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| Iraq 'torture complex' discovered | Iraq 'torture complex' discovered |
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| US and Iraqi forces have discovered a "torture complex" in an al-Qaeda safe haven near Muqdadiya in central Diyala province, the US military has said. | US and Iraqi forces have discovered a "torture complex" in an al-Qaeda safe haven near Muqdadiya in central Diyala province, the US military has said. |
| Three buildings containing chains on the walls and ceilings, and a metal bed connected to a power supply were found during an operation on 9 December. | Three buildings containing chains on the walls and ceilings, and a metal bed connected to a power supply were found during an operation on 9 December. |
| Mass graves containing 26 bodies were uncovered nearby, the military said. | Mass graves containing 26 bodies were uncovered nearby, the military said. |
| Correspondents say Diyala has been the focus of some of the fiercest attacks by insurgents in recent months. | Correspondents say Diyala has been the focus of some of the fiercest attacks by insurgents in recent months. |
| Militants displaced from their former strongholds in Anbar province and parts of Baghdad by the US troop surge are believed to have migrated to the province. | |
| Earlier on Tuesday, a suicide bomber killed 13 people and a US soldier in an attack on a recruiting centre for local Sunni Arab militia groups that have been fighting al-Qaeda-linked militants in Diyala. | Earlier on Tuesday, a suicide bomber killed 13 people and a US soldier in an attack on a recruiting centre for local Sunni Arab militia groups that have been fighting al-Qaeda-linked militants in Diyala. |
| 'Atrocity site' | 'Atrocity site' |
| The grisly discovery of what the US military called an atrocity site and torture complex north of Muqdadiya was made during a security operation more than two weeks ago, but announced only on Thursday. | The grisly discovery of what the US military called an atrocity site and torture complex north of Muqdadiya was made during a security operation more than two weeks ago, but announced only on Thursday. |
| Evidence of murder, torture, and intimidation against local villagers was found throughout the area US military statement Pictures of the complex | Evidence of murder, torture, and intimidation against local villagers was found throughout the area US military statement Pictures of the complex |
| "Intelligence provided by Iraqi tips led US troops to a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq safe haven and operating bases," the US statement said. | "Intelligence provided by Iraqi tips led US troops to a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq safe haven and operating bases," the US statement said. |
| "Evidence of murder, torture, and intimidation against local villagers was found throughout the area." | "Evidence of murder, torture, and intimidation against local villagers was found throughout the area." |
| Residents of nearby villages said they had known about the torture complex, but had not told the authorities because they had been afraid of reprisals by the militants. | Residents of nearby villages said they had known about the torture complex, but had not told the authorities because they had been afraid of reprisals by the militants. |
| A local policeman told the Associated Press news agency that he thought the chamber had been in use for about a year. | A local policeman told the Associated Press news agency that he thought the chamber had been in use for about a year. |
| The troops initially discovered what appeared to be a detention facility, near which they found the bodies of 26 people in "multiple mass graves next to execution sites", the statement said. | The troops initially discovered what appeared to be a detention facility, near which they found the bodies of 26 people in "multiple mass graves next to execution sites", the statement said. |
| "In the same area a torture complex was found, consisting of three detention facilities with one doubling as both a headquarters building and torture facility," it added. | "In the same area a torture complex was found, consisting of three detention facilities with one doubling as both a headquarters building and torture facility," it added. |
| "The buildings contained chains on the walls and ceilings, a bed still hooked up to an electrical system, and several bloodstained items." | "The buildings contained chains on the walls and ceilings, a bed still hooked up to an electrical system, and several bloodstained items." |
| Written in white paint on one wall above the bed was a Koranic phrase used to welcome a guest: "All who enter it shall be safe." | Written in white paint on one wall above the bed was a Koranic phrase used to welcome a guest: "All who enter it shall be safe." |
| The US military commander in northern Iraq, Maj Gen Mark Hertling, said he believed the torture facility had been run by al-Qaeda in Iraq as it was located in one of their strongholds. | The US military commander in northern Iraq, Maj Gen Mark Hertling, said he believed the torture facility had been run by al-Qaeda in Iraq as it was located in one of their strongholds. |
| Graffiti on the site also mentioned the Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella group that includes al-Qaeda in Iraq and other Sunni Arab insurgents. | Graffiti on the site also mentioned the Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella group that includes al-Qaeda in Iraq and other Sunni Arab insurgents. |
| After uncovering the site, the troops continued their security sweep of the area and killed 24 suspected militants, Gen Hertling said. | After uncovering the site, the troops continued their security sweep of the area and killed 24 suspected militants, Gen Hertling said. |
| The torture complex was not the first to have been discovered in Iraq. In March, US troops found a similar site in the village of Karma in the western province of Anbar. | The torture complex was not the first to have been discovered in Iraq. In March, US troops found a similar site in the village of Karma in the western province of Anbar. |
| They rescued two Iraqis who said they had been spared immediate execution because the militants had wanted to film the killings and their video camera had broken. | They rescued two Iraqis who said they had been spared immediate execution because the militants had wanted to film the killings and their video camera had broken. |