A Closer Look at What the U.S. Lets You See of Its War Court at Guantánamo Bay

This image may be familiar. For years, it has been the only view the government has allowed you to see of the sprawling court complex where the military is pursuing war crimes cases against five men accused of plotting the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and others.

Eleven of the 30 prisoners remaining at Guantánamo have been charged, six in death-penalty cases that started more than a decade ago. Photography is now forbidden at the prison.

So this photo signifies the power that the U.S. military wields at the court. The secrecy starts inside, with U.S. government agencies driving decisions on which hearings are open to the public and which portions of documents are blacked out.

Here’s what you can learn from a closer look at this image.