Another 4 released by the Americans....

BolBill

So another 4 captives are released from Guantanemo (spelling?) Bay without charge. So is it ok for the US to hold people captive for YEARS, torture them and then release them without anybody questioning the basic human rights of those held?

Sleepy

Ehm, is there conclusive proof of torture? I wasn't aware that there had been.

And lots of people have questioned the human rights situation of Guantanamo Bay, just nobody powerful enough to stop the most powerful man in the world from doing whatever he pleases...

BolBill

Sleepy wrote:

Ehm, is there conclusive proof of torture? I wasn't aware that there had been.

And lots of people have questioned the human rights situation of Guantanamo Bay, just nobody powerful enough to stop the most powerful man in the world from doing whatever he pleases...

Didn't you see the pictures of the captives in red jump suits with hands and feet tied together? And loud music blasted at them 24/7 ?

Exactly, but why is nobody questioning them? I mean if these were Americans held in the Middle East against their will it would be a matter of major importance no?

pete

Ehm, is there conclusive proof of torture? I wasn't aware that there had been.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4114455.stm

Below are details of US government documents alleging further abuses of inmates in Iraq and at the military prison at Guantanamo Bay.
The allegations, made mostly in e-mails between FBI officials in 2002-04, were released in connection with a lawsuit against the US government.

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Marked "Urgent report"
Dated 25 June 2004
Addressed to "The Director" (FBI chief Robert Mueller) and other senior officials
From Sacramento Division

The account of "an individual" who allegedly witnessed serious physical abuses of prisoners in Iraq, including strangulation, beatings, placing of lit cigarettes in detainees' ears and unauthorised interrogations.

The individual was said to have contacted the FBI because those involved were trying to cover up the abuses.

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Marked "sensitive but unclassified"
Dated 2 August 2004
Name of sender blanked out

The writer claims to have witnessed abuses at Guantanamo Bay, including seeing an inmate chained hand a foot in a foetal position to the floor, with no chair, food, or water. They often urinated or defecated on themselves and had been left for over 24 hours.

On one occasion a detainee appeared to have pulled his hair out after having to spend the night in a room without ventilation or air conditioning.

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A request for guidelines on the definition of abuse
Dated 22 May 2004
From "on-scene commander, Baghdad" to senior FBI officials

The writer states that prior to a revision in policy President Bush authorised interrogation techniques including "sleep management", stress positions, the use of military dogs, and "sensory deprivation through the use of hoods etc."

The writer notes, however, that these techniques were outside standard FBI practice.

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Dated 5 December 2003
Sender unknown

The writer expresses concern that the FBI will be held accountable for abuses of a detainee after impersonation of FBI agents by military interrogators.

"If this detainee is ever released or his story made public in any way, Department Of Defence interrogators will not be held accountable because these torture techniques were done [by] the 'FBI' interrogators. The FBI will be left holding the bag before the public," the writer says.

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Dated 21 January 2004
Sender unknown

The sender says the technique of impersonating FBI agents, which appeared to have proved unsuccessful, was approved by Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz.

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Dated 28 July 2004
Sent by Washington Field to Criminal Investigative Field

The message announces that an FBI investigation has been launched into the alleged rape of a juvenile male detainee at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison.

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Marked "sensitive but unclassified"
Dated 30 July 2004
Sender unknown

An unnamed agent describes seeing a detainee at Guantanamo Bay wrapped in an Israeli flag and bombarded with loud music and strobe lights, adding the supposition that such practices were employed by military personnel. No physical abuse was witnessed.

The agent describes the practices as "non-FBI policy treatment".

Hobbes

There have also been written reports from people who were let go of torture, but hey they are terrorists while they were in there so why should we believe them?

BolBill

Hobbes wrote:

There have also been written reports from people who were let go of torture, but hey they are terrorists while they were in there so why should we believe them?

Ok so if you were in Afghanistan back in 2002 and were picked up by the Americans and sent to Guantanemo Bay then you would be a terrorist whilst you were there. Logic, look it up.

Hobbes

Logic, look it up.

Don't have to, as Bush said "These people here are bad men". They only get to be good men after its proven they are not terrorists. Least thats how it looks to me.

BolBill

Hobbes wrote:

Don't have to, as Bush said "These people here are bad men". They only get to be good men after its proven they are not terrorists. Least thats how it looks to me.

True

Nuttzz

They are luckly that the US didnt charge them for boarding as I believe the Brits did to some people who were released after been wrongly aquitted