BRIEF: Secret Evidence Delay Detainee Hearings

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – Defense attorneys representing those held at the Guantanamo Bay military prison have again cited their concern that the secrecy of government files, including evidence pertaining to specific terrorism suspects, is delaying the military tribunal process. 

These same attorneys have also argued that the Pentagon is withholding “potential exculpatory evidence”—restricting the right of their clients to have a fair trial before a military commission.

Pentagon lawyers have argued in response that they must maintain the secrecy of the proceedings due to security concerns, including the protection of the identities of US service members.

Navy Lt. Cmdr. William Kuebler, the defense attorney for Omar Khadr, a Guanatanamo detainee held since the age of 15, commented on the situation, “We’re going to have to see how willing the judges are to interpret the rules so as to give defense counsel some kind of chance to actually defend their clients.”

For more information, please see:

Yahoo News – Secret Evidence Bogs Down Gitmo Hearings – 9 February 2008