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America Admits Suspects Died In Interrogations
Independent (UK) ^
| 3-7-2003
| Andrew Gumbel
Posted on 03/06/2003 6:23:26 PM PST by blam
America admits suspects died in interrogations
By Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles
07 March 2003
American military officials acknowledged yesterday that two prisoners captured in Afghanistan in December had been killed while under interrogation at Bagram air base north of Kabul reviving concerns that the US is resorting to torture in its treatment of Taliban fighters and suspected al-Qa'ida operatives.
A spokesman for the air base confirmed that the official cause of death of the two men was "homicide", contradicting earlier accounts that one had died of a heart attack and the other from a pulmonary embolism.
The men's death certificates, made public earlier this week, showed that one captive, known only as Dilawar, 22, from the Khost region, died from "blunt force injuries to lower extremities complicating coronary artery disease" while another captive, Mullah Habibullah, 30, suffered from blood clot in the lung that was exacerbated by a "blunt force injury".
US officials previously admitted using "stress and duress" on prisoners including sleep deprivation, denial of medication for battle injuries, forcing them to stand or kneel for hours on end with hoods on, subjecting them to loud noises and sudden flashes of light and engaging in culturally humiliating practices such as having them kicked by female officers.
While the US claims this still constitutes "humane" treatment, human rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have denounced it as torture as defined by international treaty. The US has also come under heavy criticism for its reported policy of handing suspects over to countries such as Jordan, Egypt or Morocco, where torture techniques are an established part of the security apparatus. Legally, Human Rights Watch says, there is no distinction between using torture directly and subcontracting it out.
Some American politicians have argued that torture could be justified in this case if it helped prevent terror attacks on US citizens. Jonathan Turley, a prominent law professor at George Washington University, countered that embracing torture would be "suicide for a nation once viewed as the very embodiment of human rights".
Torture is part of a long list of concerns about the Bush administration's respect for international law, after the extrajudicial killing of al-Qa'ida suspects by an unmanned drone in Yemen and the the indefinite detention of "enemy combatants" at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a number of whom have committed or attempted to commit suicide.
President Bush appeared to encourage extra-judicial solutions in his State of the Union address in January when he talked of al-Qa'ida members being arrested or meeting "a different fate". "Let's put it this way," he said in a tone that appalled many, "they are no longer a problem to the United States and our friends and allies."
TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: admits; america; antiamerican; antibush; died; interrogations; prisondeaths; propaganda; quitealeap; suspects; wherestheproof
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To: Normal4me
I'm glad that someone like you cares. I suggest you embark upon a personal inspection tour of terrorist holding locales and report back to us with your findings.
To: Slings and Arrows
engaging in culturally humiliating practices such as having them kicked by female officers. cool beans
and i expect to see this on You Gotta See This anyday now!
62
posted on
03/06/2003 7:39:59 PM PST
by
ALS
To: Normal4me
but killing them is not rightOk, you are right, I was more in favor of taking them down to the local ZOO for dinner at the lion's cage.
To: blam
The men's death certificates, made public earlier this week, showed that one captive, known only as Dilawar, 22, from the Khost region, died from "blunt force injuries to lower extremities complicating coronary artery disease" while another captive, Mullah Habibullah, 30, suffered from blood clot in the lung that was exacerbated by a "blunt force injury". That's a pea ball of dough that's been rolled out into a 2 foot tortilla.
64
posted on
03/06/2003 7:56:38 PM PST
by
William Terrell
(Advertise in this space - Low rates)
To: blam
Do notice the careful ambiguity in the phrase
while under interrogation.
Does that mean, while under the hot lights? Does it mean, while being held for interrogation? Does it mean, while attacking the interrogators with a makeshift weapon?
Every good left-wing journalistic smear-pack has a little deniability-tab on the back of the package. If caught out, just pull the tab and the story dissolves harmlessly for the journalist, of course after thoroughly trashing the target.
To: blam
The torture the victims of the Sept 11th bombings by these inhuman scum is the only torture I am concerned with. I know that is true, this, who knows? Perhaps they should have co-operated?
Amazing the concern shown for terrorists who live their lives torturing others.
To: blam
Oh, if the independent Amnesty International says we are mistreating the thugs, I guess I should feel bad. (/barf /sarcasm)
To: ErnBatavia
It makes me burn up inside every time I see it...
To: Truthsearcher
The silence is deafening. Kudos to you.
69
posted on
03/06/2003 8:18:27 PM PST
by
Romulus
To: blam
Gee golly whiz. I sure by gum believe every word of this. You betcha. Gotta be true, 'cause we're such meanies 'n' stuff.
To: Slings and Arrows
So, anything good on TV?Maybe they filmed the interrogations!
hulkster
To: blam
President Bush appeared to encourage extra-judicial solutions in his State of the Union address in January when he talked of al-Qa'ida members being arrested or meeting "a different fate". "Let's put it this way," he said in a tone that appalled many, "they are no longer a problem to the United States and our friends and allies."Didn't appall me much. He sounded like John Wayne. I felt proud of him.
72
posted on
03/06/2003 9:56:28 PM PST
by
Capriole
(Foi vainquera)
To: Normal4me
At risk of a flaming, I agree with you. Applying pressure during interrogation is one thing, but if this story is true, someone crossed the line. We signed the Geneva Convention, and we need to either abide by it or bow out. That said, it looks like the system is working, and the people involved will be tried (again, if the story is true).
73
posted on
03/06/2003 11:14:20 PM PST
by
ellery
To: Truthsearcher
"The test of one's principles comes with the hard times, not the easy ones. It's easy to support the freedom of speech of someone you agree with, it's supporting those that you disagree with that is the true test of your commitment to the principle of free speech. Same here, it's easy to be for the human rights of people we like, but the true test of our commitment to that principle is whether we recognize the same right in people whom we detest."
Deserves a bump.
74
posted on
03/06/2003 11:17:20 PM PST
by
ellery
To: Normal4me
I agree with you.
However the article didn't say WHO killed the prisoners.
To: blam
This is just shocking. What are you having for dinner tonight?
76
posted on
03/07/2003 2:29:43 AM PST
by
Movemout
To: ErnBatavia
Gets my blood boiling every time I see one of those pics.
I feel so much pain inside thinking about how horrible a decision that must have been for so many. :(
To: Normal4me
...regarding the Geneva Convention standards that the USA swore to uphold and will reflect badly upon us. They are not signatories of the Geneva Convention. Period. They are inhuman terrorists, not members of mankind. Whatever they get is OK with me. BTW, I loved our "helicopter interviews" during the VietNam conflict.
78
posted on
03/07/2003 4:06:56 AM PST
by
zip
(I love being right)
To: EaglesUpForever
Are the Al Queda signatories to the Geneva Convention?Excellent question, one I am asking myself.
Is there one (intelligent) person out there that doesn't realize every army, including ours, have used intensive questioning methods in every war? This isn't a game like these leftists pukes think.
79
posted on
03/07/2003 4:16:31 AM PST
by
zip
(I love being right)
To: blam
I don't knnow if this is true or not. If it is, its totally inexcusable. Torture should NEVER be used under ANY circumstances. Its a violation of the Constitution and eveything America stands for.
Threaten to shoot the
b@stards if they don't talk, then do it. But torture - never. It demeans us and history will condemn us for hypocrasy for our condemnation of people like Saddam and the Islmaic states who use this practise as they have no concept of human dignity.
80
posted on
03/07/2003 4:21:35 AM PST
by
ZULU
(You)
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