ACLU Responds to New ABU Ghraib Photos

[kpete]

Australian TV station releases new Abu Ghraib torture photographs
RAW STORY
Published: February 15, 2006

SBS Dateline, an Australian television program, released new photographs from the U.S. prison in Iraq, Abu Ghraib. The graphic photographs appear below.

UPDATE: The American Civil Liberties Union, which sued for the photographs' release, has issued the following statement to RAW STORY.

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"We continue to see undeniable evidence that abuse and torture has been widespread and systematic, yet high level government officials have not been held accountable for creating the policies that led to these atrocities," said Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU. "We need to look up the chain of military command, because when the rule of law is not followed all of our personal freedoms are threatened. President Bush should appoint an independent counsel to uncover the full truth about the extent of the abuse and who is ultimately responsible."

The ACLU has sued the Department of Defense for withholding photographs and videos depicting abuse at Abu Ghraib and other detention facilities. In September, a federal judge in New York ruled that the government must turn over the Abu Ghraib images, as well as other visual evidence of abuse, noting "the freedoms that we champion are as important to our success in Iraq and Afghanistan as the guns and missiles with which our troops are armed." The decision is currently on appeal by the government. The ACLU said it does not know whether the new photos aired by the Australian "Dateline" program are the same photos being withheld by the government.

"The public has a right to know the full truth about the treatment of detainees not just in Abu Ghraib but elsewhere in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantбnamo Bay," said ACLU attorney Amrit Singh. "Instead of continuing to deny the widespread abuse, the government must hold relevant officials accountable for this abuse."

The ACLU has been in the courts since 2003 seeking the release of evidence of abuse. To date, almost 90,000 pages of government documents have been released in response to the ACLU's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit. The documents have revealed that harsh interrogation techniques were used indiscriminately in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantбnamo Bay, and ultimately led to cases of abuse and torture.

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whole article at:
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Australian_TV_station_releases_new_Abu_0215.html

[951-Riverside]

1. Does this mean the photos are no longer under sole government control?

[Hubert Flottz]

2. Can you believe that YOUR tax dollars paid for these things?

God can't be in Bush's corner.

[Triana]

3. Not only that but they did this crap in MY name!?!?!?!

I SO do NOT approve. This, and the fact that our gov't is still trying to cover it up, is despicable. Disgusting.

[Just Me]

4. We're also financing secret "torture camps" all over the world.

This administration is like a cancer on this country.

[Hubert Flottz]

6. It is very sad indeed!

The country will never be the same, because the GOP let the terrorists win...Even helped them win!

[wiggs]

5. Article brings up a really good point

...that is, the ACLU does not know whether the new photos just released ARE THE SAME PHOTOS BEING WITHELD BY THE GOVERNMENT.

This is interesting to me that the ACLU would make a point of this.

In private briefings a year or two ago, congressmen who saw the secret photos and videos were visibly shaken and disturbed. I'm not sure the photos I've so far seen would cause that reaction; perhaps they aren't the same photos. Further, it seems unlikely to me that photos which were the subject of the administration's appeal would surface while that appeal process is going on.

I'm wondering if these particular photos have been released for a purpose: 1) are they meant to prepare the public for the real and worse photos still to come? This administration has a habit of admitting to a certain degree of scandal in order to hide or mitigation the real one, and 2) are they meant to further inflame muslim protestors who are already rioting because of the cartoons, causing all kinds of negative and distracting reports about how pooly behaved these muslims are?

I wonder if Seymor Hersh has weighed in on these newly released photos?

[Desertrose]

7. kick

enough of Cheney already...there IS more important news.....

[countryjake]

8. Kick!