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| 9/11 Prisoners May Get Video Chats to Bridge the Coronavirus Divide | 9/11 Prisoners May Get Video Chats to Bridge the Coronavirus Divide |
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| This article was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. | This article was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. |
| WASHINGTON — In a bid to restore some access to Guantánamo’s isolated detainees, prosecutors in the trial over the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks are proposing weekly video meetings between the five defendants and their lawyers, which would require both sides to work around social distancing protocols mandated by the coronavirus. | WASHINGTON — In a bid to restore some access to Guantánamo’s isolated detainees, prosecutors in the trial over the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks are proposing weekly video meetings between the five defendants and their lawyers, which would require both sides to work around social distancing protocols mandated by the coronavirus. |
| Lawyers for Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the lead defendant in the death penalty case, had asked the trial judge to let him speak with his lead lawyer, Gary D. Sowards, who is in self-quarantine in Manhattan. In making the request, they agreed that the conversation could be monitored. | Lawyers for Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the lead defendant in the death penalty case, had asked the trial judge to let him speak with his lead lawyer, Gary D. Sowards, who is in self-quarantine in Manhattan. In making the request, they agreed that the conversation could be monitored. |
| In response, prosecutors proposed hourlong video conferences, a far more complicated and risky endeavor. That would require guards moving the defendants across the base to the courtroom to speak to their lawyers one by one through a secure video link to war court headquarters in Alexandria, Va. | In response, prosecutors proposed hourlong video conferences, a far more complicated and risky endeavor. That would require guards moving the defendants across the base to the courtroom to speak to their lawyers one by one through a secure video link to war court headquarters in Alexandria, Va. |
| To accomplish that, Mr. Sowards would need to obtain a waiver from the Defense Department to travel from New York City, a coronavirus hot zone, to the Pentagon. At 70, he is considered at higher risk for the illness and has been working from home under government guidelines. | To accomplish that, Mr. Sowards would need to obtain a waiver from the Defense Department to travel from New York City, a coronavirus hot zone, to the Pentagon. At 70, he is considered at higher risk for the illness and has been working from home under government guidelines. |
| The effort at a workaround in the slow-moving attempt to bring the case to trial comes as the 40 prisoners at Guantánamo have been increasingly isolated during the pandemic. | The effort at a workaround in the slow-moving attempt to bring the case to trial comes as the 40 prisoners at Guantánamo have been increasingly isolated during the pandemic. |
| The court has been closed since Feb. 25 and judges in the two capital cases have canceled hearings because the prison, in an effort to limit the virus’s spread, has imposed strict restrictions on access to the detainees. One rule requires hearing participants, who commute to the court from the United States by a Pentagon air charter, to arrive two weeks early and remain in their quarters to see if they become symptomatic. | The court has been closed since Feb. 25 and judges in the two capital cases have canceled hearings because the prison, in an effort to limit the virus’s spread, has imposed strict restrictions on access to the detainees. One rule requires hearing participants, who commute to the court from the United States by a Pentagon air charter, to arrive two weeks early and remain in their quarters to see if they become symptomatic. |
| The International Committee of the Red Cross disclosed this week that it had canceled its quarterly visit to the prison, which was scheduled for May 22 to June 5, because of the virus. The organization, which helps families connect with prisoners around the world, has been meeting the Guantánamo detainees and prison leadership at least four times a year since the prison opened in 2002. | The International Committee of the Red Cross disclosed this week that it had canceled its quarterly visit to the prison, which was scheduled for May 22 to June 5, because of the virus. The organization, which helps families connect with prisoners around the world, has been meeting the Guantánamo detainees and prison leadership at least four times a year since the prison opened in 2002. |
| A spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross, Elizabeth G. Shaw, said it had canceled a quarterly visit only once before, in 2012, for administrative reasons, and a visit in late August is scheduled. | A spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross, Elizabeth G. Shaw, said it had canceled a quarterly visit only once before, in 2012, for administrative reasons, and a visit in late August is scheduled. |
| At Guantánamo, 26 prisoners have been allowed to call their lawyers for years. But those who had been held at secret C.I.A. prisons overseas before arriving at the base, notably Mr. Mohammed and the other men accused of conspiring in attacks orchestrated by Al Qaeda, are allowed to communicate only through in-person meetings and legal mail. | At Guantánamo, 26 prisoners have been allowed to call their lawyers for years. But those who had been held at secret C.I.A. prisons overseas before arriving at the base, notably Mr. Mohammed and the other men accused of conspiring in attacks orchestrated by Al Qaeda, are allowed to communicate only through in-person meetings and legal mail. |
| A week ago, the military judge in the Sept. 11 case, Col. W. Shane Cohen, ordered prosecutors to explore the possibility of offering defendants “some type of telephonic or other access by audio or video means to their counsel.” The coronavirus had caused the case to stall and affected communications between the defendants and their lawyers, he said. | A week ago, the military judge in the Sept. 11 case, Col. W. Shane Cohen, ordered prosecutors to explore the possibility of offering defendants “some type of telephonic or other access by audio or video means to their counsel.” The coronavirus had caused the case to stall and affected communications between the defendants and their lawyers, he said. |
| It was Colonel Cohen’s last order in the case. He is retiring from the Air Force. | It was Colonel Cohen’s last order in the case. He is retiring from the Air Force. |
| On Friday, the chief judge of military commissions, Col. Douglas K. Watkins of the Army, temporarily assigned himself to the case for as long as the travel and work restrictions are in effect. | On Friday, the chief judge of military commissions, Col. Douglas K. Watkins of the Army, temporarily assigned himself to the case for as long as the travel and work restrictions are in effect. |
| A lawyer for the defendant Ramzi bin al-Shibh since 2012, James P. Harrington, who is leaving the case this summer for health reasons, said the video-link plan was problematic because there were no assurances that the C.I.A. or other people would not be listening. | A lawyer for the defendant Ramzi bin al-Shibh since 2012, James P. Harrington, who is leaving the case this summer for health reasons, said the video-link plan was problematic because there were no assurances that the C.I.A. or other people would not be listening. |
| He also said moving defendants outside the prison carried risks. “These guys are in a very vulnerable position,” Mr. Harrington said. “If one of them gets it, these guys are in a lot of trouble.” | He also said moving defendants outside the prison carried risks. “These guys are in a very vulnerable position,” Mr. Harrington said. “If one of them gets it, these guys are in a lot of trouble.” |
| Updated June 12, 2020 | |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. |
| Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. | Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. |
| Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. | Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) |
| Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. | Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. |
| The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. | The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. |
| James G. Connell III, a lawyer for Mr. Mohammed’s nephew, Ammar al-Baluchi, said the proposed video chats would be more of a “health and welfare check” than a working lawyer-client meeting. | James G. Connell III, a lawyer for Mr. Mohammed’s nephew, Ammar al-Baluchi, said the proposed video chats would be more of a “health and welfare check” than a working lawyer-client meeting. |
| Under Pentagon policy, the lawyers would be required to wear masks. It was unclear what protection the prisoners would wear. The military declined to say this week whether the detainees at Guantánamo had been issued masks. None of the prisoners had received a test for the virus because they did not meet federal guidelines to merit one, the military said. | Under Pentagon policy, the lawyers would be required to wear masks. It was unclear what protection the prisoners would wear. The military declined to say this week whether the detainees at Guantánamo had been issued masks. None of the prisoners had received a test for the virus because they did not meet federal guidelines to merit one, the military said. |
| Mr. Connell predicted that because coordinating and making arrangements would be necessary, the first video chat could take place in the last week of May, after Ramadan, when the court has typically recessed. | Mr. Connell predicted that because coordinating and making arrangements would be necessary, the first video chat could take place in the last week of May, after Ramadan, when the court has typically recessed. |
| The military disclosed on April 7 that one person on the 1,800-member military and civilian prison task force tested positive for the virus, but refused to provide additional details. Prevention measures devised by the United States Southern Command, which oversees the prison, instruct it to “minimize incidental contact with detainees and/or their living/recreational spaces.” | The military disclosed on April 7 that one person on the 1,800-member military and civilian prison task force tested positive for the virus, but refused to provide additional details. Prevention measures devised by the United States Southern Command, which oversees the prison, instruct it to “minimize incidental contact with detainees and/or their living/recreational spaces.” |