MetalBoy
03-19-2004, 08:53 PM
Army: Evidence would have put national security at risk
MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- All charges against Army Muslim chaplain James Yee -- who was initially accused of espionage at the terrorist detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba -- have been dropped, the U.S. Army said Friday.
Yee had faced charges related to the alleged mishandling of classified information at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
But after extensive review, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller, the commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo, decided to stop pursuing the matter.
"Citing national security concerns that would arise from the release of the evidence, Miller decided to drop these charges," the Army said in a statement. "Miller made his decision after consultation with government lawyers and intelligence officials."
Yee had proposed to resign from the Army if the military would end its effort to prosecute him. Under that proposal, Yee said he would agree to take a polygraph and undergo a national security debriefing for up to 30 days. He also sought immunity from future charges. (Full story)
The government rejected the offer.
"Although Miller considered Yee's offer to undergo a debriefing in exchange for the government dropping the charges, granting him immunity and supporting his resignation, relevant law enforcement agencies could not support Yee's request for immunity," the Army statement said.
Yee, a West Point graduate and Army captain, had been serving as a chaplain for the detainees at Guantanamo Bay when he was arrested in September and originally accused of espionage. He was jailed for 76 days.
The formal charges were reduced to mishandling classified information, and Army prosecutors never introduced any evidence on what that was. They delayed Yee's preliminary hearing five times.
The only testimony about what Yee may have done wrong came from a U.S. Customs agent, who said Yee was carrying lists with names of detainees and interrogators when he arrived in Florida on leave in September. The agent searched Yee's belongings on a tip from military investigators.
The Army had added four minor charges, mainly involving adultery and ****ography, at the time it filed the reduced accusations of mishandling classified information.
In Friday's announcement, Miller said Yee would be offered nonjudicial punishment for the allegations of adultery and ****ography.
Such punishment would be given out in an Article 15 proceeding, the military's way of dealing with minor violations. The penalties would be minor and might consist of duty restriction or a temporary pay cut.
Yee would then be allowed to return to his home station in Fort Lewis, Washington.
Freaking traitor is getting off with a slap to the wrist. Where is the justice in this?
MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- All charges against Army Muslim chaplain James Yee -- who was initially accused of espionage at the terrorist detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba -- have been dropped, the U.S. Army said Friday.
Yee had faced charges related to the alleged mishandling of classified information at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
But after extensive review, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller, the commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo, decided to stop pursuing the matter.
"Citing national security concerns that would arise from the release of the evidence, Miller decided to drop these charges," the Army said in a statement. "Miller made his decision after consultation with government lawyers and intelligence officials."
Yee had proposed to resign from the Army if the military would end its effort to prosecute him. Under that proposal, Yee said he would agree to take a polygraph and undergo a national security debriefing for up to 30 days. He also sought immunity from future charges. (Full story)
The government rejected the offer.
"Although Miller considered Yee's offer to undergo a debriefing in exchange for the government dropping the charges, granting him immunity and supporting his resignation, relevant law enforcement agencies could not support Yee's request for immunity," the Army statement said.
Yee, a West Point graduate and Army captain, had been serving as a chaplain for the detainees at Guantanamo Bay when he was arrested in September and originally accused of espionage. He was jailed for 76 days.
The formal charges were reduced to mishandling classified information, and Army prosecutors never introduced any evidence on what that was. They delayed Yee's preliminary hearing five times.
The only testimony about what Yee may have done wrong came from a U.S. Customs agent, who said Yee was carrying lists with names of detainees and interrogators when he arrived in Florida on leave in September. The agent searched Yee's belongings on a tip from military investigators.
The Army had added four minor charges, mainly involving adultery and ****ography, at the time it filed the reduced accusations of mishandling classified information.
In Friday's announcement, Miller said Yee would be offered nonjudicial punishment for the allegations of adultery and ****ography.
Such punishment would be given out in an Article 15 proceeding, the military's way of dealing with minor violations. The penalties would be minor and might consist of duty restriction or a temporary pay cut.
Yee would then be allowed to return to his home station in Fort Lewis, Washington.
Freaking traitor is getting off with a slap to the wrist. Where is the justice in this?