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November 22, 2008 7:16:53 AM CST

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Fierce Military Lawyers Take On Gitmo Fight

Posted Jun 19, 08 2:43 AM CDT in World,  Crime & Courts 

(Newser) – Military lawyers appointed to represent Guantanamo prisoners have been fighting in their clients' corner with unexpected fierceness, the New York Times reports. The lawyers have infuriated prosecutors by challenging the administration's war crimes system and demanding rights for their clients. One of them describes the task as a "historic opportunity to defend the rule of law."

Lt. Cmdr. William Kuebler, lawyer for a Canadian suspect captured in Afghanistan, has been a particular thorn in the administration's side. The conservative Christian—described as an "apple-cheeked William Kunstler in uniform" by the Times—has slammed the system he believes is "designed to get criminal convictions” without real evidence—or with evidence gained from torture. "You put the whole package together and it stinks," Kuebler said.

Source New York Times

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A lawyer for Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr, seen here in a file photo, has challenged the legality of the administration's military commission system for trying detainees.   (AP Photo/Family Handout via Canadian Press)
Military lawyer Lt. Cmdr. William Kuebler, seen here in a 2007 file photo, has strongly criticized the military war crimes system that keeps his client detained at Guantanamo Bay.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
A US military guard inside the maximum security Camp 5 at Camp Delta in Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, Cuba, 24 April 2007.   (Getty Images)
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Pentagon • Guantanamo Bay • Guantanamo prisoners • lawyer • military law • Omar Khadr • military commissions


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