UN finally says something about Gitmo, too little too late!

The United Nation's independent investigator on human rights in the fight against terrorism today urged the United States to release all people detained as "enemy combatants," close the detention center at Guantánamo Bay and abolish military commissions.

Martin Scheinin visited the naval base in Cuba from December 3-7 at the invitation of the U.S. government, while a tribunal in the case of Salid Ahmed Hamdan, an accused guard for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, was under way.

He said they "confirmed the difficulties or even impossibility of the defence to provide evidence, as neither witnesses from abroad or high-value detainees from the Guantanamo facility next door could be heard, at least in this particular occasion."

A Finnish law professor, whose U.N. job title is special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, said he wanted better access to those detained at the Guantanamo prison.

The facility was opened in January 2002 after the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001, attacks.

"I still hope that a further follow-up visit will be possible for the purpose of conducting unmonitored interviews with detainees at places of detention, including Guantanamo Bay, despite the government's current position that it objects to such a request," he told the Council.

The United States responded by saying it was "disappointed" Scheinin had declined an offer to view the base on the same terms offered to other international observers, but did not specify what those terms were.

"We hope that in future the work of the special rapporteur proceeds differently. In particular, we hope he will focus on less well-worn arguments under discussion elsewhere and more on practical solutions to common problems faced by the international community," the US said.

In a statement that will be formally delivered to the U.N. Human Rights Council tomorrow, Jamil Dakwar, Advocacy Director of the ACLU's Human Rights Program, said Scheinin's assessment came as no surprise.

"Over the past six years, we have witnessed the U.S. government abandon the bedrock principle of respect for the rule of law," Dakwar said.