plants that generate electricity in several U.S. states.

26. I was responsible for planning, surveying, and financing to hit NATO Headquarters in Europe.

27. I was responsible for the planning and surveying needed to execute the Bojinka Operation, which was designed to down twelve American airplanes full of passengers. I personally monitored a round-trip, Manila-to-Seoul, Pan Am flight.

28. I was responsible for the assassination attempt against President Clinton during his visit to the Philippines in 1994 or 1995. . . .

29. I shared responsibility for the assassination attempt against Pope John Paul the second while he was visiting the Philippines.

30. I was responsible for the training and financing for the assassination of Pakistan's President Musharraf.

31. I was responsible for the attempt to destroy an American oil company owned by the Jewish former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, on the Island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

It is hard to argue against the increased vigilance following 9/11 having contributed materially to the prevention of the unsuccessful attacks.

Those who trivialize the efforts in the GWOT would do well do seriously contemplate the global breadth and potential for death and destruction of the terror acts listed by KSM.

Navy Pride · 03-16-07, 04:21 PM

If it were up to me I would hang the SOB but I am sure he will get a trial....

Doremus Jessup · 03-18-07, 05:10 AM

Damn, waterboarding works wonders, the guy copped to everything except the USS Cole bombing.

SgtRock · 03-18-07, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doremus Jessup

Damn, waterboarding works wonders, the guy copped to everything except the USS Cole bombing.

Yes and thats why we should continue to use such techniques.

oldreliable67 · 03-18-07, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doremus Jessup

Damn, waterboarding works wonders, the guy copped to everything except the USS Cole bombing.

Read the transcript. KSM denies being tortured.

Francaisforever · 03-18-07, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldreliable67

The Geneva Conventions establish a procedure called an "Article 5" hearing, conducted by a military tribunal, to review whether someone captured on the battlefield is in fact an enemy combatant. Such hearings are mandatory under the Geneva Conventions only if the combatant's status is in doubt, as KSM's surely was not. Nonetheless, KSM got a hearing Saturday, thanks to the U.S. military's liberal reading of the Geneva Conventions.

In the 2004 case of Hamdi v. Rumsfeld the U.S. Supreme Court held that combatants with U.S. citizenship were entitled to Article 5 hearings, doubt or no doubt. Although the plaintiff in that case was the only Guantanamo detainee to hold U.S. citizenship, the military responded to Hamdi by extending Article 5 rights to all Guantanamo detainees.

The military has now released a redacted transcript (PDF), and it makes for fascinating reading. There is one part of it everyone should read: the list of 31 actual or prospective attacks in which KSM acknowledged having been "a responsible participant, principal planner, trainer, financier . . ., executor, and/or a personal participant." Here it is, quoting verbatim from the transcript (pages 18-19):

It is hard to argue against the increased vigilance following 9/11 having contributed materially to the prevention of the unsuccessful attacks.

Those who trivialize the efforts in the GWOT would do well do seriously contemplate the global breadth and potential for death and destruction of the terror acts listed by KSM.

You forgot to post the last confession
32 I was responsible for the assassination of John F Kennedy

Doremus Jessup · 03-19-07, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldreliable67

Read the transcript. KSM denies being tortured.

We all know that the definition of torture is fairly arbitrary these days.

Quote:

7. I was responsible for planning, training, surveying, and financing the New (or Second) Wave attacks against the following skyscrapers after 9/11:
a. Library Tower, California.
b. Sears Tower, Chicago,
c. Plaza Bank, Washington state.
d. The Empire State Building, New York City.

Plaza Bank

Quote:

Founded in early 2006, ...

Hasn't KSM been incarcerated since 2003? Fuzzy math?

oldreliable67 · 03-19-07, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doremus Jessup

We all know that the definition of torture is fairly arbitrary these days.

Plaza Bank

Hasn't KSM been incarcerated since 2003? Fuzzy math?

Was KSM "waterboarded?" I don't know. Do you?

Is "waterboarding" torture?" Yes, in the eyes of many. No, in the eyes of many.

The huge City Center complex at 1420 5th Ave in Seattle predates the formation of tenant Plaza Bank by many years. Why the transcript lists the location as "Plaza Bank" instead of the more accurate "City Center", I've no idea. But I am sure that conspiracy theorists, terrorist sympathizers and anti-US and anti-GWOT loonies will pick up on it and try to run with it.

oldreliable67 · 03-19-07, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Francaisforever

You forgot to post the last confession
32 I was responsible for the assassination of John F Kennedy

Nice contribution to the thread. Way to go. Not.

Doremus Jessup · 03-19-07, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldreliable67

Was KSM "waterboarded?" I don't know. Do you?

Is "waterboarding" torture?" Yes, in the eyes of many. No, in the eyes of many.

The huge City Center complex at 1420 5th Ave in Seattle predates the formation of tenant Plaza Bank by many years. Why the transcript lists the location as "Plaza Bank" instead of the more accurate "City Center", I've no idea. But I am sure that conspiracy theorists, terrorist sympathizers and anti-US and anti-GWOT loonies will pick up on it and try to run with it.

Or you can just accept the "official story", and believe that this one guy was behind all of this sh!t. 9-11 A-Z? Doesn't really seem plausible to me. "Yes, I even put fresh razor blades into the box-cutters." This story is like something out of a comic book, it's like this guy is f#ckin' Cobra Commander.