Red Cross says that 70-90% of Iraqi detainees were arrested by mistake [View All]

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Red Cross Report Describes Abuse in Iraq

GENEVA - A Red Cross report disclosed Monday said coalition intelligence officers estimated that 70-90 percent of Iraqi detainees were arrested by mistake and said Red Cross observers witnessed U.S. officers mistreating Abu Ghraib prisoners by keeping them naked in total darkness in empty cells.


The report by the International Committee of the Red Cross supports its allegations that abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers was broad and "not individual acts" — contrary to President Bush (news - web sites)'s contention that the mistreatment "was the wrongdoing of a few."


The report said "high-value detainees" were singled out for special mistreatment. The report did not specify them, but The Associated Press has learned they included some of the 55 top officials in Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s regime who were named in a deck of cards given to troops.


"Since June 2003, over 100 'high-value detainees' have been held for nearly 23 hours a day in strict solitary confinement in small concrete cells devoid of daylight," the report said.

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