Contractors who TORTURED in Abu Ghraib won't be prosecuted

[Julius Civitatus]

Amazing report from Salon.com

No justice for all

Army investigators found "probable cause" that a civilian interrogator abused a detainee at Abu Ghraib. Why has the Department of Justice failed to prosecute him -- or any of the other 18 civilians suspected of criminal acts?

(...)

Two soldiers -- who served as military policemen at Abu Ghraib and had already been sentenced and imprisoned for their mistreatment of detainees -- told Army investigators that Johnson had directed and participated in prisoner abuse. Johnson's role is highlighted in transcripts, obtained by Salon, of Army interviews with Pvt. Ivan Frederick II and Pvt. Charles Graner.

(...)

Not a single civilian has been prosecuted for prisoner abuse in Iraq. Army investigations, however, have identified several civilian contractors as involved with the abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib. The Johnson file is among 19 detainee-abuse cases referred to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, which in 2004 was designated as the office in charge of prosecuting prisoner-abuse cases from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Among these 19 referrals, it is the photograph that makes the Johnson case unusual. In response to questions from Salon, Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) spokesman Chris Grey said that his office had "investigated the circumstances surrounding the incident depicted in the photograph" and found "probable cause to believe a crime was committed by civilian contractors." He added in his written statement that the investigation "did not establish that any U.S. Soldiers were implicated in regard to this photograph." Grey went on to state that on March 8, 2005, an assistant U.S. attorney in Virginia told the Army that he had reviewed the Johnson case and found there was "insufficient evidence" to prosecute.

Now, more than a year later, the Justice Department insists the case is still open. (...)

http://salon.com/news/feature/2006/04/14/contractor

That prick lookes like he was having the time of his live torturing people in Abu Ghraib. And now, this PUNK won't be prosecuted for it.

[InternalDialogue]

1. This issue goes right to the heart of the question

that the student asked * at Johns Hopkins appearance at the start of the week.

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Bush-on-private-.mov

He didn't have an answer then, never had an answer to begin with, won't have one in the foreseeable future... and private contractors in Iraq can look forward to getting off the hook for anything and everything.

[Arkansas Granny]

2. This just reinforces my belief that the torture that took place at

Abu Ghraib and other places was not just condoned, but actually encouraged by our government. This is why only the few "bad apples" have been tried and convicted of these crimes instead of those at the top who authorized them.

[SoCalDem]

3. That's PRECISELY WHY they hire "contractors"

Rent-a-Soldiers are NOT subject to military code, and have free rein to do the dirty work..and the military can wink and nod, and claim no fault

[madrchsod]

4. they are coming back to to the usa

maybe that guy will be your next door neighbor.

[Julius Civitatus]

5. What the Bush admin. is saying here is that only grunts pay

for their deeds.

Rummy and Miller, architects of the abuse and mistreatment in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, won't be made responsible.

Private contractors and paid mercenaries won't be subjected to military law, nd will be only accountable to their corporations.

Grunts and other lowly soldiers that were following orders.... well, these "bad apples" need to rot in prison for what they did.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. They won't be prosecuted by the US government, perhaps

A lot of these people better not be planning any foreign vacations.



The Palace of Peace
The Hague
Home of the International Criminal Court

Photo from the Dossier Nederland (The Netherlands)

[Julius Civitatus]

7. Nice picture

Hope Rummy likes that neo-gothic architectural style. I get the feelin geh may spend soem time over there.

;-)

[Jack Rabbit]

8. This is the home for retired neoconservatives . . .

United Nations Prison, The Hague

[gratuitous]

9. Of course the contractors aren't prosecuted

The contracts the Bush administration signed with the private companies hold the companies and their employees harmless from any prosecution. The contractors aren't held responsible because there's no legal basis for prosecuting them. Sweet, huh?