Dossari suicide attempts

Today, Guantanamo prisoner Jumah Abdel Latif Al Dossari will write a suicide letter addressed to Joshua Colangelo-Bryan, his co-counsel with the Center for Constitutional Rights, and Khaled, his interpreter. He will then attempt to take his life by slashing and hanging himself.

The letter he wrote will be released on 15 March 2006. The letter will reference the torture that he suffers, and describe the denial of his human dignity.

I hope you will always remember that you met and sat with a "human being" called "Jumah" who suffered too much and was abused in his belief, self, in his dignity and also in his humanity. He was imprisoned, tortured and deprived from his homeland, his family and his young daughter who is in the most need for him for four years... with no reason or crime committed. Remember that there are hundreds of detainees in Guantanamo Cuba they are in the same situation of suffering and misfortune. They were captured, tortured and detained with no offense or reason. Their lives might end like mine...

Ironically enough, in his letter, he will appeal to the fair-mindedness of the American people

There was no other alternative to make our voice heard by the world from the depths of the detention centers except this way in order for the world to re-examine its standing and for the fair people of America to look again at the situation and try to have a moment of truth with themselves ...

He will also appeal to the alleged fair-mindedness of the rest of the world's citizens

Take some of my blood... take pieces of my death shrouds... take some of my remains... take pictures of my dead body when I am placed in my grave, lonely... send it to the world.. to the judges... to people with live conscious... to people with principles and values, the "fair-minded"...

His plea will largely be ignored.

On 09 April, 2006, an article in the Washington Post (reprint) will report that he has again tried to take his life. For weeks lawyers will be denied information about his condition, including whether or not he has survived his latest attempt. From the article:

"I'd like to know if he's alive," Colangelo-Bryan [Dossari's attorney] said. "I think it underscores the fact that the government does not believe that it has to play by any rules at all."

This entry concerns a current event, and will be update

"Mitch" on Glen Beck's radio show

Today Glen Beck will field a call from a listener named "Mitch". "Mitch" will claim to be a former intelligence officer. During his call, he will claim to have personally tortured foreign detainees by burning their retinas with high-powered Halogen lamps and bursting their eardrums using high-pressure water and air.

In response to "Mitch's" confession, Beck will respond "I've got to tell you I appreciate your service". Beck will then ask the caller if he has problems sleeping at night. When "Mitch" responds "No", Beck will respond "Good for you. I have to tell you when all's said and done I'm glad people like you are on our side."

A reproduction of the transcript can be found here.

US senate approves prohibition of prisoner abuse

Today, despite rumours since July to the contrary, Bush's administration will not veto an amendment that would prohibit the use of "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" against anyone in U.S. government custody. Instead senators will vote 90-9 to approve the amendment. The proposal also requires all service members to follow procedures in the Army Field Manual when they detain and interrogate terrorism suspects.

The nine senators who will vote against the amendment are:

1. Alan Wayne Allard (R-CO)
2. Christopher Samuel "Kit" Bond (R-MO)
3. Thomas Allen Coburn (R-OK)
4. William Thad Cochran (R-MS)
5. John Cornyn III (R-TX)
6. James Mountain Inhofe (R-OK)
7. Charles Patrick Roberts (R-KS)
8. Jefferson Beauregard Sessions (R-AL)
9. Theodore Fulton Stevens (R-AK)

Senator Jon Stevens Corzine (D-NJ) will not be present for the vote.