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)
The mods ducked out for a latte.
Darn. I'm post-zot.
He dead, Jim
You noticed that too.. laugh. Doesn't have to be from Europe, could be any of the 'subjects' from the former colonies.
Asphalt is being readied. Talk or be paved.
ZOT!
You jealous naughty boy -you will lose your allowance over this. No more happy meals for you either...
As he identified him self as a "Gay American" (although he did not seem that happy to me) you are probably more right then you know
So in other words by saying he is an upper class american male... Our recently departed troll is admiting that he is a limo liberal with this diatribe.
LOL... I didn't know, but sometimes in cases like this it's SO obvious! :-)
Not that he was that much fun while alive.
:Sigh: Our work is never done.
I always set aside one morning every week in which I eat "non breakfast" food for breakfast. Things like chili dogs, BBQ ribs, spaghetti, hot wings, etc. It makes me feel closer to my ancestors who didn't have corn flakes and the like. Plus, I love chili - it's just so damned delicious.
Who pooped in YOUR cereal? Or did they steal your silver spoon?
Why don't you give away all your belongings and start at the bottom of the heap? Oh. I'm sorry. I forgot...you are better than we are.
OK then...Why don't you find a new place to live...like in another country?
OZONE!!!
Hey darks toto is back.... errrrr was back
For posterity's sake... be honest... how do you feel?
LOL! I'm glad I'm a VIXEN and not part of the heavy machinery unit. ;-)
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