Congress to act to keep abuse photos hidden

[unhappycamper]

Congress to act to keep abuse photos hidden
By Mark Sherman - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Oct 11, 2009 15:59:23 EDT

WASHINGTON — Congress is set to allow the Pentagon to keep new pictures of foreign detainees abused by their U.S. captors from the public, a move intended to end a legal fight over the photographs' release that has reached the Supreme Court.

Federal courts have so far rejected the government's arguments against the release of 21 color photographs showing prisoners in Afghanistan and Iraq being abused by Americans.

The Obama administration thinks giving the imminent grant of authority over the release of such pictures to the defense secretary would short-circuit a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union under the Freedom of Information Act.

The White House is asking the justices to put off consideration of the case until after a vote on the measure in the House and Senate, as early as this coming week. The provision is part of a larger homeland security spending bill and would allow the defense secretary to withhold photographs relating to detainees by certifying their release would endanger soldiers or other government workers.

The ACLU said the court should not disturb a ruling by the federal appeals court in New York ordering the photographs' release. The pending congressional action "does not supply any reason for delay," Jameel Jaffer, director of ACLU's national security project, told the court.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/10/ap_abuse_photos_100909/

[saracat]

1. This is transparency?

[SpiralHawk]

2. Let the torture chips fall where they may

Without the ugly truth of how the Republicon torture freaks abused people and sullied the honor of the USA, we cannot move forward with integrity.

The American people deserve the truth about the Republicon torture sickos and how they debased this nation.

[jtrockville]

3. It happened. Let's face it head-on and PROSECUTE whoever ordered it.