Germany not very keen on return of Guantanamo prisoner

[Ser Clegane]

Some time ago we had a discussion here about the hypocrisy of some governments here in Europe when it comes to Guantanamo or other simlar camps.

This article that has recently been published in "Der Spiegel" shows another example of how governments that (with good reasons, IMO) criticize "institutions" like Guantanamo apparently "forget" about their standards when it is more convenient.

Germany Rejected Bremen Man's Return.

Bottomline (I'm paraphrasing here):
The US should release those prisoners who seem to have no connections to AQ and send them ... uhm ... somewhere, where they don't bother decent people.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Actually, if you read it all, it becomes a damning indictment of both governments, their tawdry excuses and the abomination that is Guantanamo.

Saddest of all in relation to this man that both the US and German intelligence services concluded was innocent:

Since then, the Germans have been asking themselves whether the West hasn't created the enemy it believed it was fighting at Guantanamo.

[R'as al Ghul]

Some time ago we had a discussion here about the hypocrisy of some governments here in Europe when it comes to Guantanamo or other simlar camps.

According to the lastest Amnesty International report, Gemany and other European nations didn't care too much about the CIA prisoner transports, either. All we had to do was to ask for an inspection of those flights, which is our right, and to discover that it weren't businessmen but prisoners with hoods sitting in those planes.
As long as we don't give others an example how to respect those rights, we should refrain from criticizing others.

[Banquo's Ghost]

As long as we don't give others an example how to respect those rights, we should refrain from criticizing others.

Well said.

[Watchman]

Then again, the gov'ts here do seem to be taking considerable public flak for their double dealings once those come to light...

[R'as al Ghul]

Then again, the gov'ts here do seem to be taking considerable public flak for their double dealings once those come to light...

Well, it's the least we can do to show that we're halfway decent people.
But it's not such a big issue as I would like it to be.
Every time it comes to light, there's a small outcry for a week and then it's back to normality again. Until the next incident, and the next...

[rory_20_uk]

Concerning the flights, were they known to be CIA flights, US government flights or merely apparently "normal" flights.

If they were CIA flights then failing to check seems madness. If they were normal flights then checking all could be a monumental waste of time.

[R'as al Ghul]

The BND (german intelligence, sort of) and our government of course don't tell us since when they know. They aren't that stupid.
From the point in time when the public found out, they've confirmed their knowledge, leaving it to imagination just how long they have known.
But, seriously, the BND isn't that stupid. Imo they have known it from day one.
AI writes, in their annual report, about a CIA company that existed solely for the purpose of maintaining two planes. It's been found out by AI that these planes were used for transports of prisoners. The company changed its names over the years and recently was liquidated. If AI can have these informations, so can and should the BND.
It's also quite obvious that while the old german government had a little dispute over the Iraq war with the US administration, the intelligence agencies worked very close, for example in Bagdhad.

[Rodion Romanovich]

Nice, double standards

[Brenus]

Honestly, an innocent guy, in jail without knowing if he will be free one day, can turn in a very resentful man… So, he wasn’t a terrorist, but he probably now change his mind… It is the good story of Frankenstein. You create a monster, and when he goes to the village you are quiet concern… I would.