by Andrew Zajac
Toronto's Globe and Mail this morning posted video of an interrogation of Omar Khadr, a 21-year-old Canadian citizen who was detained in Afghanistan in 2002 and is how held at the Guantanamo Bay naval base.
Khadr was questioned by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service at Guantanamo in 2003 when he was 16. The redacted, 10-minute video was released after a court battle by Khadr's defense team which hopes to pressure the Canadian government to call for his repatriation.
It's apparently the first time Guantanamo interrogation footage has been made public.
Khadr is accused of throwing a grenade that killed a U.S. soldier.
The video and companion article explaining how the tape of Khadr has come to public light can be viewed at theglobeandmail.com.
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Comments
We broke a 16 year old, what a proud moment.
Child soldiers are usually considered victims of war, not criminals.
Posted by: Publius | July 15, 2008 3:03 PM
Oh the humanity!!!! We made a 16 year-old cry. Shut the place down now.
Posted by: Terry | July 15, 2008 7:46 PM
Lt.C. Ralph Peters on Omar Khadr Gitmo Tape: "We should have killed that punk on a battlefield where it was legal to do so!"
Watch video at http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com/2008/07/ltc-ralph-peters-on-omar-khadr-gitmo.html
Posted by: Muslims Against Sharia | July 16, 2008 1:15 AM
The people who think this is cruel or abusive don't know what they are talking about. They see a man reduced to tears and cry abuse. I see a man who shows signs of deception and evasion during a lawful interrogation. In the beginning of the video the subject is relaxed and seems open, if a little nervous. This is because the conversation is about non stressful things. The interrogators are getting a baseline reading on the subjects verbal and non-verbal communication. He's relaxed and says nothing about his old wounds. He leans back in his chair, smiles, even jokes with his interviewer. Then the tape jumps forward the detainee is now upset covers his eyes, mumbles, leans forward and cries. All signs of deception that differ from his baseline. Then he complains about his wounds, not because they still hurt but in an attempt to end these questions he doesn't want to answer. A child in deep trouble will say they have a tummy ache or feel sick to accomplish the same thing. And I guarantee that as soon as that interrogation was over those interrogators consulted the prison doctor to verify the detainees health. People, this isn't abuse or torture. This a lawful and professionally conducted interrogation. Ask a Vietnam POW what torture is.
Posted by: Thomas | July 16, 2008 11:06 AM
Thomas you are wrong to say that this is the "lawful" interrogation of a "man".
The US is signatory to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. The US Senate ratified the treaty so it is binding on the US.
The treaty specifically states that individuals under the age of 18 are deemed as child soldiers when in the service of non-governmental bodies.
The Protocol binds participating powers as follows:
"States Parties shall take all feasible measures to ensure that persons within their jurisdiction recruited or used in hostilities contrary to the present Protocol are demobilized or otherwise released from service. States Parties shall, when necessary, accord to such persons all appropriate assistance for their physical and psychological recovery and their social reintegration."
The US is taking no measures to assist in the physical and psychological recovery of this individual, nor are they assisting in his "social reintegration."
We are in very clear violation of our treaty obligations in this case.
Posted by: Publius | July 16, 2008 3:18 PM