WASHINGTON, June 18, 2008
Former Detainees Detail Alleged Torture
Rights Group Says Physical And Mental Scars Back Up Claims Of Banned Interrogation Methods
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This undated still photo made available by The Washington Post on Friday May 21, 2004, shows a U.S. soldier holding a dog in front an Iraqi detainee at Abu Ghraib prison on the outskirts of Baghdad. (AP/Washington Post)
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One Iraqi prisoner, identified only as Yasser, reported being subjected to electric shocks three times and being sodomized with a stick. His thumbs bore round scars consistent with shocking, Physicians for Human Rights said in a report obtained by The Associated Press before its official release. He would not allow a full rectal exam.
Another Iraqi, identified only as Rahman, reported he was humiliated by being forced to wear women's underwear, stripped naked and paraded in front of female guards, and was shown pictures of other naked detainees. The psychological exam found that Rahman suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and has enduring sexual problems related to his humiliation, the report said.
"Some of these men really are, several years later, very severely scarred," said Barry Rosenfeld, a psychology professor at Fordham University who conducted psychological tests on six of the 11 detainees covered by the study from Physicians for Human Rights. "It's a testimony to how bad those conditions were and how personal the abuse was."
All the prisoners were freed without charges, either because they were innocent or not valuable enough to the military to hold.
The report from the advocacy group based in Cambridge, Mass., that investigates abuse around the world and advocates for global health and human rights, is the most extensive medical study of former detainees published so far to determine whether their stories of abuse at American hands could be corroborated with physical evidence. It followed standards and methods used worldwide to document torture.
Doctors and mental health professionals examined 11 former prisoners in intensive two-day sessions. The group alleges it found evidence of U.S. torture and war crimes, and said some U.S. military health professionals allowed the abuse of detainees, denying them medical care and providing confidential medical information to interrogators which was then exploited.
The report came as the Senate Armed Services Committee revealed documents showing military lawyers warned the Pentagon that some of the methods it used to interrogate and hold detainees post-9/11 violated military, U.S. and international law. Those objections were overruled by the top Pentagon lawyer, who said he was unaware of the criticism.
President Bush said in 2004, when the prison abuse was revealed, that it was the work of "a few American troops who dishonored our country and disregarded our values." Mr. Bush and other U.S. officials have consistently denied that the U.S. tortures its detainees.
Seven of the former detainees in the study were held at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq between late 2003 and summer of 2004, a period that coincides with the known abuse of prisoners at the hands of some of their American jailers. Four of the former detainees were held in the detention center at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, beginning in 2002 for one to almost five years. All 11 were released without criminal charges. None are identified in the report to respect their privacy.
Those examined alleged that they were tortured or abused, including sexually, and described being shocked with electrodes, beaten, shackled, stripped of their clothes, deprived of food and sleep, and spit and urinated on.
The abuse of some prisoners by their American captors is well documented by the government's own reports. Once-secret documents show that the Pentagon and Justice Department allowed, at least for a time, forced nakedness, isolation, sleep deprivation and humiliation both at the detention center at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
Because the medical examiners did not have access to the 11 patients' medical histories prior to their imprisonment, it was not possible to know whether any of the prisoners' ailments, disabilities and scars pre-dated their confinement. The U.S. military says an al Qaeda training manual instructs members, if captured, to assert they were tortured during interrogation.
However, doctors and mental health professionals stated they could link the prisoners' claims of abuse while in U.S. detention to injuries documented by X-rays, medical exams and psychological tests.
"The level of the time, thoroughness and rigor of the exams left me personally without question about the credibility of the individuals," said Dr. Allen Keller, one of the doctors who conducted the exams, in an interview with the AP. "The findings on the physical and psychological exams were consistent with what they reported."
All 11 former detainees reported being subjected to:
Ten said they were forced to be naked, some for days or weeks. Nine said they were subjected to prolonged sleep deprivation. At least six said they were threatened with military working dogs, often while naked. Four reported being sodomized, subjected to anal probing, or threatened with rape.
"We found clear physical and psychological evidence of torture and abuse, often causing lasting suffering," he said.
Said Rosenfeld: "If anything I think some of these guys really downplayed the severity of the symptoms and the severity of what happened to them, because it's embarrassing. If you are proud macho man its very hard to admit you've been victimized in that way."
Keller, who directs the Bellevue/New York University Program for Survivors of Torture, said the treatment the detainees reported were "eerily familiar" to stories from other torture survivors around the world. He said the sexual humiliation of the prisoners was often the most traumatic experience.
Most former detainees are out of reach of Western doctors because they are either in Iraq or have been returned to their home countries from Guantanamo.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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- And I bet you''re the type that believes the whenever they commit suicide in thier cells, it is just another form of Asymetrical warfare.
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- LOL corn, love my dad and the troops, hate bush and disagree with dad''s his support of him. Buy hey, He fought, and can vote to fWck up this country anyway he wants. As for the Marines, yeah they poisoned him with Agent Orange, The VA sucks and Marines also poisoned my whole family during the three separate occasions that we lived at Camp Lejune where I was born with chemicals PCE and TCE. Check the site on the post and you''ll see it was a cut and paste job or maybe look up the death cetificate #. PS I''m probably older than you kid and definitely more highly armed- Even the Marine''s HK/Benelli set up if you know what I mean and last - I''m also armed with a Psychology degree. But nice try, you really did make me laugh.
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- Here is a pyschic''s rendition of the current state of affairs. TO ME THE NAME OSAMA BIN LADEN SOUNDS JUST LIKE BARACK OBAMA. How could a person walk around with a similar sounding name as a terrorist and not be ashamed. I mean, if I saw someone crawling around with Adolf Hitler''s mustach I would think he probably has affiliations with the Nazis in some way. Obama cannot deny this. Osama was around before 911. Obama must have known about him. For twenty years, Obama belonged to a strange church with anti-white beliefs. Obama can be seen in pitures wearing a Muslim like turbin. Face it, Obama has upheld anti-white beliefs in the past. He is now learning how to represent himself as president of the United States. All things considered, I believe that Obama is just much too young to protect American interests. Every mistake he makes is swept aside by the US media. The current presidential campaign is driven by the media''s likes and not America''s best interests. One day a 18 year will run and win the presidency. His name also sounds like he is telling the world bomb and kill all US Army barracks. Obama''s wife''s name is "Michell" which stands for "My Shell" which means he married his mother, but is trying to run away from his white mother. When people see her name they see Obama''s dislike for having a white mother.
- Reply to this comment
- A senior CIA lawyer at the meeting, John Fredman, explained that... The only sure test for torture is if the detainee died. "If the detainees dies you''''re doing it wrong," Fredman said.
As of two years ago: http://www.aclu.org/intlhumanrights/gen/
21236prs20051024.html
27 year old male civilian, died in US custody approximately 72 hours after being apprehended. By report, physical force was required during his apprehension during a raid. During confinement, he was hooded, sleep deprived, and subjected to hot and cold environmental conditions, including the use of cold water on his body and hood. Intramuscular hemorrhage of anterior aspect of right shoulder. No significant evidence of natural disease. Concludes that cause of death cannot be determined. The decedent was also subjected to cold and wet conditions and hypothermia may have contributed to his death. DOD 003323 refers to this case with the notation "Q[uestioned] by NSWT [Navy Seals], struggled/interrogated/died sleeping." Preliminary autopsy report of this individual is at DOD 003260 -003261. Death certificate is at DOD 003300.
Case 03-504 - blunt force trauma and choking, died during interrogation, autopsy done.
Case 03-571 - blunt force trauma and choking, dured during interrogation, autopsy done.
Case 04-014, blunt force trauma and choking, gagged in standing restraint, autopsy done.
Unnumbered case - gunshot wound to abdomen: "shot without provocation", no autopsy done, not reported. - Reply to this comment
- Ga, One 9/11 per year was an extreme exapmle
regarding Lone Survivor written by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson
This happens in every war. The Seals in Afghanistan as in Iraq were not supposed be detected, they were, did not kill innocent children to save their skins, the mission was compromised and brave men died. I personally know 4 or 5 Seals and knowing them, they would still try to complete the mission anyway. That is their way, my father flew CH-46 which is the smaller navy/ Marine version of the CH-47 Chinook, and I know he would have gone even if he knew before hand it was a one way trip. It''s sad to hear of these losses but such is war. Also, personally knowing some of these brave SEALS and knowing only a small portion of what they do, they are not the best example of how to fight a war without committing war crimes. Their mission must be politically deniable for a reason. These are not our regular fighting forces and not great examples of the point you are trying to make. Sadly, a lot of Detainee deaths are attributed to Seals. - Reply to this comment
- impeach_w
We definitely disagree on this one. For me one American life lost is one to many. And when you say you would rather have a 9/11 every year I can%u2019t imagine wishing for that over this issue. It just seems to me you are on the wrong side of the fence on this one. Anyway best of luck to you. - Reply to this comment
- Ga, I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one. You and I live in a nation of laws. If they are not followed, we have nothing and therefore nothing to fight for.
I understand I may not be in the majority here but I personally would rather have one 9/11 per year and have thousands of civilan americans killed than trying to justify the actions our government has taken to protect us - torture, kidnapping, wiretapping, thousands of our forces killed and tens of thousands injured.
You also took that oath and should realize not all our enemies are foregin. The President took an oath to protect our CONSTITUTION not the American people.
Why hasen''t he protected it and if he isn''t doing it, who is? Like our president, no one who has taken the same oath as you seem to be upholding it at the moment.
If Americans advocate torture, they deserve to be flown into a building. I would like to believe most of us true Americans are not blinded by such hatred.
I don''t live in fear of criminals or terrorists or anything else. I have a 2nd amendment, a concealed permit, classIII and and my very own arsenal of democracy that includes almost everything our military has. I fear no one and know right from wrong. What our administration is doing is wrong whether you are an advocate of it or not. - Reply to this comment
- impeach_w
Look kid. When I signed the dotted line I swore to up hold the constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. I never said that torturing prisoners is the only way to do things. I simply stated in my first post that if that is what has to happen to save American lives then so be it. If we weren%u2019t doing what we are today then you wouldn%u2019t have the freedom to express yourself on the internet like this. You%u2019ve never been to Iraq or Afghanistan so you don%u2019t see what goes on. I%u2019ve spent 2 tours one at each. I%u2019ve seen first hand I%u2019ve been a part of defending this nation against terrorist that get in the way. All of your views are jaded by the liberal media of this country. Do me a favor. Why don%u2019t you pick up a book called the Lone Survivor written by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson. It%u2019s a great book and it will give you some insight to what we are all up against. I%u2019m not asking for you to change your option or views on the situation. Just open your horizons somewhat and you will see that the road continues beyond the bend even though you can%u2019t see it. - Reply to this comment
- Yes a proud Gator and embarassed republican. If you ever supported DicknBush you are to blame for this fiasco we are in. I know I never would support bush did but my Military minded father did. I think I see a pattern. Some of those who fought to protect out constitution and way of life didn''t realize they fought or died to protect the presidents right to torture. What is you opion on that? Which President did you plege an oath to any way? We can look up his crimes...
If you don''t like the way the constitution says this country should be run then you (like our administration) are not an American, don''t know what is means to be one and should get out. - Reply to this comment
- It is saddening to see how ignorant the rural parts of our country actually are. They love to say how patriotic they are as they support an administration tearing our rights and the constitution to shreads or how people against the war don''t support our troops when in fact they support our troops so much, they don''t want them dieing to make some fatcats in D.C. unfathomable amounts of money off of war profiteering tax dollars. I just don''t understand how they can have the time to post the lies and misinformation they here from republican radio, yet can''t do the slightest research into what they are arguing against.
Get your head out of your a## people and try a little more research into the people you treat like Gods.
The Bush administration is a terrorist organization. - Reply to this comment
Author Thomas Friedman on Obama's Afghanistan plan and the war on terror.
