Army Statement On Abuse Allegations

The U.S. Army released the following statement on U.S. Army and Department of Defense investigations into detainee abuse allegations on March 2, 2006.

More than 600 investigations have been conducted into allegations of detainee mistreatment -- with more than 250 individuals held accountable. Twelve major reviews of U.S. detention operations have also been conducted and all of them found that Department of Defense never promulgated any policy that authorized, condoned or encouraged abuse of detainees. The major inquiries are based on more than 2,800 interviews. Additionally, more than 500 investigations have examined allegations of detainee mistreatment. The Army is committed to ensuring that all of its Soldiers live up to the Army Values and the Law of War regardless of the environment or circumstance.

60 Minutes also asked the U.S. Army under what circumstances, if any, servicemen at Bagram may use the peroneal strike. Below is the reply, received on March 3, 2006 from the Army Public Affairs office.

Specific cases and allegations are being addressed through military judicial and non-judicial actions - to include the court-martial your program plans to profile involving Bagram, Afghanistan. In general, by the Army military-police regulation, striking a prisoner is not acceptable -- except in a circumstance requiring personal self-defense. Army Regulation 190-8, "Enemy Prisoners of War, Retained Personnel, Civilian Internees and Other Detainees," prohibits "corporal punishment ... and bodily injury." (Source: Army Regulation 190-8, section 1-5, paragraphs 4b and 4c)