- WASHINGTON -- The CIA's inspection
team has launched an investigation into the death of an Iraqi prisoner
at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison who died after being interrogated by
US agents, it was revealed yesterday.
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- At the same time the Pentagon announced that seven more
American soldiers have been reprimanded over the abuse and torture of Iraqi
prisoners at the jail.
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- The CIA insists that none of its agents were involved
in the abuse of prisoners. However, a spokesman admitted that an inquiry
by the agency's Inspector General was under way. "One prisoner at
that prison who we were talking to did die, and so there is an ongoing
IG investigation about why did that guy die. But I don't have anything
to connect us to the ugliness that went on there."
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- The announcement adds to a growing picture of widespread
abuse at the prison notorious during the rule of Saddam Hussein as a location
for murder and torture of political prisoners.
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- Military officials in Baghdad said yesterday six soldiers
all of them officers and non-commissioned officers have been given the
strongest administrative punishment available. While they will not face
courts martial, the actions could end their careers. A seventh soldier
received a less severe reprimand.
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- The reprimands will do little to placate the fury and
anger in the Arab world generated by revelations about the abuse and torture
of Iraqi prisoners by US troops and civilian contractors.
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- Yesterday Brigadier General Janis Karpinski, the senior
officer in charge of the prison until she was relieved of her duties, repeated
her claim that she did not know about the prisoner abuse while it was happening.
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- General Karpinski, commander of the 800th Military Police
Brigade, said that in one photograph from the prison, there appeared to
be more Americans involved in the alleged abuse than the six MPs who had
already been charged.
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- "One photograph showed 32 boots. I'm saying other
people than the military police may be involved," she said.
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- It emerged at the weekend that at least one prisoner
has died in Abu Ghraib and reports suggest that US personnel had tried
to cover up his death. It may be this prisoner's death the CIA is investigating.
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- A number of inquiries are investigating the abuse, alleged
to have been carried out at the end of last year. Yesterday, The New York
Times reported that an internal army investigation has discovered a virtual
collapse of the command structure in the prison. A leaked report of the
investigation said mid-level military intelligence officers had been allowed
to avoid the normal chain of command to issue "questionable"
orders to personnel from the reserve military police unit handling prison
guard duty.
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- A second review has been ordered by Lieutenant General
James Helmly, the head of the Army Reserve, to assess the training of all
reservists, especially those who are likely to have to deal with prisoners.
In addition to the seven soldiers who have been reprimanded, six members
of an Army Reserve military police unit assigned to Abu Ghraib face charges
of assault, cruelty, indecent acts and maltreatment of detainees.
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- In Baghdad yesterday, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Hoshyar
Zibari, condemned the alleged abuse and called for an independent inquiry
to investigate the reports. "The position of the Foreign Ministry
is to condemn this kind of behaviour," he said.
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- The scandal has done nothing to help the White House
as it seeks to stand by its 30 June deadline for a handover of sovereignty
to an Iraqi authority. A White House spokesman said yesterday that the
President felt that those responsible should be punished for their "shameful
actions".
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- - Around 50 former US diplomats have said President Bush's
Middle East policy was costing the United States credibility, prestige
and friends, in an open letter to be made public today. The letter expresses
the signatories' support for 52 retired British diplomats who spoke out
against Prime Minister Tony Blair last week.
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- US TROOPS UNDER INVESTIGATION OVER 'TORTURE VIDEOS'
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- By Andrew Clennell
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- Those charged are:
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- Staff Sergeant Ivan L 'Chip' Frederick II, 37, from Virginia
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- He wrote in a 18 December e-mail to an uncle that he
questioned some of the abuses he witnessed and was told: "This is
how military intelligence wants it done." He also said: "They
usually end up breaking within hours."
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- Specialist Sabrina D Harman from Virginia
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- A reservist who before the war was assistant manager
at a pizzeria.
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- Her mother Robin said: "She's being railroaded.
This kid has never hurt anyone in her life. They took her fresh out of
boot camp and threw her platoon over there."
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- Specialist Jeremy C Sivits, 24 from Hyndman, Pennsylvania
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- Daniel Sivits said his son "was just doing what
he was told to do" when he allegedly photographed prisoners in humiliating
positions. He said Jeremy was not trained as a military police officer
but as a mechanic. Jeremy Sivits claimed he could be seen in a photograph
trying to help a prisoner.
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- Sergeant Javal S Davis, 26 from Mississippi
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- Reportedly told the inquiry into the alleged torture:
"I witnessed prisoners in the MI hold section... being made to do
various things that I would question morally... We were told that they
had different rules."
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- Specialist Meghan M Ambuhl, of Maryland, Virginia
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- Corporal Charles A Graner from Virginia
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- Was photographed grinning and giving the thumbs-up behind
a cluster of perhaps seven naked Iraqis, knees bent, piled clumsily on
top of each other in a pyramid.
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- Suspended:
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- Brigadier General Janis Karpinski, Army Reserve Commander
who oversaw the prison
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- She protests: "The prison, and that particular cellblock
where the events took place, were under the control of the MI [military
intelligence] command."
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- Detained:
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- Lynndie England, 21, from Fort Ashby Virginia, has been
moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina
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- Has been demoted from specialist to private first class.
In one photo was pictured giving a thumbs up, cigarette in mouth, pointing
to the genitals of an Iraqi who was forced to masturbate.
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- Seven unnamed soldiers have also been reprimanded.
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- © 2004 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=517930
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