Secret US Panel Ratifies Killing Citizens
According to top US officials, a secret panel consisting of senior government officials in the country has the privilege to order the assassination of American citizens without any judicial error.
Reuters reported that the US top officials added that the panel's recommendations first go through a group of National Security Council officials, which consist of cabinet secretaries and intelligence chiefs, for approval before reaching the US president who will then make a final decision on the extra-judicial killing.
The official sources further indicated that there is neither public record of operations made by the panel, nor are there any laws affirming its existence.
In further details, they confirmed that the said panel was the one that ordered the assassination of the US-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed by a US strike in Yemen.
White House Spokesman Tommy Vietor refused to let out any information about US President Barack Obama's role in ordering or ratifying the panel's decisions. On another hand, Republican official Ron Paul criticized Obama's decision, saying that such a panel might also target journalistst the same way al-Awlaki was targeted.
"Can you imagine being put on a list because you're a threat? What's going to happen when they come to the media? What if the media becomes a threat?" Paul wondered.
Several US congressmen have criticized Obama for his hypocrisy regarding the secret panel, referring back to his criticism of George W. Bush over use of torture to interrogate terror suspects.
Source: Reuters, Edited by moqawama.org team
Comments
- Related News
US Senate Votes 15-3 for Arming Syrian Opposition
11 years ago
