Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzón on Bin Laden’s Killing, Holding Torturers Accountable, More

Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzón on Bin Laden’s Killing, Holding Torturers Accountable, Universal Jurisdiction, and His Threatened Ouster From the Bench

Citing the doctrine of Universal Jurisdiction, Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón has used the Spanish courts to investigate cases of torture, war crimes and other offenses around the world. In 1998, he ordered the arrest of former Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet, a move that led to Pinochet’s arrest and detention in Britain. In 2003, Garzón indicted Osama bin Laden and dozens of other members of Al Qaeda. Garzón later attempted to indict six high-ranking members of the Bush administration for their role in authorizing torture at the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo Bay and overseas before the case was eventually dropped under U.S. pressure. While Garzón has long been one of the world’s most feared judges, he is now facing his own legal battle. Last year he was indicted for exceeding his authority for launching an investigation into the disappearance of more than 100,000 civilians at the hands of supporters of Gen. Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War. Garzón was suspended as a judge in May 2010 and is facing three separate trials.

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/5/12/spanish_judge_baltasar_garzn_on_bin

A little early for transcript.

Post-WW2, Franco was adored by important elements of the US intelligence community for going after the commies 'n' socialists 'n' stuff.

Incredibly, for investigating the disappearance and likely murder of 100,000 Spaniards, Judge Baltasar Garzon has to defend himself on charges of overstepping his authority.

Godspeed Justice -- in Spain, here in the United States, and everywhere.

So, no crime was committed by the United States. This is, naturally, not a standard we allow for anyone or anything else (unless they have a lot of money, and are willing to make generous "campaign contributions"), but that's because we're exceptional. We said that, too.

This session of the court of circular reasoning stands recessed.

for promoting torture.

Thanks for the thread, EFerrari.

Spain shut him down when he tried to go into Franco era crimes. But in the interim while that is sorted out, he's going to work on the mess in Colombia.