CJA

Former Somali General Mohamad Ali Samantar accepted liability before U.S. federal judge Leonie Brinkema for torture, extrajudicial killing, war crimes and other human rights abuses committed against the civilian population of Somalia during the brutal Siad Barre regime.

The former prime minister of Somalia on Thursday ended an eight-year legal battle by accepting legal liability for alleged war crimes and killings that occurred under the regime of dictator Siad Barre. But he denied wrongdoing and said he never approved any slayings.

A seven year court battle that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court ended in a federal courtroom in Virginia on Thursday when former Somali Gen. Mohamed Ali Samantar admitted liability for war crimes and human rights abuses committed in the late 1980s, when he was the defense minister and commander of military forces in Somalia.

CJA has confirmed that the formal extradition requests from the Spanish Government have arrived in El Salvador, with simultaneous transmittal to the United States likely, for fifteen former members of the Salvadoran military, including members of the high command. The defendants have all been charged with conspiracy to assassinate and the assassination of 5 Spanish Jesuits and 3 Salvadoran citizens. Of these requests, 13 are for defendants in El Salvador, and 2 are for defendants in the United States

Six from the Bay Area will be legally represented and could provide testimony during the second international tribunal of Khmer Rouge leaders charged with crimes against humanity.

Three Khmer Rouge survivors will stay in Cambodia for one week to witness the first substantial hearing of the trial to date.

CJA mourns the passing of Father Dean Brackley who left this world on Sunday, October 16th surrounded by his Central American family in El Salvador after a struggle with pancreatic cancer. Fr. Dean arrived to El Salvador when he volunteered to join the staff at the Central American University the year after the assassination of his fellow Jesuit priests in order to continue their important work. He spent more than 20 years serving and supporting the poor in El Salvador. Father Dean also believed in the importance of accountability for the massacre and worked closely with CJA on the development of the Jesuits Massacre Case in Spain.