A female interrogator ran her fingers through a prisoner's hair and sat in his lap, a barber gave reverse mohawks and a detainee was forced to kneel so many times he was bruised, the U.S. government says in the most detailed accounting of eight abuse cases at its Guantanamo Bay prison for terror suspects. Those responsible for the abuse have been demoted, reprimanded or sent for more training, according to an 800-word U.S. military response to a written query from The Associated Press. Allegations of mistreatment at Guantanamo, where 550 terror suspects have been held for nearly three years, surfaced after the abuse scandal broke last year at the U.S.-run Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, where pictures showed beatings and sexual humiliation of Iraqi prisoners.

The details of abuse at Guantanamo come as lawyers for several prisoners challenge evidence presented by the government, saying some could have been obtained by force. Only four prisoners have been formally charged at Guantanamo, where most are held without charge or access to lawyers. The military has reported 34 suicide attempts among detainees, though none has been reported since January.

Guantanamo's new commander says lessons have been learned from past abuses cases and troops are treating detainees humanely with a rigorous system of checks and balances.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?I345257B9


From:
Aftermath News
Top Stories - November 7th, 2004