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Gitmo detainee seeks Senate interrogation report

By WTOP Staff

DAVID DISHNEAU
Associated Press

FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) — A Guantanamo detainee accused of orchestrating the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole asked a military judge Wednesday to order the release of a Senate report on the CIA’s use of harsh interrogation techniques.

Lawyers for Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri made the argument during a pretrial hearing at the U.S. Navy base in Cuba. Attorney Richard Kammen asked Col. James Pohl to order the release to the defense team of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s entire 6,000-plus page report, not just a shorter, redacted version being prepared for public release.

“It’s all relevant and necessary,” Kammen said.

Prosecutor Navy Cmdr. Andrea Lockhart said prosecutors also were seeking the report but didn’t know when they might get it or how much they would have to share with the defense. Lockhart told Pohl it was too soon to order release of the report because it still was in the declassification review process.

“We don’t have it yet,” she said. “We’re actively seeking to get it.”

Defense lawyers are seeking details about al-Nashiri’s treatment while he was held for several years in secret CIA prisons. A CIA inspector general’s report says he was waterboarded and threatened with a gun and power drill. Prosecutors cannot use evidence obtained by coercion.

The Senate Intelligence Committee’s report was designed to examine all detainees in CIA custody and almost certainly includes a lengthy look at al-Nashiri’s treatment.

The committee voted last month to order the declassification of the report’s executive summary and conclusions. Since then, the CIA has been reviewing those sections to black out any information that may compromise national security. No time frame for the public release of the documents has been provided.

The committee’s investigation concludes the CIA tortured suspects and gained little in valuable intelligence. The CIA disputes those findings. But the disagreement has taken on added political sensitivity amid mutual accusations of illegal snooping related to the production of the report.

The Justice Department has received criminal referrals against both sides but is unlikely to intervene.

Last month, Pohl ordered prosecutors to share with defense lawyers other never-revealed details about al-Nashiri’s experience in the secret CIA prison sites after his arrest in 2002. On Wednesday, the lead prosecutor, Army Brig. Gen. Mark Martins, urged the judge to reconsider.

Martins said the April order lacked an adequate rationale for the judge’s decision. He also offered to help defense lawyers find references to al-Nashiri’s treatment in the more than 1,000 pages of summaries the prosecution has provided.

“They need to study the material and help us hone what’s relevant and helpful,” Martins said.

Kammen asked the judge to stand firm on a ruling the defense lawyer called “courageous.”

The Associated Press covered the hearing from a closed-circuit television link at Fort Meade, Maryland. It continues Thursday in a session closed to the public and news media to protect national security information.

Al-Nashiri’s capital murder trial is set for February.

The attack on the Cole killed 17 U.S. sailors, injured 42 others and tore a massive hole into the side of the guided-missile destroyer.

Al-Nashiri, dressed in white, seemed relaxed as a watched the proceedings from a chair at the defense table, often resting his chin on one hand.

___

Associated Press writer Bradley Klapper in Washington contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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