US plans case against AP photographer

AP photographer Bilal Hussein

The US continues to turn everything you assume about "justice" on its fucking head.

How unfortunate Bilal Hussein was born with such a horrid name. He never had a chance.

The U.S. military plans to seek a criminal case in an Iraqi court against an award-winning Associated Press photographer but is refusing to disclose what evidence or accusations would be presented.

An AP attorney on Monday strongly protested the decision, calling the U.S. military plans a "sham of due process." The journalist, Bilal Hussein, has already been imprisoned without charges for more than 19 months.

A public affairs officer notified the AP on Sunday that the military intends to submit a written complaint against Hussein that would bring the case into the Iraqi justice system as early as Nov. 29. Under Iraqi codes, an investigative magistrate will decide whether there are grounds to try Hussein, 36, who was seized in the western Iraqi city of Ramadi on April 12, 2006.

Dave Tomlin, associate general counsel for the AP, said the defense for Hussein is being forced to work "totally in the dark."

The military has not yet defined the specific charges against Hussein. Previously, the military has pointed to a range of suspicions that attempt to link him to insurgent activity.

The AP rejects all the allegations and contends it has been blocked by the military from mounting a wide-ranging defense for Hussein, who was part of the AP's Pulitzer Prize-winning photo team in 2005.

Perhaps Hussein is guilty of "something" having to do with the "insurgents", but charge the son of a bitch and give the AP a decent chance to defend him.


Photo: Bilal Hussein AP
Its always a dicey situation when a news photographer goes for photos of "the enemy" and this could easily be a huge misunderstanding. But no one knows because there are no specifics about his alleged transgressions.

Via Yahoo! News.