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Britain
Guantanamo Bay detainee suffers from depression
2003-11-18
EFL:
One of the Britons held by the United States in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been diagnosed as suffering from depression since being captured red-handed locked up without charge, the Guardian has learned.
I guess if I was in jail I’d be a little depressed myself.
Look on the bright side: it's only until the end of the WoT.
The diagnosis of depression was made by a US military forensic psychiatrist who examined Feroz Abassi, 23. Mr Abassi, from Croydon, south London, has been held for nearly two years, accused of being a terrorist, but has been denied access to a lawyer or other basic human rights. Mr Abassi’s lawyer and his family called for a check on his mental health after letters from him showed signs of increased distress. Mr Abassi is one of two Britons designated by Mr Bush to face the military tribunal, the rules of which have also sparked worldwide condemnation for being biased towards the prosecution. In a summary of the report the Pentagon-selected psychologist was reported to have said: "During his incarceration, Abassi had exhibited withdrawn behaviour suggestive of recurrent depression. However he attributed this to mistrust of the guards and interrogators... he had overcome much of this mistrust in recent months and much more outgoing behaviour and cooperation."
My translation, he was upset over being caught and worried about being misstreated. When he found out he could get better treatment by cooperating and we weren’t going to beat a confession out of him, he improved.
But a leading British expert said the supposed improvement in Mr Abassi’s state may have followed a deal with his captors.
Yup.
Gisli Gudjonsson, professor of forensic psychology at the University of London, examined the report for Mr Abassi’s family. Mr Gudjonsson, an expert on psychological vulnerability and confessions who has worked for Scotland Yard, said in his report: "It is not clear what exactly has made him overcome his mistrust and cooperate more fully with staff. Nor is it clear in what ways Mr Abassi has become more cooperative (eg is he more forthcoming and open with the interrogators? Is he disclosing and revealing incriminating and sensitive material? Is he more sociable and friendly with the guards and other staff?). Has he negotiated a deal with his captors?"
I’d say yes.
Posted by:Steve

#17  Sentence the guy to house arrest in the home of the clown who wrote this article for the Guardian.
Posted by: Super Hose   2003-11-18 9:00:00 PM  

#16  Feed him to the sharks in front of the boys. Then ask the rest of them if they have issues with "depression"...
Posted by: tu3031   2003-11-18 4:47:13 PM  

#15  "The beatings will continue until morale improves! -- Management"
Posted by: Dar   2003-11-18 4:17:32 PM  

#14  Rafael, I agreed with the strategy initially, it was a smart short term strategy, but I think the strategy should be changed rather than go into trials. I'm pretty sure we've gotten everything useful out of them now, the only risk is allowing Al Queda to know who is alive and who is not.

To be honest I'm not sure how big a deal that is, perhaps its worth keeping them as Unlawful Combatants for awhile longer. Still, they should be rearranging Guantanimo to look and act more like a POW camp and help the public relations a bit.
Posted by: Yank   2003-11-18 2:59:02 PM  

#13  Damn, where'd that leetle violin go? I'm always losing that thing.

The only depression I want these guys to be in is the one they get to dig for themselves after we've finished picking their little pea-brans.
Posted by: BH   2003-11-18 2:34:01 PM  

#12  Mr Abassi, from Croydon, south London, has been held for nearly two years, accused of being a terrorist, but has been denied access to a lawyer or other basic human rights.

Since when is access to a lawyer a "basic human right"??
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2003-11-18 2:03:05 PM  

#11  Yank, I defer to your judgment on this one. Though I do think that the administration chose the term 'enemy combatants' precisely because the legal ambiguity (if there is one) gives them a lot of room to manoeuvre. That, along with Gitmo's undetermined status (SCOTUS is looking at that now) seemed like the logical step to take in the short run.
Posted by: Rafael   2003-11-18 1:37:28 PM  

#10  Rafael, I think you have it backwards. POWs do not get a trial unless they commit a crime during captivity. The 3rd Geneva Convention pretty much defaults everyone to being a POW when in doubt, requiring a trial to determine their unlawful status.

The basic difference is unlawful combatants don't get to mingle with each other, plan mischief, and discuss what interogators want. All of which I agree with, but the US could declare them POWs now and avoid the required trial and still hold them until the end of hostilities.

The link beside my name goes to the text of the 3rd convention.Perhaps I'm wrong but I read through the thing and that's how I read it.
Posted by: Yank   2003-11-18 1:07:35 PM  

#9  Depression, the silent disease. If you know someone who may be experiencing depression let them know, there is help available.
Posted by: Lucky   2003-11-18 12:22:05 PM  

#8  Maybe a little electroshock therapy is in order?
Posted by: Old Patriot   2003-11-18 11:52:52 AM  

#7  The Bush Administration really blew it by calling them unlawful combatants rather than POWs

I think it's the other way around. By declaring them POWs, under the 3rd Geneva Convention, they are entitled to a trial as soon as possible. Declaring them enemy combatants, and holding them *not* on US soil, results in their legal status being undetermined, and they can be held for as long as anyone wants.
Posted by: Rafael   2003-11-18 11:19:20 AM  

#6  POW's do not get lawyers, they do not go before military tribunrals or told the charges. They sit in a prisoner of war camp until the end of hostilities. The Bush Administration really blew it by calling them unlawful combatants rather than POWs because eventually they will have to have a trial if they are unlawful combatants.

As POWs of the Taliban they can be released to the new Afghanistani government as soon as combat in Afghanistan stops. If they served Al Queda they can be released as soon as Al Queda is destroyed or ends it war on the West.

Either case they better just get comfortable because they'll be waiting for a long time.
Posted by: Yank   2003-11-18 10:57:26 AM  

#5  It's amazing what happy meals and added weight can do.
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-11-18 10:52:54 AM  

#4  Boo-hoo. He is being denied the chance to martyr himself by strapping on a bomb and killing a few dozen infidels. I'm all torn up about it.

It's a real shock to these guys when they get caught and thrown in a cage, isn't it? They should have thought about the consequences before they picked up that AK.
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-11-18 10:48:48 AM  

#3  so he's depressed. too bad. maybe he should have been taken out and shoot as a traitor early on. i'll bet that would have resolved his depression.
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-11-18 10:02:10 AM  

#2  "It is not clear what exactly has made him overcome his mistrust and cooperate more fully with staff

"hmmmmmmmm gimme a green two yellows and a button and I'll tell ya about Dire Revenge VI."
Posted by: Shipman   2003-11-18 10:01:57 AM  

#1  
Guantanamo Bay detainee suffers from depression

My depression just vanished.
Posted by: ISLAM SUCKS   2003-11-18 9:53:33 AM  

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