U.S. Releases Juvenile Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay

[Judi Lynn]

U.S. Releases Juvenile Prisoners from Guantanamo Bay
2 hours, 1 minute ago

By Charles Aldinger

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States announced on Thursday it had released three juvenile "enemy combatants" held at the U.S. military prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and flown them to their home country.

The three, ranging from 13 to 15 years old, were the only juveniles among 660 suspected Taliban and al Qaeda guerrillas being held without charge at the U.S. naval base.

Detention of the prisoners, especially the youngsters, has drawn major criticism from human rights groups and governments who have urged the United States to file charges against the detainees or release them.

The Pentagon (news - web sites) did not say where the three juveniles were flown, but one U.S. official told Reuters the youngsters were returned to Afghanistan (news - web sites) -- where they were arrested more than a year ago -- to be set free.

"With the assistance of non-governmental organizations, the juveniles will be resettled in their home country. It is our goal to return them to an environment where they have an opportunity to re-integrate into civil society," the Defense Department said in a statement.
(snip/...)

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040129/ts_nm/security_guantanamo_juveniles_dc_3

[tlcandie]

1. Re-integrated?!?!?!

They will be damaged for life and will always hate us!!!

[Hoosier Democrat]

2. I am just SO PROUD to be an American...

My, aren't we the bright, shining beacon unto the world. We've now snatched kids from their home and spirited them half-way around the world to be held for years without charges.

By the article, it is possible that some of these kids were kidnapped right after we went into Afghanistan. That was almost two years ago. Please don't tell me we grabbed this kid when he was 11.

War or no war, I have a real hard time holding middle-school aged kids as "Enemy Combatants".




:(

[louis-t]

3. "re-integrated"?

How old were these kids when they were seized? 'resistance is futile':grr:

[pink_poodle]

4. Why were they holding children in the first place!!!!!!!!!!!! -nm

"

[CheshireCat]

5. What we've done at Gitmo is shameful!

So glad the kids will finally go home, but they must be damaged to the core. I have a hard time believing that an 11 year old was so dangerous.

Gitmo is one of the most shameful episodes in recent US history.

[thingfish]

6. Thank you, Preznit Dubya, for protecting us from these 'Tweens of Terror.'

Un-fucking-believable.

[DevilsAdvocate2]

7. True, kids aged 11-17 aren't dangerous

If they were, we'd expect to see a rash of people that age go into their middle and high schools and start shooting people indiscriminately. Oh, wait a minute....

[Adapter44]

8. Please compile a list

of such instances. Show me more than 10 in the past 5 years.

Considering we have thousands and thousands of schools in this nation with millions of kids in them with sub 100 dead in the past 5 years from in school violence says a lot.

[DevilsAdvocate2]

14. That's close to the same argument...

That people use when 500 dead soldiers are mentioned. After all, 500 out of 150,000 troops in Iraq is only .3% (not 3%, .3%). Or you can put it in terms of casualties suffered in past wars and say they are very minimal and "says a lot" about our operation in Iraq. Not that I agree with incarcerating people indefinitely, but to issue the statement that kids 11, 12, or 13 years old pose no threat is not entirely accurate.

[Just Me]

12. Geez, aren't you EXAGGERATING a bit!!!

I have a challenge for you, Devil. Give us comparative statistics to prove your allegation of "rash,...people that age,...shooting people indiscriminately",...in comparison to,...let's say REAL LIFE politicians who ruin people's lives chaining them to the emotional passions and duties of "freedom" and "security" while they direct the unconscionable killing of, only God knows how many of completely innocent others,...and which "costs" ALL those "below" them,...but, financially benefits them, ENORMOUSLY!!!

Which handful of damage-causing "agents" do you want to focus on?

Frankly, the handful of disturbed kids in this country cannot possibly compare to the handful of destructive elistists at the top. That would be like comparing a pauper's penny to the auction of a king's robe. Dontcha' think?

[NeoConsSuck]

13. Hey Devil..

Off topic here, but your flag is upside down.

[Judi Lynn]

9. Kick!

:dem: :dem: :dem:

[Robb]

10. You know, if we had any journalists in this country

...they'd go interview these kids. :shrug:

[iverglas]

11. wondering whether one is the Canadian citizen juvenile

http://www.refuseandresist.org/detentions/art.php?aid=740

Amnesty International Demands Release of Juveniles at Guantanamo Detention Camp

... It was not known if one of the three teens being interrogated includes Toronto-born Omar Khadr, 16, who is being held in Guantanamo after being captured by U.S. Special Forces on July 27 near Khost, where he was taking part in small arms and explosives training at an al-Qaida compound. Before being taken prisoner, the teen allegedly threw a grenade that killed a U.S. medic.
<note that reports on what actually happened vary and are unconfirmed>

Asked whether Khadr is among the youths being interrogated by the U.S. military in Cuba, Foreign Affairs spokesman Reynald Doiron said Wednesday from Ottawa that his department "would not comment on this, on whether it is taking place or not."

However, The Globe and Mail reported last week that U.S. officials would want to interrogate the Canadian because his father has been identified as a senior financial leader of al-Qaida.

Yeah, that's a good reason for holding an obviously brainwashed and exploited 16-year-old in Guantanamo ... not.


"With the assistance of non-governmental organizations, the juveniles will be resettled in their home country. It is our goal to return them to an environment where they have an opportunity to re-integrate into civil society," the Defense Department said in a statement.

Yeah, that's sure what they did with his brother Abdulrahman ... not.

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/11/30/khadr_return031130

A Canadian who disappeared after being released from Guantanamo Bay last month has returned home.

He was released last month after spending nine months in Guantanamo Bay.

... U.S. officials put him on a plane to Afghanistan, and his family lost contact with him soon after.

While his family waited for word, Khadr said he travelled to Pakistan, where he contacted Canadian officials with the intention of returning to Canada.

He said officials there shunned him because he didn't have proper documentation.

From there, Khadr said, he went to Iran and then to Bosnia, where Canadian officials were more receptive.

The US government ... once again bringing democracy and freedom to the world, one kid at a time.

.

[DUreader]

15. Also what about those who were 15-17 when first imprisoned?

They are no longer juveniles but probably still held

[DUreader]

16. U.S.: Despite Releases, Children Still Held at Guantanamo

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=338595


NEW YORK- January 29 - The United States released three children from detention at Guantanamo Bay today. Human Rights Watch
welcomed the release, but cautioned that other children are still being detained at the U.S. naval base in violation of international standards.

<snip>
The Department of Defense has confirmed that an unspecified number of other children, aged 16 and 17, are also detained at Guantanamo.
In contrast to the three who were released, these children are not segregated from the adult population, and are not receiving education or
rehabilitation assistance. International law generally defines children as all individuals under the age of 18.

<snip>
International standards recognize that children under the age of 18 are a particularly vulnerable group, and are entitled to special care and
protection because they are still developing physically, mentally and emotionally. These standards include certain key principles, including
the use of detention only as a measure of last resort, the separation of children from adults, the right of children to maintain contact with
their families, and the right to a prompt determination of their case. In addition, treaties binding on the United States recognize the special
situation of children who have been recruited or used in armed conflict, and their rights to prompt demobilization, and rehabilitation and
reintegration assistance.

In cases where children are believed to have committed war crimes, they can be formally charged and should be provided with counsel and
tried in accordance with international standards of juvenile justice.

more...
http://www.commondreams.org/news2004/0129-15.htm