Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Day 1758: America held hostage
To paraphrase the NYT: JUDYJUDYJUDY has been held for 57 days!
To paraphrase me: "Pffft!" (doing my best Bill the Cat imitation).
Now here's a First Amendment "crusade" worthy of the Gray Lady's attention:
A cameraman for Reuters in Iraq has been ordered by a secret tribunal to be held without charge in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison until his case is reviewed within six months, a U.S. military spokesman said on Wednesday.
...Ali Omar Abrahem al-Mashhadani was arrested by U.S. forces on August 8 after a search of his home in the city of Ramadi. The U.S. military has refused Reuters' requests to disclose why he is being held. He has not been charged. His brother... said they were arrested after Marines looked at the images on the journalist's cameras...Lieutenant Colonel Guy Rudisill said... Mashhadani would be entitled to a review of his case within 180 days and would be held at Abu Ghraib. Rudisill said he would not be allowed to see an attorney, his family or anyone else for the first 60 days of his detention.
...Rudisill said he was aware of five journalists for major news media in detention...Journalists for other major international organizations have recently been released without charge after many months in custody."
PS: I think any calendar for when America's kidnapping should begin with Election Day, 2000 and hence the 1758 number.
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