Documents Obtained By ACLU Describe Charges Of Murder And Torture Of Prisoners In U.S. Custody

[Ichingcarpenter]

Newly Released Government Documents Show Special Forces Used Illegal Interrogation Techniques In Afghanistan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: [phone] or [phone]; [e-mail]

NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union obtained documents today from the Department of Defense confirming the military’s use of unlawful interrogation methods on detainees held in U.S. custody in Afghanistan. The documents from the military’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID), obtained as a result of the ACLU’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, include the first on-the-ground reports of torture in Gardez, Afghanistan to be publicly released.

“These documents make it clear that the military was using unlawful interrogation techniques in Afghanistan,” said Amrit Singh, an attorney with the ACLU. “Rather than putting a stop to these systemic abuses, senior officials appear to have turned a blind eye to them.”

Special Operations officers in Gardez admitted to using what are known as Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) techniques, which for decades American service members experienced as training to prepare for the brutal treatment they might face if captured.

Today’s documents reveal charges that Special Forces beat, burned, and doused eight prisoners with cold water before sending them into freezing weather conditions. One of the eight prisoners, Jamal Naseer, died in U.S. custody in March 2003. In late 2004, the military opened a criminal investigation into charges of torture at Gardez. Despite numerous witness statements describing the evidence of torture, the military’s investigation concluded that the charges of torture were unsupported. It also concluded that Naseer’s death was the result of a “stomach ailment,” even though no autopsy had been conducted in his case. Documents uncovered today also refer to sodomy committed by prison guards; the victims’ identities are redacted.

“These documents raise serious questions about the adequacy of the military’s investigations into prisoner abuse,” added Singh.


>>>>snip

http://www.aclu.org/safefree/torture/34923prs20080416.html

[annabanana]

1. more and more... There MUST be an impeachment in here somewhere.

Nancy set the table.

[But....]

2. .....

:banghead:

[annabanana]

3. welcome to DU... It's heartbreaking, isn't it.. . . . .n/t

[But....]

4. Return really,

But thanks and yes, it beyond words that we(americans) allowed/allowing this.:cry:

[Disturbed]

5. "We Americans" did not allow Torture.

The Pres. of the US said over & over: "We do not torture". Were we lied to?

[annabanana]

6. We Americans failed to stop it.

Everyone who was paying attention knew that they were parsing definitions so they could claim they weren't torturing..

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. This is in LBN too, so

be sure to support that thread too.


Make sure you wear your label pin if you do.