# 26. Judicial manipulation ## 26.5. Methodology/Refinements/Sub-species ### 26.5.2. Kangaroo Courts Following the same historical theme, a kangaroo court is a mock court in which the principles of law and justice are disregarded or perverted. In response to the harsh criticism of internment without trial in Northern Ireland, the British government was obliged to re-introduce something that resembled a normal judicial process. So, they created an entirely artificial system of courts, which became known as the "Diplock courts". In these mock military courts, trial by jury was suspended and hand-picked judges were used to send suspects into detention. This manipulative strategy was designed to deflect criticism of the British government coming from the UN, the USA and many European neighbours. However, the strategy caused even greater outrage in Ireland. Again, a more contemporary example is the use of "military tribunals" by the USA against Muslim political prisoners. Many were tortured by the CIA and US troops whilst in detention in Guantanamo, and thus it is now impossible to try them using the normal criminal justice system in the USA. The only remaining option for the US administration was the establishment of completely ex-constitutional and (internationally) illegal military tribunals to deal with the remaining Guantanamo inmates, some of whom were arrested whilst still children. The historical consequences of these judicial manipulations are yet to be fully realised, but it seems inevitable that the Muslim world sees these injustices as a blank cheque to seek revenge against the USA and UK.