Rough Justice For Jihadis

Just as every perp is as innocent as a newborn babe and the victim of police brutality, so too is every terrorism suspect a law-abiding man and subject of unspeakable torture.

Like the Toronto 17, of course:

David Kolinsky, who is representing Zakaria Amara, said his client has been locked in a small concrete cell without windows, where meals are slipped to him under a small slit in the door and the lights are left on 24 hours a day.

"This type of treatment is known to cause depression and suicide. ... This type of treatment is, in fact, cruel and unusual punishment contrary to the Bill of Rights," Mr. Kolinsky said.

Mr. Kolinsky also alleges that his client has faced at least some sort of physical abuse from guards.

"As he was being searched, the guard touched his ribs and he's ticklish. He giggled a bit. And the guard drilled his finger in to his cheek and said, 'Is this funny?'"

He said he has also not been able to meet with his client without guards watching over.

"There was no privacy at all in that respect," he said.

Mr. Galati said the treatment of the detainees amounts to torture.

"Clearly, leaving the light on 24 hours a day and waking them up every half hour for the last 10 days constitutes torture," he said. "No lawyer is willing to prepare for a bail hearing or a picnic with a client unless they're not overheard when they have a conversation with their client."

And of course, why would they lie about such barbaric mistreatment?

The Al-Qaeda training manual was discovered by the police in Manchester, England, during a search of an Al Qaeda member's home and was used as evidence in the trial of the four men convicted in the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.

An English translation of the manual is widely available on the Internet.

Lesson 18 of the document entitled "Prisons and detention centres" advises captured jihadists that when criminal proceedings begin "brothers must insist on proving that torture was inflicted on them by State Security [investigators] before the judge."

It also tells terrorists to "complain [to the court] of mistreatment while in prison" and "know the names of the state security officers, who participated in his torture and mention their names to the judge."

The manual also offers other helpful hints such as organizing Islamic programs in prison and using the time behind bars to memorize the Qu'ran (thus the prisoners' demands at arraignment to be given Qu'rans).

No doubt this lot is getting a little rougher treatment than most. But leaving the lights on at night and 10 days in lockdown is much more merciful treatment than they would have meted out to their victims.

And quite possibly, they weren't even treated that harshly. But their claims will find willing believers in the progressive community. And soon, the usual suspects will be clamouring for their release, though not to the point of actually putting up bail for them.

Before they ever get to trial, there will be mass marches to Queen's Park and candlelight vigils at the prison walls for these men.

Count on it.