Posted on 11/30/2004 12:46:46 PM PST by NormsRevenge
BERLIN (AP) - A group of American civil rights attorneys filed a criminal complaint in German court on Tuesday against top U.S. officials, including Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, for acts of torture committed at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
The complaint also names former CIA director George Tenet, the former commander in Iraq Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez and seven other military leaders.
Attorneys from the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights said they filed the complaint because they were disappointed in U.S. investigations into the Abu Ghraib abuses, and hoped the filing would prompt an investigation by German authorities.
"I expect a serious investigation by Germany and would want it to prompt the U.S. government to say: 'We've got to seriously investigate this ourselves,'" attorney Michael Ratner said at a news conference in Berlin.
"This is not something we would have preferred to do," he said. "We are left with the last resort in my view."
Four Iraqis who say they were shocked, beaten, sexually abused and deprived of food and sleep joined the suit.
The attorneys said that since the United States is not a member of the International Criminal Court, they could not take their case there. They chose Germany because it has legislation allowing the prosecution of war crimes and human rights violations across national boundaries.
The abuses "were clearly authorized at the highest levels" of the chain of command, attorney Peter Weiss said. It "goes considerably beyond the question of merely inhumane treatment."
The Abu Ghraib scandal broke last spring when photos showing U.S. soldiers abusing Iraqi inmates became public, causing worldwide outrage. So far, only low-level military service members have been charged with the abuse.
An investigation headed by former Defense Secretary James Schlesinger was independent, but was criticized because its panel was appointed by Rumsfeld. A separate investigation headed by Maj. Gen. George Fay said the Army's top commanders in Iraq shared some blame for management failures.
The complaint was filed with the German Federal Prosecutor's office in Karlsruhe, said spokeswoman Frauke Scheuten. "We have received it and are looking into it," she said.
Scheuten said she could not comment on whether her office was likely to investigate the complaint.
German attorney Wolfgang Kaleck, who helped file the complaint, said that it could be a long time before a decision is made whether to take up an official investigation.
I see the germans are still hurting over their failed food for oil progrom.
Depending on how they handle this, maybe its time to pack up the rest of our troops and leave Germany for good; their economy will really be in the dumper then.
NEEDED: Hot Tar and Feathers... I've got a rail. I have had enough of these people, lets tar em, feather em, and ride em to canada on a rail!!! Oldmedia is welcome to watch and maybe take a turn.
What? Is there no Scottish law that applies?
Go ahead. Make my day.
>>>>>A group of American civil rights attorneys filed a criminal complaint in German court on Tuesday against top U.S. officials,<<<<<
These people arent Americans, Cancel their passports., Who is paying these people? Where are their funds coming from to travel to Germany with their traitorous schemes. Find that out. Bastards.
This seems like an ethical violation to me. If you lose, you can't just go file a lawsuit in a foreign country. Someone ought to bring these lawyers before the Bar.
Publicity stunt.
Red6
Typical leftist response "We can't get a majority of Americans to vote for our beliefs - therefore we will use the court system to enact the policies we could not get enacted through the legislative branch"
I agree, follow the money trail on this one. Rush Limbaugh has been saying for weeks that their will be an attempt to impeach Pres. Bush over this. We need to know where the money is coming to pay the attorneys.
How about this? We completely pull out of Germany and throw the UN out of the US and offer them an old Military Base in Germany.
This way they can at least pretend that they the UN can actually do something militarily.
This certainly brings jurisdiction shopping to a whole new level.
Can an NGO be guilty of treason or breaking some other Federal Law by pulling a stunt like this?
No, but even if they win in this Kangaroo court, it won't be enforcable in the US. The worst that would happen is those found guildty would not be able to visit Germany. Awww. Too bad. Better store the leiderhosen away, Rummy.
First of all, it is AMERICANS filing the complaint. Secondly, please bring evidence that Germany was involved in the oil for food scandal. You won´t find any, coz it was mainly France, Russia and UN personnel.
Don't send 'em to us. We've got enough problems. How about sending them to Ivory Coast?
Take Germany again.
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