Spanish Investigators Push Justice Department On Torture Role

[kpete]

Source: The Huffington Post

Spanish Investigators Push Justice Department On Torture Role; How Will Holder Answer?


First Posted: 09-11-09 04:29 PM | Updated: 09-11-09 05:08 PM

By Scott Horton
Special to the Huffington Post

Two investigating judges from the Spanish national security court, the Audiencia Nacional, are asking the U.S. Justice Department for details about the role played by Bush Administration lawyers in the development and approval of torture practices that were apparently applied to a number of Spanish subjects held in Guantanamo.

The judges have asked for responses by the end of October, setting up another major test for Attorney General Eric Holder. This time, the question is whether Holder will choose to oblige or stymie international criminal investigations of Bush officials for torture, in the absence of any domestic efforts in that direction.

Holder has thus far threaded the needle between torture critics and torture apologists by launching a narrowly tailored preliminary inquiry into a small group of incidents that exceeded Justice Department guidances in place at the time.

Had he launched a more wide-ranging investigation, the Spaniards would almost certainly have abandoned theirs, which is based on the principle of universal jurisdiction when it comes to such things as war crimes.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/11/spanish-investigators-pus_n_283955.html

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

[SpiralHawk]

2. "They'll never get me. Smirk." - xCommander AWOL (R - Family Values)

"I am a Holy Innocent (smirk). I'm a (smirk) 'christian' Republicon Homelander (smirk), and therefore I have (smirk) Morally Superior (smirk) Family Values (Smirk) and Can Do Unto Them What Was Done Unto HIM. Smirk."

- xCommander AWOL (R)

[wildbilln864]

3. k&r! nt

[MasonJar]

4. Good for SPAIN. HOW EMBARRASSING FOR the USA that other countries

are forced to investigate our WAR CRIMES. Go get 'em, Spanish Justice! You should be embarrassed Obama/Holder.

[burrowowl]

5. Yes! It is very embarrassing!

:mad:

[fascisthunter]

6. now the World must be judge and jury of this country

because the politicians we have are pathetic sellouts.