6 U.S. Sailors Accused Of Detainee Abuse

Navy Says 2 Inmates Were Allegedly Beaten, 8 Others Sealed In Pepper Spray-Filled Cell In Iraq

(AP)  Six sailors have been accused of abusing detainees at a U.S. detention center in Iraq, including sealing prisoners in a cell filled with pepper spray, the U.S. Navy said Thursday.

Two detainees also were allegedly beaten and suffered minor abrasions but no broken bones or other injuries, Navy 5th Fleet spokeswoman Cmdr. Jane Campbell said.

The May 14 assaults occurred after a number of guards at Camp Bucca were attacked by the detainees, including spitting on the guards and throwing containers filled with human waste at them, Campbell said.

The case was the latest allegation of abuse against inmates in U.S. detention in Iraq, and it comes as the U.S. military has touted reforms of the prison system.

The issue drew international criticism 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. Five others were disciplined in the scandal.

The six sailors were charged with assault on detainees and will face courts-martial at Camp Bucca within the next 30 days, the Navy said.

Seven other sailors received nonjudicial punishment for failing to report the incidents, Campbell said. Two had their charges dismissed while others were reduced in rank or faced suspended punishment, she added, declining to be more specific.

The alleged assaults occurred at Camp Bucca, a detention center that houses 18,000 of the U.S. military's 21,000 inmates, in southern Iraq on May 14. A formal investigation began four days later.

"Two detainees suffered minor abrasions as a result of the alleged assaults," the statement said. "Eight others were confined overnight in a detainee housing unit which was sprayed with a riot control agent and then the ventilation secured."

[liberalme]

Who was in charge of these guards?


What exactly were these detainees being held for?

How long have they been there or should I say "detained"---how long does detain mean?
A week, month year 5 years--detain sounds kind of like a short interruption--hmmmm

Were they just picked up with a lot of other Muslims or were the caught at doing something?

18,000 inmates--all proven to be terrorists?

Frustrated guards, frustrated "detainees".

What did the military leaders and the government think was going to happen??

[hangelle]

who exactly is footing the bill for Talibani''s medical travel, hospital stay, surgeries, etc.?

[gop_forever]

What is the hold up in regards to their medals?

[redbds]

Detainees are held at Camp Bucca while they await trial in the Iraqi justice system. That can take months or even years.

[newsjunky5]

I''m glad they swiftly busted those involved, although maybe not severely enough. This displays to the world that it''s not our policy. Most importantly, it discourages our Servicepeople from losing their cool, and doing the same over there.

[labrat9999]

I will never understand this stuff. I was in the military 22 years, I will admit I retired a looong time ago. But even then we had cameras located all over our dentention facilities and these were low level facilities that housed military folks not possible terrorist. Also, all these facilities had restricted access even for guards, and there was always some ranking officers at the facilities 24x7 supervising. So I''m totally confused how this stuff happens and no officers get canned or accused. If someone who is in the military now or recently got out and is familiar with these facilities would like to comment I would certainly like to know how this stuff happens and why everyone is so surprised.

[papabc]

The May 14 assaults occurred after a number of guards at Camp Bucca were attacked by the detainees, including spitting on the guards and throwing containers filled with human waste at them, Campbell said
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The Guard should have Kicked the detainees AZZEZ.

If, I am if the guard had gotten sick or worse from the human waste thrown at them then what. The Krapt and waste has hepititus, Aids and other unknow bugs.

Again their AZZEZ should have been kicked with NO, I MEAN NO, punishment of the Sailors.

[rickstas]

The US went to Iraq complaining about Sadaam''s torture and rape rooms. Now we all know that the the torture and rape rooms are no longer run by Sadaam, they''re run by the USA!

It makes me wonder how many similar incidents and attrocities have been committed by our soldiers over seas in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Anyone know what happened with that Green Beret in Afghanistan, who shot and murdered a civilian and then cut his ear off as some kind of trophy?

[wardoglrs]

Now we have TORTURE in America my my aren''t we just loved threw out the world. Were did Liberty go?. Were did Freedom go?. The american people have truly lost there way....

[causeway_m]

Posted by mcdazz at 06:29 PM : Aug 14, 2008"

bubba - we in the ROW are well oaware that your troops are nothing but rapists and paedophiles

[causeway_m]

This displays to the world that it''''s not our policy. Most importantly, it discourages our Servicepeople from losing their cool, and doing the same over there.


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Posted by newsjunky5 at 03:52 PM : Aug 14, 2008"

Oh what a joke - this is just for show - those 6 will be found guilty of putting a paper clip on the wrong piece of paper and be awaarded $10k in compensation

Howq do I know that - it''s because you assh0les sentenced the mass murderer william Calley to 2 weeks house arrest

[cmmedic]

I spent a year at Bucca and this saddens me I mean yea I had a few detainees throw fist at me and got rocks and chai bricks thrown at me was threatened every day that they would kill me. but the worst part is i was helping them i gave them there meds i mended there wounds i watched them kill eachother brutally. I was there medic i never once lost my cool with them at times i told them to walk away get off the fence. But to see that the navy who were ### hats when i was there would do this. i mean yes they got maced, if they are in the seg cells and they are not following the rules the salior had a certain protocol to follow first was have a terp tell em to quite down then they would have to call up higher to get permission to use mace or ne other non lethal

[cmmedic]

I spent a year at Bucca and this saddens me I mean yea I had a few detainees throw fist at me and got rocks and chai bricks thrown at me was threatened every day that they would kill me. but the worst part is i was helping them i gave them there meds i mended there wounds i watched them kill eachother brutally. I was there medic i never once lost my cool with them at times i told them to walk away get off the fence. But to see that the navy who were ### hats when i was there would do this. i mean yes they got maced, if they are in the seg cells and they are not following the rules the salior had a certain protocol to follow first was have a terp tell em to quite down then they would have to call up higher to get permission to use mace or ne other non lethal

[samson_74]

I am so tired of hearing people in this country painting our soldiers and military personnell as ''rapists, torturers, murderers, ect.'' These things happen every day in every civilized country among the civilian population, but somehow when in happens in a place our military has occupied it is an atrocity and abnormal all of the sudden. Fact is, these crimes are abnormal and atrocious no matter where, when or how they occur. you cannot reasonably expect that our military has absolutely no ''bad apples'', esp. as the armed forces represent a cross section of our population. It is not right or correct to push the idea that these crimes are a policy of the US military. Of course you rarely hear about the 50 or 500 good and honorable soldiers to every bad one, because their story isn''t newsworthy enough. I''m not defending those who commit these acts. They are dispicable individuals who commit reprehensible acts and should be punished. I''m am defending the image of our military and especially the honorable soldiers who, i''m sure are the majority.

[causeway_m]

you cannot reasonably expect that our military has absolutely no ''''bad apples'''', esp. as the armed forces represent a cross section of our population. It is not right or correct to push the idea that these crimes are a policy of the US military. Of course you rarely hear about the 50 or 500 good and honorable soldiers to every bad one, because their story isn''''t newsworthy enough. I''''m not defending those who commit these acts. They are dispicable individuals who commit reprehensible acts and should be punished. I''''m am defending the image of our military and especially the honorable soldiers who, i''''m sure are the majority"

Bubba - it was your military that claimed your troops had committed no crimes AT ALL in Iraq - until the Abu G photos PROVED that you military LIED

The videos etc seen by the congress - those videos and pictures that they refused to release as they were FAR WORSE than any of the othe r pictures and would destroy the US position in the world PROVE your military to be SCUM. It''s noticeable that ZERO US personnel have been punished for thse acts

facts are thet your military goes about doing its damndedst to cover up the acts of murder, rape etc committed by its troops and on the rare occasion the troops are found guilty of any act the "punishments" meted out are nothing but slaps on the wrists

The obvious example is William Calley - guilty of mass murder and he served a sentence of a few months house arrest before being freed by the military

[causeway_m]

This is just Amnesty International having a hissy fit over a bad day at the office.


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Posted by diatreme at 07:22 PM : Aug 14, 2008"

Hilarious coming from a d1ckhead american complaining that his beloved Panamanian Johnny was tortured by the Vietnamese who just put panties on his head (according to Panamanian Johnny''s buddy Jim inhofe)

[babooph]

Let these young guys go -the criminals who set the stage for this sick garbage are in the White House-bring them before the world court!

[whiskyrokkr]

We need to get out of Iraq now! Never ever should have been there in the first place.

[shameonbush]

What kind of animals are they to treat another human being this way?

[fetuskarate]

Wow. Shocking. Considering where they find these ''people'', this should be expected. The military is full of animals and their handlers. nothing more.