NationStates Jolt Archive

US Military Fashion Police: Wear a Cheap Watch, Go to Gitmo

Thursday, March 9, 2006 · Last updated 2:59 p.m. PT
Common Casio watches, some worth less than $30, have become part of the often ambiguous web of evidence against detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

The U.S. military cites the digital watches worn by prisoners when they were captured as possible evidence of terrorist ties. Casios have been used repeatedly in bombs, after all, including one used by the architect of the 1993 World Trade Center attack; the explosive device was set off on a Philippine Airlines flight, killing a passenger.

Wearing a Casio is cited among the unclassified evidence against at least eight of the detainees whose transcripts were released by the Pentagon after a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by The Associated Press.

The prisoners, who stand accused of links to al-Qaida or to the Taliban in Afghanistan, say they have been shocked that wearing a cheap watch sold worldwide could be used against them.

"Millions and millions of people have these types of Casio watches," Mazin Salih Musaid, a Saudi detainee, told his military tribunal.

Even guards at Guantanamo wear Casios, noted Usama Hassan Ahmend Abu Kabir, a Jordanian accused of belonging to a group linked to al-Qaida, the terror organization that carried out the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

"I have a Casio watch due to the fact that they are inexpensive and they last a long time," the 34-year-old detainee told a tribunal. "I like my watch because it is durable. It had a calculator and was waterproof, and before prayers we have to wash up all the way to my elbows."

Well, if real arguments are scarce, you come up with questionable ones. I'm not particularly surprised.

*covers wristwatch* Move along. Nothing to see here. :p

My comment: I own a Timex.. does it count?
If anyone from the US gov here... would you find out and let me know. :D

I'm in trouble, I used Casio watches most of my life until I got a mobile phone.
Err, my watches are not being used to blow things up because they don't work anymore ...

I don't own a casio watch! yay!

But I have TWO casio calculators. Do they count?

Good! I've always hated those damned things anyway! Friggin' Casios! :headbang:

I don't own a casio watch! yay!

But I have TWO casio calculators. Do they count?
YES!

Here ... have some lead for breakfast, you terrorist! :mp5:

My comment: I own a Timex.. does it count?
If anyone from the US gov here... would you find out and let me know. :D
Damn! Caught me wearing my official black suit! Sigh.

No, your Timex is kewl. Especially if it has George Bush on the face, with his arms as the watch's hands. That's really kewl!

Damn! Caught me wearing my official black suit! Sigh.

No, your Timex is kewl. Especially if it has George Bush on the face, with his arms as the watch's hands. That's really kewl!

Ah ha! But what's this? You're suit has cotton in it. The dirty terrorists used to wear cotton based clothes when they did their evil terrorist actions. You too must be a terrorist! Get im! :p

Ah ha! But what's this? You're suit has cotton in it. The dirty terrorists used to wear cotton based clothes when they did their evil terrorist actions. You too must be a terrorist! Get im! :p
Uh huh. Riiiiight.

Not on your best day, dude! :D

Our intelligence indicates that 100% of Islamofacist terrorists eat food each day. Food-eating is clearly an indicator of terrorist activity.

Deploy troops to the food court immediately.

Our intelligence indicates that 100% of Islamofacist terrorists eat food each day. Food-eating is clearly an indicator of terrorist activity.

Deploy troops to the food court immediately.
We tried that once. They took a two-hour lunch! :D

We tried that once. They took a two-hour lunch! :D
That's treason talk. Our troops would never shirk their noble duties. They were captured and held hostage by the America-hating terrorists at the Cinnabon.

also, be mindfull of people who doesn't have a smooth-shaved shin, or even worse; they have a beard, if they do it's automatic execution on the street.

also, be mindfull of people who doesn't have a smooth-shaved shin, or even worse; they have a beard, if they do it's automatic execution on the street.how-bout wearing a towel?

Anyone wearing a towel is clearly an alien hitchiker.

Err, my watches are not being used to blow things up because they don't work anymore ...cells can be used to remotelly detonate Roadside bombs.. ;)

My watch is made by Fossil. Does that make me an evolutionist terrorist?

Haha. I own a Movado. No one will confuse me for a terrorist.

That's treason talk. Our troops would never shirk their noble duties. They were captured and held hostage by the America-hating terrorists at the Cinnabon.
No. As I recall, it was Starbucks! :p

also, be mindfull of people who doesn't have a smooth-shaved shin, or even worse; they have a beard, if they do it's automatic execution on the street.
Hate the hirsute! :sniper:

Haha. I own a Movado. No one will confuse me for a terrorist.
LOL! True. In addition to which terrorists are skinny lil guys who don't work out very often! :D

LOL! True. In addition to which terrorists are skinny lil guys who don't work out very often! :D

But I do have a beard....

Well if everyone who wears a Casio is a terrorist, then what about the people who make Casios? The Casio shareholders must surely be the most evil beings in existance.

My watch is made by Roots. Does that make me an eco-terrorist?

But I do have a beard....
Some wear beards. Others have nothing to hide. :D

My watch is made by Roots. Does that make me an eco-terrorist?
No. It makes you someone who loves to investigate the geneologies of African-Americans. :p

Some wear beards. Others have nothing to hide. :D
And still others are so poorly endowed as to be incapable of sporting a proper beard. And that's just sad.

And still others are so poorly endowed as to be incapable of sporting a proper beard. And that's just sad.
Indeed.

It's always nice to have options. :)

Real patriots wear Omega, or calculate the time by staring directly into the sun.

My watch is made by Roots. Does that make me an eco-terrorist?Your watch does not use batteries?
like mine?

(For the record: I use the timex when jogging, biking, etc)

I was reading that in a newspaper and wondered what kind of logic does our military work off of.

Casio watches are frequently used in terrorist bombs
My high school used Casio Calculaters and stop watches
-conclusion-
My high school has a connection to terrorists

Ok, so what's the point? Keep an eye on anyone who buys a Casio watch?

I was reading that in a newspaper and wondered what kind of logic does our military work off of.

Casio watches are frequently used in terrorist bombs
My high school used Casio Calculaters and stop watches
-conclusion-
My high school has a connection to terrorists

Ok, so what's the point? Keep an eye on anyone who buys a Casio watch? the point is to make you wonder about our military "intelligence"...

the point is to make you wonder about our military "intelligence"...

I'm pretty sure that Eut will agree with me that "military" and "intelligence" are oxymorons. Unless he was actually in that division of course.