Comments on: Murders at Guantanamo: Exposing the Truth about the 2006 ‘Suicides’

By: Ahmad Sultan

Ahmad Sultan — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 11:45:17 +0000

It is not the first or last lie done by the US Defense spokemen. Since 9/11 or may be before, we’ve got an enormous amount of lies (like the Iraqis have mass destruction weapons, the Serian has a nuclear weapon project and the somalies are dangerous on thr US national security … etc.). I think we need to have third party to verify every information comes from the officials.

By: MA2

MA2 — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:20:44 +0000

I find this entire story to be ludicrous. I was a guard at Guantanamo from Dec. 05 to Dec. 06. I was also working in Camp 1 on the night of June 9th, 2006. I saw what happened, and how they killed themselves. I saw the bodies and I saw the cells. While the idea of secret camps is valid, I know that the three men in question were on Alpha block alive and well that night.

By: Adeel

Adeel — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:01:50 +0000

Even with all the evidence in support of this report and also including the counter-arguments (minus the idiotic post by mrman) my question is related to the media coverage of all this. An incident of this magnitude warns some kind of media scrutiny and why is that not happened raises questions in my mind.

By: justin

justin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:19:51 +0000

dodabrum, having a long list of numbered statements does not make an argument. Point #1 is not an argument, “timing” has no bearing on the truth or falsehood of a statement. I suggest you read the Seton Hall School of Law critique of the official report at http://law.shu.edu/programscenters/publicintgovserv/policyresearch/upload/gtmo_death_camp_delta.pdf summarized thus:
“CONCLUSION
On June 10, 2006, three men died under questionable circumstances. The investigation into their deaths resulted in more questions than answers. It is unclear how such a reputable investigative service produced such an incompetent investigation. The Center for Policy and Research is unable to resolve whether the facts led to the investigation or the investigation led to the facts. WHAT IS CLEAR IS THAT THE TRUE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE DETAINEES‘ DEATHS CANNOT BE DISCERNED FROM THE INVESTIGATIVE FILE OR THE STATEMENT OF FINDINGS. Without a proper investigation, it is impossible to determine the circumstances of three detainees‘ deaths.”
Emphasis mine.
Your arguments are clearly emotional at best and obfuscatory at worst.

By: thewatcher

thewatcher — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 03:43:10 +0000

What about the time??? The first body was found @ 12:39am….If guards are checking every ten minutes after midnight, how do these men ‘hanging’ go unnoticed? Could they still have accomplished the act itself and commit suicide in the 10 minute unwatched time…Yes BUT again, how do the men go unnoticed? This to me is a HUGE part of this picture….

By: Jason Leopold

Jason Leopold — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:30:07 +0000

Dodabrum, can you tell me how you have arrived at your assertions? Are you or were you in any way affiliated with Guantanamo or the detainees in question?

And Mrman, you’re going to have to do better than “I was there” and perhaps look up the definition of the word libelous.

By: Dizzy

Dizzy — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:02:36 +0000

Awe, the beauty of running a government based on island prisons in Caribbean without the hope of any form of justice. Why do they hate us so?

Maybe these men deserved it because they were unlike the 2/3 of detainees freed without charge, or 80% winning their Habeas Petitions based the lowest evidentiary standards for DOJ to prove. The DOJ estimates that as many as 40 total cases may be brought.

Back to being a “good German” nothing to see here, and remember the dead men were actually attacking you using “asymmetrical warfare.” He haw he haw.

By: dodabrum

dodabrum — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:45:20 +0000

Yes, but it would depend on the nature of the individual circumstance. Sometimes people do have second thoughts about committing suicide and may try to call out for help – it was estimated by that the strangulation could’ve taken up to 4 or 5 minutes – I wonder what might go through your mind at that time? I don’t believe these men really thought the event was actually going to result in slow death, but a quick one. In any case though I think it was done as a necessary precaution to prevent any possibility of crying out and discovery until too late; as I said, other attempts (40) by approximately 21 detainees have been quickly thwarted and/or were unsuccessful. I think most likely this was a well-planned event as instructions on knot tying was found in the cell – obviously coaching was involved. BTW, an English language newspaper, Asharq Alawsat, reported that a detainee (name withheld for his protection) had written a note around 10 days before the suicide (to be delivered by his lawyer to the outside) that two detainees were on the verge of death; the newspaper asserted that those two were among the three who died, so one can conclude they were already setting the stage. Notes found on the dead bodies were all very similar in content and Interviews from other detainees “yielded a confirmed report that one detainee who had did not commit suicide had walked through the block earlier saying “tonight’s the night.’ ” (Book referenced on first post)

By: Me

Me — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:30:47 +0000

4. Cotton in the mouth came from the pillows of the detainees and, yes they probably did so to themselves so as to ensure their agonizing death and subsequent cries would not bring the guards in;

do you really think someone can cry out when they R hanging by the neck???

By: mrman

mrman — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:47:05 +0000

I was there! This story is libelous and ridiculous. Do not believe the lies of these low level men who claim to have been on the “inside.” Don’t prop up your life by trying to bring down others. Shame on you and shame on those who re-print such garbage!