Last night the Secretary of the Navy Gordon H. England issued the implementation guidance for the Combatant Status Review Tribunal Procedures for enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. England was appointed by Deputy Secretary Paul Wolfowitz to operate and oversee the process.

The Combatant Status Review Tribunal is a formal review of all the information related to the designation of a detainee as an enemy combatant. The tribunal process provides each detainee the opportunity to personally present information as to why he should not be considered as an enemy combatant. Additionally, the tribunal will review information surrounding the capture of the detainee, information from any previous designations and any other pertinent information related to the designation as an enemy combatant. Each detainee will have the opportunity to work with a personal representative to assist in preparing for the tribunal. Each detainee will have an opportunity to review unclassified information relating to the basis for his detention.

The first tribunal will commence later today in Guantanamo.

The implementation guidance may be found at: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2004/d20040730comb.pdf