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October 7, 2010

Citing Coerced Testimony, Judge Bars Witness at Gitmo Trial
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The first civilian trial of a former Guantánamo Bay prisoner has been
delayed after a federal judge ruled prosecutors can’t call a key witness
to the stand. The prisoner, Ahmed Ghailani, has pleaded not guilty on
charges surrounding the 1998 embassy bombings in East Africa that killed
224 people. On Wednesday, District Judge Lewis Kaplan barred a Tanzanian
man who says he sold weapons to Ghailani on the grounds he was tracked
down as a result of Ghailani’s coerced statements under CIA
interrogation. Defense attorney Peter Quijano praised the decision.

Peter Quijano: "Judge Kaplan ruled today that the Constitution is the
rock upon which our nation rests. We could not agree more with the
court. This case will be tried upon lawful evidence, not torture, not
coercion. It is the Constitution that won a great victory today. We
applaud the court for its courage and support for the law."



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