Posted on 10/24/2005 5:09:52 PM PDT by Crackingham
At least 21 detainees who died while being held in U.S. custody in Iraq and Afghanistan were killed, many during or after interrogations, according to an analysis of Defense Department data by the Aerican Civil Liberties Union. The analysis, released Monday, looked at 44 deaths described in records obtained by the ACLU. Of those, the group characterized 21 as homicides, and said at least eight resulted from abusive techniques by military or intelligence officers, such as strangulation or "blunt force injuries," as noted in the autopsy reports. The 44 deaths represent a partial group of the total number of prisoners who have died in U.S. custody overseas; more than 100 have died of natural and violent causes.
In one case, the report said, a detainee died after being smothered during interrogation by military intelligence officers in November 2003. In another case cited by the report, a prisoner died of asphyxiation and blunt force injuries after he was left standing, shackled to the top of a door frame, with a gag in his mouth.
One Afghan civilian, believed by the ACLU to be Abdul Wahid, died from "multiple blunt force injuries" in 2003 at a base in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, according to an autopsy report provided by the Defense Department. Wahid, 28, was taken from his home by Afghan militia and accused of being a terrorist. The autopsy report said he died in American custody, though his father has blamed the militiamen.
The detailed list of prisoners whose deaths the report considered homicides includes two detainees who were beaten and died from "blunt force injuries" at the Bagram Airfield detention center in Afghanistan, according to the autopsies.
Earlier this month, Pfc. Damien M. Corsetti, a military intelligence interrogator with the 519th MI Battalion at Fort Bragg, N.C., became the 15th soldier to face charges since those 2002 deaths.
Details about the detainee abuse and deaths have been released by the Pentagon as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the ACLU. Many of the incidents have been made public previously, and in a number of cases soldiers and officers involved have been prosecuted and punished.
"The U.S. military does not tolerate mistreatment of detainees," said Army spokesman Col. Joseph Curtin. "Past cases have been fully investigated. When there is credible evidence, commanders have the prerogative to prosecute."
To date, there have been more than 400 investigations of detainee abuse, and more than 230 military personnel have received a court-martial, nonjudicial punishment or other administrative action.
"There is no question that U.S. interrogations have resulted in deaths," said Anthony D. Romero, ACLU's executive director. "High-ranking officials who knew about the torture and sat on their hands and those who created and endorsed these policies must be held accountable."
The ACLU must have missed the Nick Berg beheading along with the rest of the hostages the islamderthal scum murdered while holding them.
The ACLU is flinging their anti American crap again. Will be in the Arab news soon.
Who says the Cold War is over?
The AP -- should have known -- and I wonder how that number compares to the homocides of Saddam and his executioners while they had people in custody? 200,000? 400,000?
Maybe the Anti-American Communist Lawyers Union cares to address that data??
ACLU Ping
Indeed they should. They should be held accountable for the fact there are Tony Romero’s running around inside the US that are sympathetic to those with hostile intentions. Bunch of judges and legislators should have been disked under by now too.
IMO, of course.
The ACLU continues to prove itself the organization most likely to uphold the false premise that the Constitution is, indeed, a suicide pact.
Were they ACLU lawyers?
War is hell.
That's why its best not to go starting one and having to pay the piper.
I was going to say 21 out of a total of how many? I wonder what our average is?
Now what was the total count on people snatched by the Peaceful Followers of OBL and his minions? What is the % of people chopped, shot, ransomed and just let go.
The minions do seem to have come up with a novel way to handle defense lawyers.
They were all probably destined to be suicide bombers anyway, we just altered the course a little.
Only 21?
Our guys need to get tougher.
How does the ACLU find time to check on the deaths of prisoners. Dont they have all they can handle trying to outlaw God from America?
At least 21 detainees who died while being held in U.S. custody in Iraq and Afghanistan were killed
What do deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq, have to do with the ACLU..?
The reason this war is like Vietnam is; trying to win hearts and minds, instead of decimating the enemy wherever he may be.
WE ARE BETTER THAN THEY ARE.
Sorry to shout, but the argument above keeps coming up. Under absolutely no circumstances should the behavior of terrorists be a benchmark for our behavior. Bad behavior cannot be excused because worse behavior exists.
If it is true that people in US custody have been mistreated. then the people who did it must be identified and punished. We don't condone misdeeds; they do. We don't get off on sadistic acts of torture; they do. We are better than they are. It's up to us to prove it.
You don't conquer evil by emulating it. Not ever, not even a little bit.
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