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| ACLU To Sue CIA Over Secret Prisons |
| 2005-12-03 |
| The ACLU is up to their anti-US, anti-defense, anti-security litigation again. This time they are suing the CIA based on "secret prisons" and the allegations of one man. A US civil rights groups says it is taking the CIA to court to stop the transportation of terror suspects to countries outside US legal authority. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) says the intelligence agency has broken both US and international law. It is acting for a man allegedly flown to a secret CIA prison in Afghanistan. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she'll comment on recent reports of alleged CIA prisons abroad before starting a visit to Europe on Monday. Ms Rice has said she will provide an answer to a EU letter expressing concern over reports last month alleging the US intelligence agency was using secret jails - particularly in eastern Europe. "The lawsuit will charge that CIA officials at the highest level violated US and universal human rights laws when they authorised agents to abduct an innocent man, detain him in incommunicado, beat him, drug and transport him to a secret CIA prison in Afghanistan," the ACLU said in a news release. The release identified the jail as the "Salt Pit". The group did not provide the name or nationality of the plaintiff, saying only that he would appear at a news conference next week to reveal details of the lawsuit. The ACLU also wants to name corporations which it accuses of owning and operating the aircraft used to transport detainees secretly from country to country. The highly secretive process is known as "extraordinary rendition" whereby intelligence agencies move and interrogate terrorism suspects outside the US, where they have no American legal protection. It has become extremely controversial, the BBC's Adam Brookes in Washington reports. Some individuals have claimed they were flown by the CIA to countries like Syria and Egypt, where they were tortured. The US government and its intelligence agencies maintain that all their operations are conducted within the law and they will no doubt fight this case vigorously, our correspondent says. He says they will not want to see US intelligence officers forced publicly to defend their actions and they will not want to see one of their most secret procedures laid bare in open court. First off, I don't know how the ACLU got details of this particular man's case, and I'm not advocating torture if it happened, however, that's not what they're arguing. They are instead fighting the use of secret prisons across the globe. What if the ACLU had tried this in WW2? In World War Two, we had prisons camps across the country, and in some cases overseas, and they were secret. It's a necessary action, not only for our safety, but for the safety of the prisoners. If we release the location, terrorists and enemies could attempt to assault it, or, angry Americans could attempt an attack. In the wake of 9/11, there was an extraordinary amount of anger, and I could easily imagine groups of disgruntled Americans attacking holding camps of Al-Qaeda members. |
| Posted by:Phins Creans5488 |
| #14 Has anyone ever heard of an ACLU office anywhere being firebombed? I remember reading someplace that one would know that American society had irretrievably fractured when an ACLU office somewhere was firebombed and the local fire department refused to respond. I often wonder just how far we are from that point because foolishness like this latest ACLU action certainly seems like it's bringing that scenario closer. |
| Posted by: mac 2005-12-03 22:49 |
| #13 Here's a question: How come there isn't a solid conservative equivalent as well as alternative to the ACLU? When conservatives run into trouble (remember Rush's problems in Florida?), they often humbly turn to the ACLU. Former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr now fronts as a bagman for the ACLU. Pathetic. |
| Posted by: The Happy Fliegerabwehrkanonen 2005-12-03 19:18 |
| #12 The ACLU has always been an anti-American, communist-supporting, anti-individual organization. Their primary purpose is to destroy the rule of law in the United States by attacking anything and everything that the US uses to police its territory. They deliberately support illegal immigrants, they are constantly fighting freedom of religion, and demand that anything and everything should be published, whether it may harm the government or the people of the United States, under a gross misinterpretation of the First Amendment. They are part of the problem. They are an enemy of the peace and prosperity of the United States, and should be treated as such. Unfortunately, the CIA is rapidly proving it's in the same boat, shooting holes in the bottom and leaking classified information in diarrhea mode. The second revolution can't happen soon enough. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2005-12-03 15:51 |
| #11 This deals with the origins and founders of the ACLU. It is a biased polemic, but it is also not incorrect. |
| Posted by: Elmolurt Speans8942 2005-12-03 15:10 |
| #10 I suppose the American CLU is trying to stop the evil, American CIA from doing baaaaaad things; doesn't matter if the 'victims' are terrs or cockroaches, (or both) the CIA must be doing baaaaaad stuff! |
| Posted by: Bobby 2005-12-03 15:07 |
| #9 Tar and feathers for the ACLU. Rope and tree for the terrorists. Holding and interrogating has become too difficult for the intelligence information gained. The ALCU might as well complain about something real. |
| Posted by: SR-71 2005-12-03 14:55 |
| #8 Standard "I am not a lawyer" disclaimer here, but in order to sue, don't you need some sort of legal standing or be able to show you are an injured party? In the past, I have been impressed when the ACLU stood up for rights and liberties even when they were unpopular. I mean, if you want to put a sign on your ass saying "I'm a National Socialist Moron" and prance down Main Street, USA, well, that's your right as an American. Free speech can be stupid speech. (Hi, Mrs. Sheehan!). But actions like this make the ACLU seem off in the weeds and quite far from their original mission. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2005-12-03 13:00 |
| #7 Is the US breaking any domestic or international laws in regards to its current use of covert prisons or application of extraordinary rendition? If the answer is no; Then why should I be concerned if the ACLU, or anybody else for that matter, brings a lawsuit? Other then being a pain in the ass, what are the negative effects? Is it too simplistic to think that if countries follow the "Rule of Law", in the end it really doesn't matter who challenges them or for what reason. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2005-12-03 11:52 |
| #6 ohhhhhhhhh well they are suing just tell them where they are then |
| Posted by: Jerelet Thineling2988 2005-12-03 11:28 |
| #5 When the ACLU sues over rights of non americans for the purpose of proving we are monstrous, once might say THEY HAVE JUMPED THE SHARK Thurgood Marshall and every real liberal who made real civil liberties gain ground during real trials of civil rights are spinning in their graves |
| Posted by: epaminondas 2005-12-03 10:21 |
| #4 The ACLU sent Me a fund-raising letter with a postage-paid return envelope. What's the maximum weight you can put in one of those? |
| Posted by: Jackal 2005-12-03 09:41 |
| #3 ACLU - "American Criminal Liberties Union" |
| Posted by: doc 2005-12-03 09:06 |
| #2 In the wake of 9/11, there was an extraordinary amount of anger, and I could easily imagine groups of disgruntled Americans attacking holding camps of Al-Qaeda members. We wouldn't do that, we're to law abiding to do that. However, The terrorists don't have to know we won't do that. Could be good "nice" interrigation tool. |
| Posted by: Charles 2005-12-03 05:50 |
#1 First off, I don't know how the ACLU got details of this particular man's case, and I'm not advocating torture if it happened, however,..Excuse me, but you are displaying the ability to reason and draw logical conclusions, something the ACLU seems to be incapable of doing most of the time. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-12-03 02:55 |