News
Torture and Secret C.I.A. Prisons Haunt 9/11 Case in Judge’s Ruling
When a military judge threw out a defendant’s confession in the Sept. 11 case this month, he gave two main reasons.
The prisoner’s statements, the judge ruled, were obtained through the C.I.A.’s use of torture, including beatings and sleep deprivation.
But equally troubling to the judge was what happened to the prisoner in the years after his physical torture ended, when the agency held him in isolation and kept questioning him from 2003 to 2006.
The defendant, Ammar al-Baluchi, is accused of sending money and providing other support to some of the hijackers who carried out the terrorist attack, which killed 3,000 people. In court, Mr. Baluchi is charged as Ali Abdul Aziz Ali.
He is the nephew of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the man accused of masterminding the plot.
The judge, Col. Matthew N. McCall, wrote that it was easy to focus on the torture because it was “so absurdly far outside the norms of what is expected of U.S. custody preceding law enforcement questioning.”
“However,” he added, “the three and a half years of uncharged, incommunicado detention and essentially solitary confinement — all while being continually questioned and conditioned — is just as egregious” as the physical torture.
Prosecutors are preparing to appeal.
But the 111-page ruling was the latest blow to the government’s two-decade-old effort to hold death penalty trials at Guantánamo Bay by sweeping aside a legacy of state-sponsored torture.
Military judges in the two capital cases at Guantánamo have rejected the use of confessions taken from prisoners after they were in C.I.A. detention, illustrating the enduring stain of a Bush administration decision after Sept. 11, 2001, to interrogate and hide suspected members of Al Qaeda in black sites rather than use the court-monitored law enforcement system.
From his capture in Pakistan in early 2003 to his transfer to Guantánamo in 2006, Mr. Baluchi was kept out of the reach of lawyers, a court and the International Red Cross, according to evidence presented at years of pretrial hearings.
In his first days in custody, Mr. Baluchi was deprived of sleep for 82 straight hours. He was shackled at the ankles and the wrists in a way that forced him to stand, naked, with a hood on his head. He was made to fear he would be drowned in a mock waterboarding technique while he was in a dungeonlike setting in Afghanistan.
In time, he was shuttled between five overseas prisons, including in Eastern Europe. Food and clothing were used as rewards for his cooperation with C.I.A. debriefers in a program described in court by two psychologists who carried out some of the interrogations for the agency.
The judge referred to classified C.I.A. accounts showing that Mr. Baluchi was questioned about Al Qaeda and his role in the Sept. 11 attacks more than 1,000 times before he was transferred to Guantánamo. Then, in January 2007, the Bush administration adopted a concept called clean teams.
The idea was to have agents who had not been involved in previous interrogations question a suspect anew to try to obtain admissible evidence for a court case. In the case of Mr. Baluchi, three F.B.I. agents questioned him over four days at Guantánamo in January 2007, four months after he was transferred there from a black site.
The F.B.I. agents wrote a memo containing his confessions, which Judge McCall rejected on April 11 as illegally derived from torture.
Prosecutors had argued that Mr. Baluchi’s brutal interrogations lasted only a few days. For the next three years, they said, he gradually became less afraid of his captors and in time voluntarily answered questions from the C.I.A. debriefers and, later, from the F.B.I. questioners at Guantánamo.
The judge disagreed. “The goal of the program was to condition him through torture and other inhumane and coercive methods to become compliant during any government questioning,” he wrote. “The program worked.”
Uncertainty over whether the statements would be admissible was one reason the prosecutors sought to settle the case with guilty pleas in exchange for life sentences rather than through a death-penalty trial.
Mr. Baluchi and his lawyers never reached a plea agreement. But Mr. Mohammed and two other defendants did in a settlement that the Justice Department is now trying to overturn. If the courts uphold the deal and the plea goes forward, Mr. Mohammed has agreed to let prosecutors use portions of his 2007 interrogations at Guantánamo at a sentencing hearing.
Government lawyers have to meet a high bar in appealing to reinstate Mr. Baluchi’s 2007 statements. In January, the military commissions appeals court upheld a judge’s decision to throw out the same type of evidence in the U.S.S. Cole case, the longest-running capital case at Guantánamo Bay.
In it, the appellate panel endorsed the analysis of the judge in that case that the C.I.A. had “conditioned” its captives “to answer questions from United States government officials — be they debriefers, interrogators or interviewers.”
In his third month at Guantánamo, Mr. Baluchi reported to a medical staff member that guards had withheld water from him “for 48 hours because he wrote his name in his shower with steam,” the judge noted.
Court testimony showed that each former C.I.A. prisoner’s cell was equipped with an intercom and individual shower that required little contact with guards. So Mr. Baluchi was punished for writing his name in a place where only he, the guards and the prison’s surveillance system could see it.
Moves between black sites started with a cavity search, the judge said in a section that explained the process in detail. Mr. Baluchi was blindfolded, and his ears and mouth were covered to prevent him from hearing or communicating with others.
“He was diapered and then strapped into a seat or strapped to the floor like cargo for however long the flight lasted,” the judge recounted. The prisoner “did not know where he was going or how long he would have to remain in a soiled diaper.”
Children play in the water along the shore as a mix of bulk carriers, cargo ships, and service vessels sit offshore in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Sunday.
Razieh Poudat/ISNA/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Razieh Poudat/ISNA/AP
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The U.S. military said it intercepted Iranian attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz and “targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking U.S. forces,” highlighting the fragility of the month-old ceasefire between the two countries.
U.S. Central Command said in a social media post that U.S. forces intercepted “unprovoked Iranian attacks” and responded with self-defense strikes.
The U.S. military said no ships were hit. It said it doesn’t seek escalation but “remains positioned and ready to protect American forces.”
Meanwhile, Iranian state media said the country’s armed forces exchanged fire with “the enemy” on Qeshm Island in the strait. It is the largest Iranian island in the Persian Gulf, home to about 150,000 people. It also houses a water desalination plant.
Iranian state media also reported loud noises and defensive fire in western Tehran. In southern Iran, explosions were heard near Bandar Abbas, semiofficial Iranian news agencies Fars and Tasnim said. The reports did not identify the source of the blasts.
Earlier in the day, a shipping data company reported that Iran has created a government agency to vet and tax vessels seeking passage through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian effort to formalize control over the channel raised new concerns about international shipping, with hundreds of commercial vessels bottled up in the Persian Gulf and unable to reach the open sea. Still, hope that the two-month conflict could soon be over buoyed international markets.
U.S. administration has sent mixed messages
The ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has largely held since April 8. In-person talks between the two countries, hosted by Pakistan last month, failed to reach an agreement to end the war that began Feb. 28 when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran.
Earlier Thursday, Tehran said it was examining the latest U.S. proposals for ending the war.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the Islamic Republic was reviewing messages from Pakistan, which is mediating peace negotiations, but Iran “has not yet reached a conclusion, and no response has been given to the U.S. side,” Iranian state TV reported.
At the Vatican, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed Middle East peace efforts with Pope Leo XIV, whose opposition to the Iran war has led to open sparring with President Donald Trump.
The Trump administration has sent mixed messages on its strategy to end the war. The tenuous ceasefire and previous declarations that military operations were over have given way to new threats of bombing if Tehran does not accept a deal that allows for resumption of oil and natural gas shipments disrupted by the conflict.
Trump reiterated those after Thursday’s exchange of fire.
“Just like we knocked them out again today, we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!” Trump said in a social media post.
Earlier this week, Trump suspended an attempt by the U.S. military to open a safe passage for commercial ships through the strait, saying the pause would allow more time to reach a peace agreement. An official in Saudi Arabia said Thursday that the key U.S. ally refused to support Trump’s effort to reopen the strait by force.
Pakistan says it expects a deal soon
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke by phone Thursday with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said.
“We expect an agreement sooner rather than later,” Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said. “We hope the parties will reach a peaceful and sustainable solution that will contribute not only to peace in our region but to international peace as well.”
He declined to give a timeline.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking in televised remarks, said Islamabad remained in “continuous contact with Iran and the United States, day and night, to stop the war and extend the ceasefire.”
Meanwhile, direct talks between Israel and Lebanon were scheduled to resume next week in Washington, according to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss plans for the closed-door meetings. The official said talks will be held May 14 and 15.
Iran creates agency to control passage at Hormuz
The report by shipping data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence that Iran has established a new government agency to approve transit and collect tolls from shipping in the strait raised concerns over the freedom of navigation on which global trade depends.
The agency, called the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, is “positioning itself as the only valid authority to grant permission to ships transiting the strait,” Lloyd’s reported in an online briefing Thursday. Lloyd’s said the authority had emailed it an application form for ships seeking passage.
Iran has effectively closed the strait, a vital waterway for the shipment of oil, gas, fertilizer and other petroleum products, while the U.S. is blockading Iranian ports. The disruptions have sent fuel prices skyrocketing and rattled the global economy.
The new Iranian agency formalizes an existing, albeit murky, vetting lane that takes vessels through the strait’s northern waters near the Iranian coastline. Iran controls which ships pass and, for at least some vessels, imposes a tax on their cargo.
Maritime law experts say Iran’s demands to vet or tax vessels violate international law. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea calls for countries to permit peaceful passage through their territorial waters.
The U.S. and its Gulf allies are pushing for the U.N. Security Council to support a resolution that condemns Iran’s chokehold on the strait and threatens sanctions. A prior resolution calling for reopening the strait was vetoed by Iran allies Russia and China.
Iran’s president reports lengthy meeting with new supreme leader
Top Iranian officials have said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is playing a key role in overseeing negotiations with the U.S. But he remains in hiding and has not appeared in public since he was wounded early in the war.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he met recently for more than two hours with Khamenei. In remarks aired Thursday on Iranian state television, Pezeshkian praised the supreme leader’s “sincere” behavior in what he said was a long in-person meeting.
Khamenei has only released a series of written statements since being named supreme leader in March, replacing his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the war’s initial strikes.
Saudi official says kingdom did not support U.S. effort to reopen strait
Trump did not consult with U.S. ally Saudi Arabia before launching the short-lived effort to force open a shipping passage through the strait, according to a Saudi official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
“We told them that we are not part of this and that they can’t use our territories and bases for this,” the official said Thursday.
The official said Saudi Arabia sent a message to Iran that the kingdom would not be involved in U.S. attacks related to Trump’s attempt to reopen the strait.
Trump suspended the effort, dubbed Project Freedom, during its second day Tuesday. Only two American-flagged merchant ships are known to have passed through the U.S.-guarded route. The U.S. military said it sank six Iranian small boats threatening civilian ships.
new video loaded: Why Trump’s Feud With the Pope Worries Republicans
By Lisa Lerer, Alexandra Ostasiewicz, Nikolay Nikolov, Edward Vega and Rafaela Balster
May 7, 2026
News
Ted Turner remembered fondly for hosting wet T-shirt college nights after Braves games, like a true hero
CNN founder and media mogul Ted Turner died Wednesday at 87. Well, scratch that. Those two labels don’t quite do him justice.
Let me try again: Ted Turner — the founder of CNN, a media mogul, a business tycoon, a world-renowned sailor, the creator of the superstation, the former owner of the Atlanta Braves, and a fierce supporter of wet T-shirt contests — died Wednesday at 87.
Whew. How is THAT for a list of accomplishments to take with you to the pearly gates? Did Ted leave it all out on the field, or what?
Yes, that last one is obviously why I’m here writing about Ted today. I know he was a pioneer in the TV industry. That’s his lasting legacy. But folks forget he was once the owner of the Atlanta Braves (and Hawks), and, more importantly, he used to host “wet T-shirt contests” during college nights at Braves games.
Ted Turner and Jane Fonda are pictured together in New York City circa 1990. (Robin Platzer/IMAGES/Getty Images)
That’s right. We used to be a proper country. I say it all the time, but we really did used to have it all, and we just pissed it all away. I grew up in the 1990s when Ted’s TBS “superstation” was all the rage, and I loved it to death. Some of the best days of my life.
But boy, do I wish I could go back to the 1970s and take in a Braves games and then a wet t-shirt contest. Wrong era!
Ted Turner also managed the Braves for one single day
It’s not often that both Clay Travis and Darren Rovell post about the same thing, but here we are.
This is the effect Ted Turner had on folks. People from both sides of the aisle spent yesterday remembering Turner. Some, for his efforts in the media world.
BRAVES SIDELINE REPORTER’S EFFORT TO GET WOMAN’S PHONE NUMBER SPARKS CONTENTIOUS ONLINE DEBATE
Others, of course, for his efforts in bundling Braves games and college wet t-shirt contests. And what an unreal price, too! Fifty cents for general admission to the Braves take on the Cubbies, and then you get to take in a wet t-shirt contest AND a Miller beer party?
From thisgreatgame.com:
“A crowd of 11,451, assumedly mostly male, showed up to watch the rotten Braves (13-24) take on the Chicago Cubs. Or at least that’s what they told their wives and girlfriends. But rain threatened the whole thing; for two hours, everyone sat around—interesting enough, no one left—before the first pitch finally took place.
“Somewhere around the sixth inning, the Braves announced that registration for the contest was under away, to be done in full view of the fans so they can see the pretty girls sign up; it took a while for the first woman to rev up the courage and walk to the table, but once she did, 42 others followed.”
Braves new owner Ted Turner dances with a team ball girl after the Braves ended a 13-game losing streak with an 8-7 win over the New York Mets in Atlanta on May 11. (Getty Images)
This Ted Turner was a genius. A true genius. No wonder he was so beloved. All you get nowadays are stupid “Bring Your Dog to the Ballpark” promotions and “Star Wars Night.”
In fact, just to show you how miserable this era is compared to the 70s, the Atlanta Hawks were forced to cancel their “Magic City” promotion earlier this year because the NBA found it to be inappropriate.
And we had Ted Turner hosting wet t-shirt contests on COLLEGE NIGHT after games in the 70s! Again, we had it all, and we just pissed it away.
Anyway, some of Ted’s other feats include temporarily taking over the team for one game in 1977 after firing his manager during a 16-game losing stream (they lost), and later that year loading up the entire team in a yacht so they could watch him compete in the America’s Cup trials in Rhode Island.
For me, I will always remember him for the TBS superstation. Again, that’s my childhood. Turning on a Braves game every night at 7:05 was the best. This is back before streaming, so you didn’t really have access to much. I lived in Florida, so it was either the Marlins or Braves.
Ted Turner, television executive and owner of the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks basketball team. (Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Unfortunately, the wet T-shirt contests did NOT make it to the 90s, which is shocking given … they were the 90s.
Oh well. Maybe it’ll come back one day soon. Although, I’m fairly certain the Braves don’t even do the full tomahawk chop anymore because the libs got fake-made about it, so I wouldn’t hold your breath.
RIP.
-
Technology4 minutes agoHumanoid robot named ‘Gabi’ ordained as Buddhist monk, pledges devotion to ‘holy Buddha’
-
Business10 minutes agoCalifornia tech company Cloudflare to lay off more than 1,000 workers, cites AI
-
Entertainment16 minutes agoJames Cameron once said ‘Avatar’ Neytiri design began with a young Q’orianka Kilcher. Now, she’s suing
-
Lifestyle22 minutes agoThe case for monogramming everything you own and love
-
Politics28 minutes agoNewsom pledges to move forward with Delta water tunnel in California
-
Science34 minutes agoDirty mind? Study suggests gut movement may flush excess material from our brains
-
Sports40 minutes agoKyle Loftis, street racing media pioneer who founded 1320Video, dies at 43
-
World52 minutes agoAs US and Iran weigh peace deal, stranded seafarers wait in limbo