State Secrets Privilege Used Again

A German citizen's lawsuit brought forth to a US court that he was kidnapped and beaten by the CIA has been dismissed on grounds that if the case went along any further, it may endanger our national security. The German citizen, Khaled el-Masri claimed that he was picked up in Macedonia in 2003 and flown to Kabul, Afghanistan, where he was beaten. El-Masri was never charged with any terrorist offenses.

El-Masri demanded an apology from George Tenet and 10 other members of the CIA that he named, along with three other companies and their employees. He stated that he was held in Afghanistan for five months.

Judge of the US District Court in Virginia, TS Ellis, said regarding his decision, "The result reached here is in no way an adjudication of, or comment on, the merit or lack of merit of Mr. el-Masri's complaint. Further, it is also important that nothing in this ruling should be taken as a sign of judicial approval or disapproval of rendition programmes. In times of war, our country must often take exceptional steps to thwart the enemy." He also said that el-Masri's "private interests must give way to the national interest in preserving state secrets."

The U.S. has stated on numerous occasions that torture is not condoned. But, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, has admitted that the U.S. has flown individuals to other countries through the use of secret flights.

The state secrets privilege was used against Sibel Edmonds as well, in her pursuit of making known truths of 9/11 that only a select few are cognizant of. Politicians lie to us on a regular basis enough as it is. When someone wants to be honest about an event, then the government can go so far as to put a gag order on them to make sure that the truth is not spread? They can use the state secrets privilege, to make sure that the world, at large, is unaware of the actual happenings? If I was married, cheated on my wife, and she had documentation that I did in fact cheat, could I put forth the Craig's secrets privilege, to protect the security of my family, friends, and myself? I'm guessing not. The only reason I'd want to do that is the fact I knew she had documented evidence to support her claim and I didn't want anyone to know about it, because it'd make me look bad to the masses. I can't imagine it being any different when the state secrets privilege is used (and in abundance with this administration). Most people who heard Edmonds' testimony couldn't disagree with anything she had to say, as it was the truth. But, the state secrets privilege was used, so that documented evidence didn't get out to the public, and the government didn't look bad to the masses. This man claimed to have been kidnapped, beaten, and held for five months without being charged with any terrorist offenses. He can't receive any apology from the people he claims tortured him? Those five months of being kidnapped, tortured, and held in Afghanistan, he's supposed to forget about and get over, knowing what he does about what happened and about who did the deeds? If a woman had been beaten by her husband and she came forward to the authorities about it, would they tell her the same things that Judge Ellis told el-Masri? Would she have to go on knowing that the man who beat her could not be charged with the crime and punished for it? Fortunately, in that case, the answer to that is no (unless it was someone high up in the government, apparently). These cases illustrate that some people are above the law and even though the Judge claimed his decision was based in part on the security of our nation, knowing this makes for anything but a secure feeling.

Link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/4996140.stm