This State Department Fact Sheet on the President's establishment of Military Commissions lists talking points on addressing issues and questions that might arise. The points highlight the following: i) The Order applies only to non-U.S. citizens; ii) the offenses that may be tried before these tribunals include violations of armed conflict, sabotage and terrorism; iii) International terrorists are unlawful combatants; iv) The Order directs that the accused will receive a full and fair trial, and persons charged will be entitled to be represented by competent counsel; and v) Conviction and sentencing will require the concurrence of at least two-thirds of the members of the commission.
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RELEASED IN FULL
FACT SliE1H QN 'THE 'PRR~mliNT'S MTLITARY ORDRR
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:' Tho MiHbry Orda-on the "Dokntion. TrcatlIlcnt, end Tris..l of Certain Noo-Citizens in the
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War Against Terr1)rism." signed today by the President provides an iniportant option for
dt;aling 'With terrnris~ 'il
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t· Ute Order applies only to jlerWnS woo are not citizens ofthe United States. '!
* Undcrthe ilider, tbose indtviduals who thehc.sidcnt deteanitlPS axemcrnbci-s afthe U Qaida .
organization. who engagr:: in, plan. or ~sist tr.:mJrirt acts directed against !:be United States or \1 , its wcre.sts. or who knowiogly harbor ;my sucb persons may be dl:tained by thcSccretruyo:f_ .._ --,--' jD~en.s~. 'The ?r~a fi1rtiu:rprovi~ for.t:ri.als of individuals subject to ~Orderbeforc '.
miliPu'y COUlIIllSS1Qns. " .. _
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• QffalSes that may be tried before these tnommls include violations ofth£ la~s ofannal . !
. conflict.. which itu:ludc: act.~ ofS~1age or terrorism directed against civilian populations. as ~ well a5 harboring those who c:ngBgc. aid. orCOtl3pire to co~t!IUcha.c;ts_ ','
• When the President cktenr-\}1t:$lhHt an itldividual is subj~t to the Order.llewiJ, direct that .. I control cfthat indlvidual be transferred to the: Secrdaxy ofDefunse iftho Seeretary of Defi ' does not already have such control _.
I TIle 1 nmrmr O[D~[~~JMY Bin M~btol OLJ:~J,cJ~ ~~!to L 8Jer as a~tof
US. . italy ~viti~or frQm astate or federal domestic enfarcem.ent agency O~;l foreign.
autlm ty. . ' .
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• Thc~tszyOrda gives tlte Secn:tary ofDefense the pawe:t'ta establish ~commumODs;it approp,riatc tUnes and places., including ~utsidt: the United States:. as well as to prescribe mlcs sud regulatiOIls for fhc conduct ofproceedings before than, within broad principles C1!11ablisbed by the President. I
-fwta ry ,omnrl.,;mu will'd~a;clY;,...,." the ~ghb or~e.,.,..ed. .
.. 'jnrc:rnation.al ti:rrorist.s are nnlawful belligl:teIJts. who engage in aCTS ofvioleocc and annal. 'Fwilhout authorization trom • ",vrcigo nation. _ ...bearing """" openly. and., Ill4ntle.1' caku1arcd to infuct dclibcralf harm on civilian popUlations. .As such.·t!lese : . r -s arc not entitled to the legal pI:Otectious afforded United States citizellS. . .
.. 1fe'President's ~nonetheless requjres lnnna:oe treatment ofall those to whom thc.Onl::.r applies in a. mannc:r consi5t:n.t with Anterican values. .. ~. I· I .
• !}le Otd::rprovides for thl: Seactary ofDefi:IJse to treal: individuals without lUlyadva'so distinction based an tace, c.:lloi, religion. geru1cr, wealth, at any Wnilar criteria..
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~arEDSTATESDEPARTMENT OF STATE
REVIEW AUTHORITY: SHARON E AHMAD
UNCLASSIFIED
DATE/CASE 10: 07 APR 2005 200303827
DOS-003097
UNCLASSIFIED
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• Individuals suPject to the Order will be provided with food, shelter. clothing and medical.
treatment. '.. ,
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They will be: pcnnittcd to m:ely exerci.se their religion, consistent with $c requiranc:ots of their detention. ' '
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The Order din:cts that the acc1Ucd ..vill receive a full and fair trial, and persons charged ~ be entitled to be rcpre;;entai by compcrcnI c;;ounsel.
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Conviction and sCXltcnC.i.n,g will ~the concurrence ofat least two~t:hirds ofthe mc:mben ofthe cotmnission.
- Military cDmmiuiotls prllvide important security IUlvllutsges for the WaT-01l1ell111tnno
-I Military commissions m~yconsider a hroad l'3llgc of ~idc:nce, includiDg clm£i~,~
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intelli.gc:acc infaon.ation.. which llUI.y be peculiarly impOTtmt in tecrorism ttiaJg butwhkh J might be unavailable Co other types oflribUIJ3ls.' ,
.\I Proceedings or portions of pro~or trial records before military commissions may be appropriately protected from wsclosure in order to safegwu:d national SC!=\Uity int~or'" classified evidence. '
~ t U.S. military conu:nis&ions may be comtcmed' ;mywhe.re in thc 'WOrld. including aboard US. ! vcssds in internationa[ wa',ers, and. may be cOLlvc:n.c;d in places and tlllcier COtJdjtions that will enhance lhe pbysical security ofproceedings :m.d minimize risks 10 public safety. ','.
Military detention and trial by military commission ~a lon:.rl:anding IlJId weD-' , . " e$tabIished practice for d~Iin1! with IJOfri'VfD) enemy belIigen:nts duriag wartime. :'
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• /. 'The ~rnc:tice ofusing milit1I)' cOolnllssions 10 C4lU1ha1ao.~ who violate:; ~o L-tws of auntd;, irs . , 'coilflict lS older than the R.:publi(;. nW~amploycd dunng the RcvohltJon3I)' War by !
'America's first President: then-Geoen1l George Washington convened military cOlllmissions to try and ex~teBtitish spies cau8ht'behiru! U,S. lines," ',,_,
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• Pn:s' em Roosevelt ordered that militlUy commissions bo lLSed to try Getman a~boteurs and
terra who rurreplitiouslyenten::d the Uriited States during World War n. This practica ' ecm~lyupheld by the U.S . .s~Court in the case ofEx parte Quirin in 1942,
c:ommissians wcc\: also used by'President Lincn]n during the Civil Wat to try :::~ Con fPrlrT"2'I'r spies lUld Sabotenis in circumstances analogous' to those contIonIingthe IUl1i91i now. Cases tried by military coIIlIIlissioD during the Civil War included !:hat ofa confederate :Klfdierwha, while in disguise. emeted and attempted. to set ,fire to New-York City, anp a group ofconfederates who came aboard a merchant steamer in the POrtofPananm Illi!~d as peaceful passengers with the putposc: oftak:i~g over the vc:sscl and converting it info a ,:'.2: Confederau, cruiser,
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UNCLASSIFIED
D08-003098
. NOV. 1.~. 2001 9: 33PM NSC MULTILAT
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• Alllilitarycolllmission was also us~ to tha conspirators ~ansible for th:=i.:~;1"'.~_""+".
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. . ~rPresident r:i~coln. ' ••
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Militaly CO'almissions WC:fl~ also used cnsive!y during the Mexkan War by General
Wmjjeld Stott and during the Indian W4IS.
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: Although the present Ortkr appli~ onl;~ DOn-citi~ military commissiQD..S have been
; used even against U.S. citizens com.rni~g uts oftcrrori~on U.S. Soil during wartimo (as with tbe Lincoln conspiralors), even when the civil courts ofthe United States were still functioning (as with the G2tll1an sahcteub approllc:Dded in Nr::w York during Warld War ll), and even in Qle context of tmconvet1tiomlt WID Cas with the use ofJ'rll1itary c:ommi.ssians during the Indian Wars). ; . . .
- 'Th~TI! ~ weI1-esbblisbed leg31 ~UthOd~,sUP(lOrting the llS~ of miliUf)' cOlnmwinn~.--------.-:-.
• Congress has SP~callYJ)rovided for ~J use ofInilitary alIIlllllssions for .. ~.tTendtts ~ :
offi:nscs that by mmte or law ofwarlllfl1bel tried by military cammiSBicI15, .. 10 U.S.C §
821. and the ~~~3S inhm.nt constjtutio:nal autbmity as Comman~~.i:n-Cbicfto
convene such com.rtllSSlon~ I
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• IThe United Sta.tes Supreml! Court bas te1iiewed and approved the ll$c ofmilituy .·~.::2
commi,ssions for individuals committing offenses'against the: .Ia.w of war. See, e.g.. Ex part~·
'!~317, 1].S. 1,30 (1942) (upbol . I trial ofGenn.an saboteurs on U.s. soil); M
.Yamashita, 327 U.S. 1 (1946) (uphol' trAil ofJapanC3c GoVtlrnor of the Pb.i1ippin~
,foUowing'concIU£ion ofW;ll').
• ~rcJing to t.he Attamcy Gcnctn1 in the 0 of the: Lincoln as;assiilation,. "to unite with ~anditti,jayhawken;. guc:ri lias, or any 0 llDautborizcd !iaranders is a high offense ~ .the laWs ofwar:' and "the offence is complete: when the b1lOd is organiz~rjoined." ~1 " p.s.Op.Auy_Goo-at3J2. I. . .-.L~,
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• 1'4i1ituy CQJTlmissions havt; routinely been. used in the context of aonci conflicts short of formally dc:clared War.J wilh foreign 04tiohs. See The Prize Cases. 67 U.S. (2 Black) 635 (1861); MoRton. v. ~~180 U.~.161 (1901); Unlawful Traffic with rn.dia:tis.1J ---. Op! AtfyGen. 470 (t87l). I '
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UNC' ASSIFIED
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00S-003099