US

Obama suspends Guantanamo trials on first day of office

Article published on the 2009-01-21 Latest update 2009-01-22 11:32 TU

Canadian defendant Omar Khadr reacts in a Guantanamo court as shown in an artist's sketch
(Credit: Reuters)

On Wednesday, a US military judge suspended the trial of Omar Khader for four months, in line with Obama's request. Omar Khader is a young Canadian detainee in Guantanamo who was arrested at age 15 while visiting Pakistan, where his family came from. More military judges are expected to rule later today on the move, which would affect the trials of five alleged plotters of the 11 September attacks.

 

Obama has vowed to close the prison in Cuba, which has been bitterly criticized by human rights groups.

The suspensions would "permit the newly inaugurated president and his administration time to review the military commissions process, generally, and the cases currently pending before military commissions, specifically," according to a document released by prosecutor Clayton Trivett.

European Union foreign ministers will meet next week to discuss the possibility of bringing some Guantanamo prisoners into EU member states.

Germany said that it was not prepared take in Guantanamo inmates, but Portugal and Great Britain have indicated that they may be amenable to receiving prisoners.

There are currently 248 inmates on the base in Cuba.

During his inauguration speech on Tuesday, Obama vowed to reclaim the US's position at the head of global power, and indicated he would reject the strong-arm "war on terror" tactics used by the Bush administration that many believe infringe on civil liberties.

Cori Crider, an attorney at Reprieve in London, which represents several Guantanamo inmates, told RFI that the EU bore some responsibility for their welfare.

"Europe participated by allowing rendition flights to fly over EU airspace or to refuel in EU countries on the way to Guantanamo and even worse places," said Crider. 

"Many, many European countries were prefectly happy to send interrogators to Guantanamo to question prisoners there in the early years when Guantanamo was at its most brutal," she added.

"It is an American problem for sure, but Europe shares some of the responsibility for helping the new administration find a solution and move past this dark chapter in all of our histories," she said.