Judge reserves decision on Bush torture case

Crossposted at DailyKos with additional commentary at the end of the article. http://www.dailykos.com/user/ccnwon
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This paper(the Vancouver Sun, part of a media empire) is owned by the pro-Israel Asper family and naturally pro-Iraq war as even Bush stated it serves Israel's interests. For this paper to even print on this issue indicates there is heavy political heat coming from all directions.

The writer gives his ignorant evaluation of the case. The judge reserved her decision for good reason. I have read the applicant's submission. The government is cornered. The judge has no reasonable choice but to to let the case go ahead otherwise she will be in error concerning Canadian laws and the Court will face time and again the same application.

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Ian Mulgrew
Vancouver Sun

Saturday, November 26, 2005


A group of B.C. lawyers who want U.S President George W. Bush put on trial for allegedly torturing thousands if not tens of thousands of those ghostly detainees in the war on terror was in B.C. Supreme Court Friday to argue its case.

The federal government, however, argued the allegations were being made in the wrong jurisdiction and that such a prosecution must be approved by Canadian Attorney-General Irwin Cotler.
The Crown says the case involves a non-citizen being accused of crimes committed outside Canada who was visiting the country as a guest of the government.

The government said it would be "appalling" if the B.C. courts allowed a private citizen to initiate criminal charges against Dubya under such circumstances.
But Lawyers Against the War, a Canadian-based international group, wants B.C. Supreme Court Justice Deborah Satanove to ignore Ottawa and overturn a lower court ruling that blocked the attempt to launch a rare, private prosecution.
Gail Davidson, a non-practising family lawyer, presented an earnest but badly delivered brief that did little to counter the Crown's persuasive arguments.

Davidson, who acknowledged her lack of criminal experience, at times provoked Satanove by failing to provide case references or copies of legal authorities.
The justice bristled at one point, saying Davidson should stick to the legal issues and stop making "a political speech."

"I think we've gone on a tangent here," Satanove said testily.

Ostensibly, at the heart of this case is the contention that Bush as head of state is legally responsible for the use of torture by U.S. forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Toronto teen Omar Khadr is one of those incarcerated prisoners who has been tortured, Davidson said.

But Satanove refused to even consider the booklet of gruesome photos she wanted to submit.

Continued:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/mparent7777/4766268.html


MARC PARENT

CRIMES AND CORRUPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWS

http://www.livejournal.com/users/mparent7777

http://www.dailykos.com/user/ccnwon