The Obama administration has won a critical ruling in the upcoming military trial of the September 11, 2001, plotters that will keep the defendants from testifying about being tortured.

The Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense and the Federal Bureau of Investigation asked the military judge, Colonel James Pohl, to censor any statements from the detainees going on trial that reveal how they were tortured or abused by the U.S.

Pohl agreed with the agencies that classified information should not be disclosed during the proceedings, including any details about the use of interrogation techniques on the defendants.

A total of five men, including Khalid Sheik Mohammed, currently held at Guantánamo Bay will go on trial for planning or aiding in the 9/11 attacks.

Hina Shamsi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) National Security Program, responded negatively towards Pohl’s ruling.

“We’re profoundly disappointed by the military judge’s decision, which didn’t even address the serious First Amendment issues at stake here. The government wanted to ensure that the American public would never hear the defendants’ accounts of illegal CIA torture, rendition and detention, and the military judge has gone along with that shameful plan.”

The ACLU said it plans to appeal the decision.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Judge Rules Torture Testimony at Guantanamo Military Commission Can Be Censored (by Kevin Gosztola, The Dissenter)

Testimony on CIA’s Treatment of 9/11 Suspects Will Be Kept Secret, Judge Rules (by Peter Finn, Washington Post)

Obama Administration Declares All Statements by 9/11 Accused “Presumptively Classified” (by Noel Brinkerhoff and David Wallechinsky, AllGov)

Pentagon Wants Military Tribunal to Hide that Defendant Will Not be Freed if Found Innocent (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Guantánamo Judge Confirms Use of Torture (AllGov)