Monday, May 22, 2006

A disinformation uprising?

I hadn't seen this earlier but apparently the reports of Gitmo detainees revolting and attacking guards with various bits of hardware might actually be a disinformation campaign designed to demonstrate that the detainees are crazed maniacs who all need to remain just where they are. Evidence that this might be the motivation is clearly provided by the gitmo commander, Adm. Henry Harris:
It was "probably the most violent outbreak" in the camp's four-year history ... "These are dangerous men and determined jihadists."
I can almost hear the words to follow:
And if we need to fake a few news reports that prove our point, well, we know how to do that.
When this story first broke, details were scarce and early reports indicated that, when an inmate tried to commit suicide, guards trying to prevent the attempt were attacked by several other inmates. It then later was claimed that the suicide attempt had been staged.

Now, Moassam Begg, a Brit who spent a considerable amount of time at Guantanamo Bay, says that there is just no way detainees could ever have done such a thing.
Moazzam Begg, the Birmingham bookshop owner released from the camp last year, said the detention cells were too closely monitored and controlled for inmates to organise a revolt so well. Clive Stafford Smith and Brent Mickum, defence lawyers who regularly visit clients in the base, said they suspected the official accounts were "rubbish".

He added that electrical equipment such as fans and cameras were normally out of reach. "It's not like a Second World War prisoner of war camp where you can dig tunnels. There's so much security, day in, day out. Everything is logged, everything is watched, everything is scheduled."
...

Mr Begg, who was seized by the CIA in Pakistan in 2002, said he was sceptical that inmates would be able to avoid the round-the-clock surveillance by CCTV cameras, foot patrols and watchtowers to make and hide weapons.
This alleged uprising was claimed to taken place on the same day that the UN reissued a call for the Bush administration to close the prison.

[via Phillybits]

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