Torture and other forms of "enhanced interrogations" of terror suspects in the US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay undermine all aspects of the prosecution against them, Chief Defense Counsel for Military Commissions John Baker said on Tuesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th December, 2021) Torture and other forms of "enhanced interrogations" of terror suspects in the US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay undermine all aspects of the prosecution against them, Chief Defense Counsel for Military Commissions John Baker said on Tuesday.
"Torture impacts and undermines every aspect of these prosecutions," Baker said in a written testimony at the US Senate Judiciary Committee.
Established by President George W. Bush in 2002, the detention facility has long been criticized for severe mistreatment and abuse of detainees amid repeated calls to close it. Former President Donald Trump signed an order to keep the detention facility open indefinitely, while current President Joe Biden promised to close it.
Baker said torture was at the heart of the problems at the detention facility while achieving justice was a secondary concern.
"The United States chose to secretly detain and torture the men it now seeks to punish. From the beginning, justice was an afterthought," he said.
Baker noted that US intelligence officials often openly threatened the detainees, saying they will never go to court just and the world will never know what is happening in the detention facility.
"When the cases did land in court or military commission, the government was well aware of the consequences of the black-site and other Guantanamo abuse," he added.
In July, the White House announced that the Biden administration is aiming to close down the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay for good and it is working to transfer the remaining detainees out, but has not set a deadline to effectuate the closure.
