DKSuddeth
Senior Member
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...0040322/ts_nm/security_guantanamo_chaplain_dc
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military, after dropping criminal charges against a Muslim Army chaplain who tended to Guantanamo prisoners, pressed forward on Monday with possible disciplinary action on adultery and pornography accusations.
Lt. Col. Bill Costello, a spokesman for U.S. Southern Command, said the Army was pursuing the charges, which at best could trigger mild disciplinary action, because the nonjudicial hearing involved does not "require the introduction of evidence that would have compromised national security."
Army Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller was set to consider evidence on whether Capt. James Yee had an extramarital sexual affair with a female officer and stored pornographic images on a government computer, said Costello.
Miller commands the task force overseeing the prison at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the United States holds roughly 610 foreign terrorism suspects. Yee worked with prisoners there for 10 months.
Yee was arrested last September in Florida as he returned from Guantanamo. Military authorities accused him in a court document of spying, mutiny, sedition, aiding the enemy and espionage, and told Yee's lawyers he could face the death penalty. Yee spent 76 days in a Navy brig but the Army failed to follow through with formal espionage-related charges.
Late on Friday, the Army dropped all criminal charges against the 36-year-old West Point graduate. The Army dropped six counts, including mishandling of classified information and lesser adultery and pornography charges.
Miami-based Southern Command said the decision to drop the charges stemmed from "national security concerns that would arise from the release of the evidence" against Yee.
Yee's lawyer, Eugene Fidell, said it marked a complete vindication for Yee, and that the Army owed him an apology.
The hearing was set for Monday night in Arlington, Virginia.
"General Miller alone will decide the facts of the case, and he can impose punishment at the conclusion of the proceedings," Costello said.
Such so-called Article 15 proceedings are reserved for minor offenses in the military and do not involve criminal charges.
If Miller finds that Yee committed these actions, Yee faces a possible written or oral reprimand, confinement to quarters for 30 days or restricted movement for 60 days, and forfeiture of half his pay for two months, Costello said.
Ok. I'm going to call this a bullshit move by the military at this point. Its a damn court martial, in a military court with military officers and a military judge. Theres no PUBLIC release of classified info in military court martial. Looks like there was a wild goose chase after all
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military, after dropping criminal charges against a Muslim Army chaplain who tended to Guantanamo prisoners, pressed forward on Monday with possible disciplinary action on adultery and pornography accusations.
Lt. Col. Bill Costello, a spokesman for U.S. Southern Command, said the Army was pursuing the charges, which at best could trigger mild disciplinary action, because the nonjudicial hearing involved does not "require the introduction of evidence that would have compromised national security."
Army Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller was set to consider evidence on whether Capt. James Yee had an extramarital sexual affair with a female officer and stored pornographic images on a government computer, said Costello.
Miller commands the task force overseeing the prison at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the United States holds roughly 610 foreign terrorism suspects. Yee worked with prisoners there for 10 months.
Yee was arrested last September in Florida as he returned from Guantanamo. Military authorities accused him in a court document of spying, mutiny, sedition, aiding the enemy and espionage, and told Yee's lawyers he could face the death penalty. Yee spent 76 days in a Navy brig but the Army failed to follow through with formal espionage-related charges.
Late on Friday, the Army dropped all criminal charges against the 36-year-old West Point graduate. The Army dropped six counts, including mishandling of classified information and lesser adultery and pornography charges.
Miami-based Southern Command said the decision to drop the charges stemmed from "national security concerns that would arise from the release of the evidence" against Yee.
Yee's lawyer, Eugene Fidell, said it marked a complete vindication for Yee, and that the Army owed him an apology.
The hearing was set for Monday night in Arlington, Virginia.
"General Miller alone will decide the facts of the case, and he can impose punishment at the conclusion of the proceedings," Costello said.
Such so-called Article 15 proceedings are reserved for minor offenses in the military and do not involve criminal charges.
If Miller finds that Yee committed these actions, Yee faces a possible written or oral reprimand, confinement to quarters for 30 days or restricted movement for 60 days, and forfeiture of half his pay for two months, Costello said.
Ok. I'm going to call this a bullshit move by the military at this point. Its a damn court martial, in a military court with military officers and a military judge. Theres no PUBLIC release of classified info in military court martial. Looks like there was a wild goose chase after all
