Our Torture Empire Allies - "take 'em out back and beat the fuck out of them' - Aclu Get new Info

international | rights, freedoms and repression | other press Saturday March 26, 2005 19:43 by eeekkkkk

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Extract: See Link For Complete Information

The documents released today include evidence of:

+ Abuse of a high school student detainee:

Commander's report of inquiry intobroken jaw of a high-school boy (such that the boy required his mouth to be wired shut and could eat only through a straw). The victim was told "to say that I've fallen down and no one beat me." The report concluded that the broken jaw was caused either as a result of a blow by a U.S. soldier or a collapse due to "complete muscle failure" from being excessively exercised.

It found that "abuse of detainees in some form or other was an acceptable practice and was demonstrated to the inexperienced infantry guards almost as guidance" by 311th Battalion Military Intelligence personnel. Personnel "were striking the detainees," and evidence suggested that the 311th Military Intelligence personnel and/or translators "engaged in physical torture of the detainees." It was recommended that no punitive action be taken against the Commander of the Battalion. (See pp. 1173-1280)

+ Death of detainee with no history of medical problems:

Abu Malik Kenami died while in detention in Mosul, Iraq. The investigation speculates that Kenami may have suffered a heart attack.

On the day he died, Kenami had been "punished with ups and downs several times...and ha[d] his hands flex cuffed behind his back." He was also hooded, with "a sandbag placed over [his] head." "Ups and downs" are "a correctional technique of having a detainee stand up and then sit-down rapidly, always keeping them in constant motion."

The file states that "[t]he cause of Abu Malik Kenami's death will never be known because an autopsy was never performed on him." Kenami's corpse was stored in a "reefer van" for five days before it was turned over to a local mortician. (See pp. 1281 - 1333)

+ Soldiers being told to "beat the fuck out of detainees":

Documents dated August 16, 2003, relating to an investigation into "alleged ROE and Geneva Convention violations" in Iraq include sworn statements relating to "Bulldog 6" telling soldiers to "take the detainee[s] out back and beat the fuck out of them." (See pp. 1584-1613)

+ Perceptions of chain of command endorsement of "pay-back":

An informal investigation into an incident of abuse by soldiers while they were dropping detainees off for further questioning by the "3BCT MIT team" in Iraq. The MIT team saw the soldiers kicking blindfolded and "zipcuffed" detainees several times in the sides while yelling profanities at them. The investigation concludes that at least three TF 2-70 did abuse the detainees and adds that "some of the TF 2-70 may perceive that the chain-of-command is endorsing `pay-back' by allowing the units most affected by suspected detainee actions to play the greatest role in bringing those suspects to justice." (See pp. 1619-1755)