Posted on 12/06/2004 3:57:38 PM PST by AMBIVILANCEkilledTHEcat
Alleging responsibility for war crimes and torture at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison, a human rights group has filed a criminal complaint in Germany against US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other top US officials.
The New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and Berlin's Republican Lawyers' Association said they and five Iraqi citizens mistreated by US soldiers were seeking a probe by German federal prosecutors of leading US policymakers.
They said they had chosen Germany because of its Code of Crimes Against International Law, introduced in 2002, which grants German courts universal jurisdiction in cases involving war crimes or crimes against humanity.
It also makes military or civilian commanders who fail to prevent their subordinates from committing such acts liable.
"No other place to go"
"We filed these cases here because there is simply no other place to go," CCR vice president Peter Weiss said in a statement, adding that the US Congress had "failed" to seriously investigate the abuses. "It is clear that the US government is not willing to open an investigation into these allegations against these officials."
The Center for Constitutional Rights noted that while several US soldiers were facing court martial for the abuse and sexual humiliation of prisoners at the US-run Abu Ghraib detention center in Iraq, their superiors looked set to escape discipline.
The complaint names Rumsfeld, former CIA director George Tenet, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Steven Cambone, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, Brigadier General Janis L. Karpinski and other military officers who served in Iraq.
Five victims part of the case
"From Donald Rumsfeld on down, the political and military leaders in charge of Iraq policy must be investigated and held accountable," CCR president Michael Ratner said in a statement issued in Frankfurt, Germany.
The CCR said that the five Iraqis it was representing had been victims of mistreatment including electric shock, severe beatings, sleep and food deprivation and sexual abuse.
It noted that Sanchez and other officers involved in the case were based in Germany. Germany's federal prosecutor now has to decide whether the case warrants further investigation.
DW staff/AFP (win)
Sounds a lot like Chief Quimby's jurisdiction on the old Inspecter Gadget cartoons.
So what does the Arabic writing in the second picture say? (I guess it's Arabic!)
Enough of your psychobabble...meet the Zot!
Just stupid and definitely a dimocRat (ooops, I think I was a little redundant)
Dang, I almost believed him. lol
Center for Constitutional Rights
Why do I get the feeling that there version of the Constitution would make John Adams sick to his stomach?
I applaud the effort by the German citizens;
Well that makes one of us.
Dast troll ist kaput!
Cat Got his tongue perhaps?
Ya don't see Old ones like him around here.
BEINGARATzottedTHEtroll!
What is it with you RAT droids... you've got some sort of obsession with "war crimes"?
There was even one who writes for my local paper, demanding on their website that both Bush AND Kerry be tried for "War Crimes".
What's a "War Crime" to a whining leftist, anyway - doing anything that upsets you so you soil your lace drawers, or something?
Dead Cat Bump
Upper class.....LOL
I applaud your brave post!! Plus it's pretty darn funny as Freepers mock you!!! But hey, now you can feel all self righteous on top of being very silly.
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