Gitmo Commissions To Continue

The Defense Department will continue to conduct military commissions for detainees held at the prison on Guantanamo Naval Station, Cuba, despite a June 12 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which stated that detainees have the same rights to appeal as U.S. citizens. Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said in a June 17 press conference that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates would receive a briefing within days from DoD’s policy chief and top lawyer, and that several federal agencies are working to devise a suitable plan to handle detainees’ cases.