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DOD: Muslim beliefs should not govern female guards at Gitmo

Defense Secretary Ash Carter, accompanied by Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015, before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Carter said Tuesday that the U.S. is willing to step up unilateral attacks against Islamic State militants in Iraq or Syria, a signal that the U.S. would escalate American involvement beyond airstrikes by giving the go-ahead for U.S. special operations forces' raids on the ground. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
Defense Secretary Ash Carter, accompanied by Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015, before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Carter said Tuesday that the U.S. is willing to step up unilateral attacks against Islamic State militants in Iraq or Syria, a signal that the U.S. would escalate American involvement beyond airstrikes by giving the go-ahead for U.S. special operations forces' raids on the ground. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf) Defense Secretary Ash Carter, accompanied by Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015, before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Carter said Tuesday that the U.S. is willing to step up unilateral attacks against Islamic State militants in Iraq or Syria, a signal that the U.S. would escalate American involvement beyond airstrikes by giving the go-ahead for U.S. special operations forces' raids on the ground. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

By Associated Press 3 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Senior defense officials said Tuesday that it was “outrageous” that female guards at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are barred from transporting five detainees suspected of being involved in the Sept. 11 attacks.

A military judge issued an order in January prohibiting female guards from transporting the defendants, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, after they refused to meet with defense lawyers and complained that any physical contact with unrelated women violated their Muslim beliefs.

The ruling by Army Col. James Pohl was meant to deal with their complaints, which posed a threat to legal proceedings.

Questioned on the ruling at a congressional hearing, both Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Ash Carter said it was an outrage.

“I think it is counter to the way we treat service members, including women service members, and outrage is a very good word for it,” Carter told the Senate Armed Services Committee.