BBC JOURNALIST TORTURED IN GUANTANAMO

Today, I want to share a very effectively censored story... about which I don't pretend to be an expert. Camera-man and journalist Sami Al Haj was arrested in Afghanistan and held in Guantanamo Bay for over 6 years and then released, with multiple scars obviously from torture including one on his penis. He reported the camp was full of massive and random torture and degradation(of humans and Qurans) beyond what most Americans dream their government is capable of.

Al Haj often worked for Al-Jazeera, as is commonly known. What is kept under wraps is that he also often worked for The British Broadcasting Corporation. I get my news from BBC.com and this is how I first came across the story of his release and account. It was at the very bottom of the page in small type, talked about his covering the conflict for the BBC, and now seems to have vanished. Most commentators say that the charges against Al Haj were trumped up; his real crime seems to have been to have that he journalistically found out and interviewed Al Qaeda leaders and wouldn't give their whereabouts to the C.I.A. so they could be duly assasinated.

Here's a link from an American news organization that bucked the massive pressure and reported on this story, at least minimally:
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/5/2/after_more_than_6_years_al

Now let me make some points: I have no sympathy with Islamic terrorists; I despise them along with all terrorists, and am a fervent atheist. Actually, unlike Obama and others, I think harsh or torturous interrogation techniques are sometimes a necessary evil and we'll repent banning them. But they should be used only when absolutely needed to prevent terrorism(with some amount of transparency) and never against journalists. Also I've read enough about Guantanamo to know that the U.S.A. commited war crimes there... often against people who were either innocent or pawns. The Obama Administration has shown its true imperialistic stripes by deciding not to press the issue and prosecute the crimminals.