Posted on 06/02/2005 5:50:20 PM PDT by saquin
A judge has ordered the government to release four videos from Abu Ghraib prison and dozens of photographs from the same collection as photos that touched off the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal a year ago.
The federal judge issued the order late Wednesday requiring the Army to release the material to the American Civil Liberties Union to comply with the Freedom of Information Act.
The ACLU said the material would show that the abuse was "more than the actions of a few rogue soldiers."
Judge Alvin Hellerstein said the 144 pictures and videos can be turned over in redacted form to protect the victims' identities. He gave the Army one month to release them.
The judge ordered the release after he viewed eight of the photos last week. They were given to the Army by a military policeman assigned to Abu Ghraib.
In October 2003, the ACLU filed a lawsuit seeking information on treatment of detainees in U.S. custody and the transfer of prisoners to countries known to use torture. The ACLU contends that prisoner abuse is systemic.
"These images may be ugly and shocking ... (but) the American public deserves to know what is being done in our name," said Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU.
So far, 36,000 pages of documents and the reports of 130 investigations, mostly from the FBI and Army, have been turned over to the ACLU. The group is seeking documents from the CIA and the Department of Defense as well.
The judge said last week that he believed photographs "are the best evidence the public can have of what occurred" at the prison.
Government lawyer Sean Lane had argued that releasing pictures, even in redacted form, would violate Geneva Convention rules by subjecting the detainees to additional humiliation.
Lane did not immediately return a telephone message for comment Thursday.
Liberalism, much like terrorism, is losing.
Negative. That's wrong, just like ignoring laws or just plain breaking them is wrong.
How about showing the events recorded on Sept. 11, 2001 and the REAL victims of terrorism....rather than a bunch of low-life inmates whining about their prison life. Free taxpayer-provided prayer rugs to park their dingy arses on as well as free Korans to wipe with. I have no doubt that the SOB's never had it as good as they do in Gitmo.
The DoD shouldn't ignore the order. The President should direct them to ignore the order.
Both the President and his brother had a splendid opportunity to ignore a judicial decree and save the life of Terri Schiavo, but both men sold her out.
A boiling point has to be reached before a paradigm shift in jurisprudence. Terri was just the first step.
How is the ACLU funded? I am curious. If there is a way to hit them where they hurt I would like to be part of a grassroots movement to do it.
There comes a point when breaking the law is right. Hopefully our judges come to their senses and realize the ivory tower is really not that tall and what they rule is not just an exercise in a textbook.
Agree with you 100%. Abu Ghraib is nothing. But Bush haters view this nothing as a way to keep stirring the pot of discontent. Sheesh!
No, there isn't.
The President swore an oath thedefend the Constitution too. As FDR found with the Neutrality Act, defending the Constitution can conflict with upholding it. He must have told Churchill about this conflict because Churchill mentioned it in his memoirs.
Lastly, does anyone at the Pentagon have a copy Norton Clean Sweep? This whole problem could go away.
A little rebellion now and then...is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government.
Great things have occurred when one has refused to cooperate with corrupt laws
You're a fraud and a sheister.
its bigger then that, this "torture" nonsense is their watergate, and part of the Hillary 2008 campaign.
how do you feel about Rosa Parks?
I felt that was all made up.
Ooooooo. That sure shoots my points to crap. What's a "sheister" anyway?
Let 'em howl. The American people have had their fill, many times over, and will applaud.
You act surprised, but you shouldn't be. You've always taken a "kill 'em all", and "ignore the law" attitude for as long as I have known you. FYI, if you know what shyster means, you'll understand.
That was sarcasm and you still haven't addressed my points. Name-calling does not count.
I hope a picture of Nick Berg is shown right beside every "panties on their head" picture.
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