This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen
on .
It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
Nine Captured Iraqis Were Mistreated in British Custody, Report Says
Nine Captured Iraqis Were Mistreated in British Custody, Report Says
(35 minutes later)
LONDON — Nine Iraqis who were captured by British soldiers after a battle in 2004 suffered mistreatment, but allegations of murder and torture amounted to “deliberate and calculated lies,” according to an official report released on Wednesday.
LONDON — Nine Iraqis who were captured by British soldiers after a battle during the Iraq war in 2004 were mistreated, but allegations of murder and torture amounted to “deliberate and calculated lies,” according to an official report released on Wednesday.
As many as 20 Iraqis were killed and mutilated after a fierce gunbattle, according to claims from some of the detainees, their relatives and other Iraqi witnesses, but those allegations were withdrawn this year. The inquiry’s report said that many of the claims against the British were prompted by “reckless speculation and ingrained hostility.”
As many as 20 Iraqis were killed and mutilated after a fierce gun battle, according to claims from some of the detainees, their relatives and other Iraqi witnesses, but those allegations were withdrawn this year. The inquiry’s report said many of the claims against the British were prompted by “reckless speculation and ingrained hostility.”
Nevertheless, the investigation also concluded that some of the treatment of the nine Iraqi detainees, while in British custody, “amounted to actual or possible ill-treatment.”
Nevertheless, the investigation also concluded that the nine Iraqi detainees, while in British custody, were at times subjected to “actual or possible ill treatment.”
The findings follow a report released last week by a Senate committee, which declared that the methods used by the C.I.A., which were later prohibited, violated American values and produced little or no useful intelligence.
The findings follow a report released last week by a United States Senate committee, which declared that the C.I.A.'s use of torture on terror suspects violated American values and produced little or no useful intelligence.
The British inquiry found no examples of torture of the kind meted out to prisoners by American interrogators, as described in the redacted Senate panel’s report.
The British inquiry found no examples of torture of the kind meted out to prisoners by American interrogators, as described in the Senate panel’s report.
The results of the British investigation, released on Wednesday, follow a lengthy and detailed inquiry that was established in 2009 and led by a senior British judge, Thayne Forbes, at a cost of more than 24 million pounds, or nearly $38 million. The inquiry was established to investigate allegations made after one specific incident in 2004.
The results of the British investigation follow a lengthy and detailed inquiry about one specific incident that took place in 2004. The inquiry was established in 2009 and led by a senior British judge, Thayne Forbes, at a cost of more than 24 million pounds, or nearly $38 million.
The report cleared the British forces of the worst charges against them, and highlighted the context in which the Iraqis were captured near the small town of Majjar al-Kabir, on the main road linking Basra and Al Amarah in southeastern Iraq.
The report cleared the British forces of the worst charges against them, and highlighted the context in which the Iraqis were captured, near the small town of Majjar al-Kabir, on the main road linking Basra and Al Amarah in southeastern Iraq.
It followed a “deadly, planned and coordinated armed ambush of British troops” carried out by “a large number of heavily armed Iraqi insurgents, including the nine detainees, who were bent on inflicting as much death, injury and damage upon British forces as they could,” the inquiry’s report said.
The Iraqis were captured after heavily armed Iraqi insurgents, including the nine detainees, ambushed the British troops. The Iraqis were “bent on inflicting as much death, injury and damage upon British forces as they could,” the inquiry’s report said.
The report did, however, paint a picture of intimidation and abuse of the Iraqis after they were captured, notably during the arrival and interrogation of the prisoners at Camp Abu Naji overnight on May 14 of that year.
The report did, however, paint a picture of intimidation and abuse during the arrival and interrogation of the Iraqi prisoners at Camp Abu Naji on May 14, 2004.
The men were strip-searched without adequate privacy, the report said, adding that “each of the detainees was rendered completely naked in front of every soldier who happened to be present in the processing tent at that time.”
The men were strip-searched without adequate privacy, the report said, and stood naked in the processing tent in front of other soldiers.
A prisoner would be left standing blindfolded in a tent before an interrogator would break the silence by drumming his fingers on the table or whistling, the report said. The interrogator would then walk around the detainee in silence, blowing on the back of the detainee’s neck. Finally, he would bang on a table with a metal tent peg to startle the detainee before removing the blindfold.
A blindfolded prisoner would be left standing in a tent before an interrogator would break the silence by drumming his fingers on the table or whistling, the report said. The interrogator would then walk around the detainee in silence, blowing on the back of the detainee’s neck. Finally, he would bang on a table with a metal tent peg to startle the detainee before removing the blindfold.
The report also criticized the use of static from an untuned radio, sleep deprivation, forced medication of one detainee, and unsatisfactory arrangements for lavatory visits during which one prisoner may have remained handcuffed.
The report also criticized the use of radio static, sleep deprivation and forced medication, and unsatisfactory arrangements for lavatory visits during which one prisoner might have remained handcuffed.
The inquiry dismissed the more serious allegations of murder and torture, calling them “the product of deliberate and calculated lies on the part of those who made them and who then gave evidence to this inquiry in order to support and perpetuate them.”
The inquiry dismissed the more serious allegations of murder and torture, calling them “the product of deliberate and calculated lies” by some of those who testified.
“Other false allegations were the result of inappropriate and reckless speculation on the part of witnesses,” the report said.
“Other false allegations were the result of inappropriate and reckless speculation on the part of witnesses,” the report said.
Among the severest allegations were those brought by relatives of a 19-year-old detainee, Hamid al-Sweady, who asserted that the British military killed him after he was captured. The overall inquiry was named after Mr. Sweady.
Some of the most serious allegations were made by relatives of a 19-year-old detainee, Hamid al-Sweady, who asserted that the British military killed him after he was captured. The overall inquiry was named after Mr. Sweady.
“The inquiry has utterly rejected all claims of murder and torture as deliberate and calculated lies,” said Michael Fallon, Britain’s defense secretary. He said that it was regrettable that a public inquiry was necessary “at great expense to the taxpayer.”
Michael Fallon, Britain’s defense secretary, said that it was regrettable that an expensive public inquiry was necessary, but that he was
Mr. Fallon said that while “the vast majority of the accusations against the British military were wholly and entirely without merit,” the inquiry had shown some instances of ill-treatment. “However, I am satisfied that those incidents would not occur today thanks to changes made since 2004.”
satisfied that the documented instances of ill treatment would not occur today “thanks to changes made since 2004.”
A much broader inquiry into Britain’s involvement in the Iraq war — led by John Chilcot, a former senior civil servant and also set up in 2009 — was not yet completed.
