Spanish Judge on Bush Regime: Systematic Program of Torture

volunteer for World Can't Wait

World Can't Wait Survey - Your Input is Needed!

Check us out

Join The Debate

Build and Sharpen the Resistance!

World Can't Wait Steering Committee Proposal

The Urgent Need for Decisive and Principled Leadership in the Anti-War Movement

A Plan to End the Wars by David Swanson

Let’s Take a Cold, Hard Look at What We’re Facing by Dennis Loo

New Posters

Obama Reality Check

This Ain't Change!

Obama Fact Sheet

Obama’s Inauguration: the Hopes of a Nation, the Needs of an Empire

Closing Gitmo is Not Enough!

To: Anti-War Movement

Sign the Letter

"That which you do not resist and mobilize to stop you will learn – or be forced – to accept.”

To the Anti-War Movement in the United States:

Barack Obama is sending a surge of 20,000 troops to Afghanistan.

An antiwar movement that does not move immediately to oppose the Obama doctrine of shifting the central front of the war on terror to Afghanistan, no longer deserves to be called an anti-war movement. read more...

Reports of March 19th Actions

From the Director

Debra Sweet

Mission Statement

The World Can’t Wait organizes people living in the United States to repudiate and stop the fascist direction initiated by the Bush Regime, including: the murderous, unjust and illegitimate occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan; the global “war of terror” of torture, rendition and spying; and the culture of bigotry, intolerance and greed. This direction cannot and will not be reversed by leaders who tell us to seek common ground with fascists, religious fanatics, and empire. It can only be possible by the people building a community of resistance - an independent mass movement of people - acting in the interests of humanity to stop, and demand prosecution, of these crimes.

Spanish website

Spanish Judge on Bush Regime: Systematic Program of Torture – Indictments Possible

Thursday, 30 April 2009 06:59

Share Link:

By Kenneth J. Theisen

On April 29^th Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon officially opened an investigation into the torture program at Guantanamo. This is an important step in holding the Bush regime accountable for some of its criminal actions. The court in its ruling stated it will investigate the “perpetrators, the

instigators, the necessary collaborators and accomplices" to crimes of torture at the prison located at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This case could result in charges being brought against the highest officials in the Bush regime, including the Bush himself.

In his ruling the judge stated that torture and other memos released by the U.S. government "have revealed what was previously a suspicion: the existence of an authorised and systematic programme of torture and mistreatment of persons deprived of their freedom." He further stated that these documents indicated "the possible existence of concerted actions by the US administration for the execution of a multitude of crimes of torture against persons deprived of their freedom in Guantanamo and other prisons including that of Bagram" in Afghanistan. [Obama recently sought additional funding from Congress to expand Bagram.]

This case was brought before the court by former Gitmo prisoners who told the court that they were victims of torture at the prison. The case is not related to another investigation by the Spanish court into those who authored the “torture memos” and enabled the torture. In that case, Judge Garzon accepted the initial complaint. The Spanish attorney general then intervened in the case to recommend against proceeding. The case was then assigned to Judge Eloy Velasco, who now has the authority to decide whether to open the investigation. The case is still pending. Six Bush regime officials, including John Yoo, are being investigated as to their role in torture in that case.

In this new case the court’s writ did not name specific officials as defendants. Rather it refers to investigating the roles of those responsible for authorizing, planning, and executing the torture program. We know that top-level meetings were held at the White House to discuss torture. Practically all the top regime officials were present at one or more of these meetings. This includes Cheney, Rice, Ashcroft, Gonzales, Rumsfeld, Powell, and others. Bush has admitted knowing of them and approving of the meetings. Potentially all of these officials could face charges depending on where the Spanish investigation leads.

The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), which represents many of the men detained by the U.S. government at Guantánamo, praised the court’s decision. CCR attorneys hailed the decision as an important step in holding these officials and others accountable for their crimes.

CCR President Michael Ratner stated, “The torture conspirators are in deep trouble. Even if the U.S. fails in its obligation to criminally investigate, Spain will. The conspirators can run, but they can't hide. It is conceivable that arrest warrants have already been issued or will be soon. Indictments will almost surely follow.”

CCR Executive Director Vincent Warren further said, “The Obama administration should not need pressure from abroad to uphold our own laws and initiate a criminal investigation in the U.S., but I hope the Spanish cases will impress on the president and Attorney General Eric Holder how seriously the rest of the world takes these crimes and show them the issue will not go away.”

If the court issues arrest warrants, they could apply throughout Europe. CCR expressed hope that other countries in Europe whose citizens and residents were subjected to torture and cruel treatment at Guantanamo and elsewhere will also initiate such investigations. CCR also has torture cases representing former Guantánamo detainees pending in U.S. courts.

World Can’t Wait will continue to follow these various cases and report on further developments.