U.S.: Iraq Inmates Imposed Islamic Justice

Extremist Detainees Held Islamic Courts, Tortured Or Killed Those Who Would Not Join

(AP)  For years, extremist Iraqi detainees in U.S. custody held self-styled Islamic courts and tortured or killed inmates who refused to join them, military officials said, disclosing new details about the use of American prisons to recruit for the insurgency.

The problem became the main catalyst for a decision to separate moderate detainees from the extremists, part of a broader reform package aimed at correcting widespread U.S. prison abuses that sparked international criticism.

"We were having people who weren't insurgents who were being forced to be insurgents because of the power of these courts, the power of al Qaeda and other extremist groups," said Lt. Col. Kenneth Plowman, a spokesman for Task Force 134, which operates coalition detention facilities in Iraq.

He told The Associated Press Friday that the jailhouse Sharia courts formed, despite the presence of U.S guards, to enforce an extreme interpretation of Islamic law. They were then used to convict moderate inmates, who were then tortured or killed, he said.

In comments published in the Sierra Vista Herald in Arizona, Brig. Gen. Rodney L. Johnson, commander of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, put the number of detainees tried by the courts in the double-digits. Neither he nor Plowman would give specific numbers.

The courts were eradicated and none has been detected in six months although some gang-related issues persist, Plowman said.

"We have a detainee population of about 21,000. You're gonna have extremists who will find a way to communicate and to form these kind of organizations," he added.

But he said guards had stepped up to block efforts to form new courts.

The classification of detainees into moderate and extremist groups was part of sweeping reforms launched by the former commander of detainee operations, Maj. Gen. Douglas Stone, in a bid to overcome a series of scandals over the treatment of detainees in U.S. custody.

It also was in line with a new counterinsurgency strategy by the Americans that focused on isolating the general population from the militants to stem support for the fighting.

"The problem's been apparent and when Stone took command that was one of his first initiatives - to separate out the detainees into categories like moderate, extremists etc. in order to resolve this issue," Plowman said. "There hasn't been any real Sharia court for six months or so."

Allegations of abuse at U.S. prisons escalated in 2004 with the release of pictures of grinning U.S. soldiers posing with detainees at the Abu Ghraib facility west of Baghdad. Some were naked, being held on leashes or in painful and sexually humiliating positions.

That prison has since been closed, and 11 U.S. soldiers were convicted of breaking military laws, and five others were disciplined in the scandal.

Stone expressed regret over the old U.S. policies during a June 1 news conference, shortly before relinquishing command to Rear Adm. Garland Wright.

"By not emphasizing population protection and the exemplary treatment of detainees, our facilities became breeding grounds for extremist recruitment. As a result, we changed many of our practices," he said.

Reforms also included educational and vocational programs in a bid to rehabilitate less dangerous prisoners, as well as increased releases under amnesty programs.

The overall number of detainees has fallen from a peak of 26,000 last summer to just over 21,000, according to officials.

Plowman said the inmates are thoroughly vetted by a series of interrogations by Muslim clerics and prison board members to determine to which category they should be assigned.

The problem was concentrated at Camp Bucca - a facility in southern Iraq that holds 18,000 of the inmates, including some of the most dangerous - and the courts were usually led by al Qaeda in Iraq, Plowman said.

He said the problem had been happening since U.S. detainee operations began in 2004.

[guadalcanal3]

Brokercooper...What about FDR...and...Truman???...They had balls.

[guadalcanal3]

Willyhenail...Sooo true!

[brokercooper]

willyhenail- you are a moron. If a democratic president was in office and decided to get into a war ,I''d be like , well holy s*it, the first democrat to serve office and have a pair of balls.

[toolmangler-2009]

I don''''t really care why you hate us...pardon me your venom is showing...I don''''t care if we gave you all of Israel, and half of the United States...you''''d still find a reason to hate us...kill us...and show your slathering hate all over the world.
Posted by CarlyLaine at 11:11 AM : Jul 27, 2008



well said,

They only have one reason to hate us, We aren''t Muslim. It is the Muslim religions creedo that "All the earth ''must'' be Muslim or die".

So the only hope that non-Mulims have is to Kill all Muslims. (Stupid isn''t it) (That is why Islam should not be allowed to have Nooks, "They would really use them")

[rhs648]

As long as you and I, and all those we can get to join, keep up the call for Bush to face justice for his crimes, sooner or later they will happen, but we must make certain to keep up the call even after he leaves office, otherwise all future presidents will know that they can commit the most horrible crimes against humanity, and walk away rich.

Posted by brianbwb

First you need to provide evidence of crimes or fabricate evidence to hold President Bush accountable for crimes against humanity. So far, there are none.

[closethippy1]

How did all this happen under US supervision???
Freaking courts??? Are you kidding me???

Let me ask the rightwing nuts amongst us a question since this is a good opportunity to do so: Would you have excused a Democratic president if he''s been in power for the last 7 years instead of Bush and has done exactly everything Bush did?
Would you?
Or would you have gone out of your freaking minds accusing the Democratic president of being responsible for the deaths of over 4000 US military personnel, the recrutiment of terrorists under its very nose as depicted in the article above, $4/gallon, the economy, the debt, the fimble dollar and all that Bush has so skillfully shattered?
By now, you probably would have formed some kind of guerilla group and carrying out attacks in the hope of deposing the president.
Yes, you would have and you know it!!!
But since it''s one of your guys up there the country can go to hell and you would come up with a reason why being in hell is after all a good thing.
You hypocrites.

[pirmin3]

"This so called torture is not being done in the US or to US citizens."

Sounds like the sick rationale for extraordinary rendition. "Pratap did it, not me! I''m blameless."

[hermitdave]

WELL GOLLY GOSH---You mean if a country starts a illegal war against another country, then rounds up citizens of that country and puts them in prison without charges, these humans do bad things to those who locked them up if given a chance? How could that be? Christian George is just trying to spread good will over in Iraq.

[ioweign]

Bush has kept America safe

Posted by republic1776 at 10:26 AM : Jul 27, 2008

Not from US bankers and his fellow "oilmen"...

[ioweign]

This so called torture is not being done in the US or to US citizens.
War is War.
Bush has kept America safe

Posted by republic1776 at 10:26 AM : Jul 27, 2008

But they are under US control and responsibility...

[ioweign]

Where is Charles W. Colson and Prison Fellowship Ministries ??

[carlylaine]

muslim2k8says: If you Americans can''''t stick it out together, trust me, there are plenty abroad ready to take you apart and feed your innards to the crows.

************
Really? You are why we have disdain for you and your ilk. (I realize not all muslims are as controlling and freakish as you)...but you are the reason we want to keep your kind out of the US...every one wants to blame BushCheney...but you guys are mean, nasty, vulgar and you can throw accusations of why you hate us around...and kill us AND to get rid of our few freedoms that that we have left...you are the satanic infidels...wow! too scary.

I don''t really care why you hate us...pardon me your venom is showing...I don''t care if we gave you all of Israel, and half of the United States...you''d still find a reason to hate us...kill us...and show your slathering hate all over the world.

[downsteamjim]

This article indicates that things must be going good in Iraq. The vast majority of articles on Iraq are negative. As a result if things are moving in the right direction Iraq is forgotten or dated pieces like this are tossed out.

[downsteamjim]

To brianbwb: I hope that some day you get over the fact that Saddam Hussien is no longer running Iraq. But take heart, you still have Mugabe, the Castros, Ahmadedjan [sp], Kim, and those loveable Sudanese.

[republic1776]

This so called torture is not being done in the US or to US citizens.
War is War.
Bush has kept America safe

[usmcvn1]

Posted by patriot12436 at 05:17 AM : Jul 27, 2008

OOORRRAAAHHH!!

[pirmin3]

"everything it stands for and was founded upon."

Bushit and regime have already removed much of the above. We are moving ever closer to a police state ruled by corporate Amerika.

[patriot12436]

muslim2k8
I didn''t know a computer could work from under a rock. When you are ready to come out and fight like a man, just let an American soldier know where to find you. You are hard to locate under a pile of cow dung, you *** eating maggot.

[andor3]

"We need some Islamic justice for the wimp LIBERALS. "

Just to be clear here--that statement advocates the overthrowing of America and everything it stands for and was founded upon. As long as you are okay with that, I only hope you do not claim to be an American, or that you are making arrangements to leave very soon.

[gunfighter51]

It''s all Karl Rove''s fault.

I''ll bet the limp left would be happy to see Karl get a bit of torture.

We need some Islamic justice for the wimp LIBERALS.
Might make some men out of them, or maybe not!