By George
A federal judge in Miami has denied bail to the son of Liberian President Charles Taylor, who was indicted last week on U.S. torture charges, reports AP's Curt Anderson. Liberia, Siberia...so many places all sounding very much the same anymore.
It seems Charles Emmanuel, or "Chuckie," as chief of Taylor's Anti-Terrorism Unit, is charged with abducting and torturing a Liberian man in 2002. The unnamed victim was detained for almost a year, in, among other places, a "prison consisting of water- and trash-filled underground holes covered by metal grates. The victims could not lie down. They could not sleep," said prosecutor Karen Rochlin.
The article further reports, "Human rights organizations and Liberian exiles say the unit was responsible for widespread murder, torture, kidnapping, looting and recruitment of child soldiers while Emmanuel was its commander."
Emmanuel will be the first person to be charged under a 1994 law which criminalizes U.S. citizens who commit torture overseas (Emmanuel, unfortunately for him, was born in Boston.) So the devil is in the details here; which is why--if you're American--outsourcing your torture is so important.
By my estimate, Emmanuel will prepare a unique defense. George did it, recent U.S. law permits it, so what--at least I'm not soft on terrorism. The only aspect of his actions that could possibly offend U.S. sensibilities is that Emmanuel failed to name his victim an "armed enemy combatant." Then his actions would have been firmly within the purview of official U.S. policy on abductions and torture.
Chuckie Emmanuel seems like an ideal candidate for a position with the federal government. He has all the requirements to be a successful CIA interrogator.
It seems Charles Emmanuel, or "Chuckie," as chief of Taylor's Anti-Terrorism Unit, is charged with abducting and torturing a Liberian man in 2002. The unnamed victim was detained for almost a year, in, among other places, a "prison consisting of water- and trash-filled underground holes covered by metal grates. The victims could not lie down. They could not sleep," said prosecutor Karen Rochlin.
The article further reports, "Human rights organizations and Liberian exiles say the unit was responsible for widespread murder, torture, kidnapping, looting and recruitment of child soldiers while Emmanuel was its commander."
Emmanuel will be the first person to be charged under a 1994 law which criminalizes U.S. citizens who commit torture overseas (Emmanuel, unfortunately for him, was born in Boston.) So the devil is in the details here; which is why--if you're American--outsourcing your torture is so important.
By my estimate, Emmanuel will prepare a unique defense. George did it, recent U.S. law permits it, so what--at least I'm not soft on terrorism. The only aspect of his actions that could possibly offend U.S. sensibilities is that Emmanuel failed to name his victim an "armed enemy combatant." Then his actions would have been firmly within the purview of official U.S. policy on abductions and torture.
Chuckie Emmanuel seems like an ideal candidate for a position with the federal government. He has all the requirements to be a successful CIA interrogator.
posted by rangeragainstwar at 12:42 AM
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