Military judge declares Abu Ghraib prison a crime scene, orders it not to be destroyed

Associated Press | June 21, 2004

[HAL9000]

AP News Alert

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- A military judge has declared Abu Ghraib prison a crime scene and ordered it not to be destroyed.

[HAL9000]

Judge Declares Abu Ghraib a Crime Scene

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- A military judge Monday declared Abu Ghraib prison a crime scene and ordered that it not be destroyed - a move President George Bush had offered to help remove the stain of torture and abuse from Iraq.

The judge, Col. James Pohl, issued the order during a hearing for Sgt. Javal Davis, one of three defendants who appeared in court Monday. Pohl also refused to move the case from Iraq as Davis' lawyer had requested.

President Bush had offered to tear down Abu Ghraib and build a new prison to eliminate the legacy of torture and abuse that the facility developed during Saddam Hussein's rule and later because of the current scandal.

Iraqi officials showed no interest in the offer, and interim President Ghazi al-Yawer said destroying the facility would be a needless waste of resources.

[bayourod]

Well, that's one way to get reassigned out of a war zone.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

Actually it was a stupid symbolic offer, and the Iraqi who said it was a waste of resources is frankly right. If we knock it down guess who is going to be paying for it, I am. Then we'll probably offer to build a new one, and again I'll be paying for it. Let the damn Iraqis do whatever the want with it.