US Calls For Sacking Of Iraq's Interior Minister Over Sunni Prisoner Abuse

The Guardian (UK) ^ | 12-17-2005 | Jonathan Steele

[blam]

US calls for sacking of Iraq's interior minister over Sunni prisoner abuse

Jonathan Steele
Saturday December 17, 2005
The Guardian (UK)

The US is pressing for the sacking of Bayan Jabr, Iraq's Shia interior minister, whose staff have been discovered to be torturing Sunni prisoners. With a strong Sunni role in Iraq's next government apparently secure after their high turnout in Thursday's election, US officials want to ensure that cabinet posts are no longer exploited for sectarian or partisan ends. Sunnis have long complained that the interior ministry is one of the worst offenders.

Inspections of two detention centres on the eve of this week's poll found around 800 inmates, many of them teenagers, living in cramped conditions under interior ministry guard. Dozens had to be sent to hospital for injuries administered by guards.

The scandal appeared to confirm Sunni claims that the Baghdad police have become little more than an arm of the Supreme Council for the Revolution in Iraq (Sciri). Mr Jabr, a Sciri official, has been accused of hiring staff mainly from the Sciri militia called the Badr brigade. A desire to stop abuses by what Sunnis see as a biased government was a factor in persuading many Sunnis to take part in this week's poll.

Since the first torture centre was revealed the US ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, has taken steps to prevent further abuse. US officers are being "embedded" with interior ministry forces, commandos and police when they raid houses. Along with officials from Iraq's human rights ministry, they are also making surprise inspections of prisons and detention centres.

[Marine_Uncle]

You forgot the soiled panties on the head.

[Marine_Uncle]

I also see this as a good sign. Sunni are seeing the American military are not prejudist against them. As the Sunni on the border line see the US plays no favorites, but is there to keep the peace, they have less excuse to fight us.
Obviously for the hard core Baathist, there is little hope.

[bnelson44]

One would assume Iraq's next government will have new ministers, including a new Interior minister.