/* */

PDA

View Full Version : U.S. refuses to handover Iraqi jails



sonz
12-26-2005, 11:37 AM
The Associated Press reported on Sunday that the U.S. occupation authority refused to hand over jails or detainees to the Iraqi authorities claiming that the move is aimed at ensuring that the Iraqi government adopts higher standards of care.

The announcement comes two weeks after the discovery of 120 abused Iraqi prisoners.

Commenting on a New York Times article published Sunday, and the first to report that Iraqi prison facilities wouldn't be handed over until the government improves standards, Lt. Col. Barry Johnson claimed that the U.S. military would hand over Iraqi detention facilities to the gov. only after it demonstrates detainees rights will be respected and that international law on the treatment of prisoners is being followed.

"A specific timeline for doing this is difficult to project at this stage with so many variables," said Johnson, a military spokesman, adding that "the Iraqis are committed to doing this right and will not rush to failure. The transition will be based on meeting standards, not on a timeline."

Two weeks ago, 120 Iraqi detainees were found with signs of abuse inside two jails controlled by the Iraqi Interior Ministry.

Interior Minister Bayan Jabr rejected torture allegations as exaggerated by people who sympathize with “rebels”.

The U.S. Army, now claiming to protect detainees’ rights, had its share of worldwide criticism over the abuse and torture of prisoners; a scandal that broke out in April 2004 with the release of appalling pictures showing U.S. soldiers abusing detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison outside the Iraqi capital.

Move to re-arrest “Mrs. Anthrax”

Iraq’s national security adviser revealed yesterday plans to re-arrest the toppled Iraqi leader’s former top weapons experts; Rihab Taha and Huda Ammash.

“Dr. Germ” and “Mrs. Anthrax” are among eight former senior figures under Saddam freed on December 17 along with 14 others.

But Mrs. Ammash lawyer dismissed the announcement of Iraqi arrest warrants as “pure theatre”, adding that the Iraqi government had previously agreed that the U.S. forces free the 22 Saddam aides on condition they leave the country.

On the other hand, National Security Adviser Mowaffak Al Rubaie said that he would not accept their being at liberty: “There are warrants of arrest for them issued by Iraqi judicial authorities and if they are released, we’ll arrest them.”

“The 22 individuals no longer posed a security threat to the people of Iraq and to the ‘occupation’ forces,” said U.S. commander General George Casey in a joint statement released yesterday with the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad. U.S. forces “therefore, had no legal basis to hold them any longer”, the statement added.

“The detainees have been released in Iraq. We have not transported any of them outside Iraq or provided them with passports or other travel documents.”
Reply

Hey there! Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.

When you create an account, you can participate in the discussions and share your thoughts. You also get notifications, here and via email, whenever new posts are made. And you can like posts and make new friends.
Sign Up

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 0
    Last Post: 09-08-2009, 01:02 AM
  2. Replies: 14
    Last Post: 05-13-2008, 04:29 PM
  3. Replies: 18
    Last Post: 08-14-2007, 04:12 PM
  4. Replies: 33
    Last Post: 12-15-2006, 06:40 PM
  5. Replies: 1
    Last Post: 12-25-2005, 03:05 PM
British Wholesales - Certified Wholesale Linen & Towels | Holiday in the Maldives

IslamicBoard

Experience a richer experience on our mobile app!