Friday, December 08, 2006

Tortured Justice


In an act both just and hypocritical, the U.S. government is charging Charles McArthur Emmanuel with the crime of torture, committed while Emmanuel worked for his war criminal father, Charles Taylor, in Liberia.

Here's the basic gist from the BBC:
Mr Emmanuel, known as Charles "Chuckie" Taylor, had been arrested in late March in Miami and has pleaded guilty to passport fraud for not declaring his connection to his father.

He was in charge of presidential security when his father was in power in Liberia, and is accused of taking part in the torture of a victim in July 2002.

"The allegations in this case include acts of torture, such as burning flesh with a hot iron, burning flesh with scalding water, and applying electric shocks," a US attorney said in an official statement.

The assistant secretary for immigration and customs enforcement said it was a "clear message the US would not be a safe haven for human rights violators".
Please disregard that last statement from the U.S. assistant secretary for immigration and customs enforcement as many Cuban terrorists walk the streets of Miami everyday.

Is the trial of Emmanuel hypocritical? You betcha, but it is justice, no matter how tortured it may be.