Abby Martin Goes to Gitmo

Recently I traveled to one of the most nefarious prisons in the world: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Despite repeated government pledges to close the infamous detention facility down, 149 men remained indefinitely imprisoned there.

According to a Bush administration official, the vast majority of prisoners are innocent, and were either swept up in a dragnet or handed over in exchange for US bounties.

It's already hard enough to travel to Gitmo as a journalist, but upon arrival I realized the experience was going to be totally controlled, with 24/7 military official escorts preventing us from going near the detainees I had come to report on.

However, I was able to speak with several top brass who serve as defense attorneys for the military commissions, a corrupted system that grants alleged terrorists less rights than in civilian courts. The fact that six men are facing formal charges at the prison in relation to 9/11 & the USS Cole bombing gives the world the false impression that even alleged terrorists get their day in court. In reality, the remaining 143 men never charged with a crime may never get that luxury.

My brother Robbie interviewed me about the trip, which is a more personal account than presented on Breaking the Set.

Watch my exclusive on-the-ground special about Guantanamo Bay here: http://www.mediaroots.org/guantanamo-bay-an-untold-history-of-occupation-torture-media-brainwashing-sham-trials-resistance/

Follow me @AbbyMartin, and my brother Robbie @fluorescentgrey