US on Abu Ghraib prison photographs; Guantanamo detainee report
Iraq-USA, Politics, 2/16/2006

A newly released set of photographs documenting mistreatment of Iraqi detainees at the now-closed Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad, Iraq, "shows once again just the reprehensible conduct that was going on in Abu Ghraib," says John Bellinger, US State Department legal adviser.

Photographs of the abuse had shown US soldiers abusing Iraqi prison detainee, showing them being treated like animals, put on a leash like dogs, naked, and in most denigrating manners.

"It's unfortunate, though, that the photographs are continuing to come out, because I think it simply fans the flames at a time that sentiments on these issues are raw around the world," he told journalists at a February 15 briefing at the Foreign Press Center.

Bellinger said that the US government felt it was better that the photographs not be released because they were an unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the detainees and did not contribute any additional information regarding mistreatment of prisoners at the now infamous prison. He also said that he hopes that they will not lead to further violence.

"People in our military have done bad things here," Bellinger said, noting that "the difference is that people are held accountable."

Meantime, the draft of a United Nations report on detainees in US custody at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba is flawed, unbalanced, and should be viewed with skepticism, says a top State Department official.

The draft report, said John Bellinger, the department's senior legal adviser, was based on "statements from members of al-Qaida or the Taliban who've been released from Guantanamo." Bellinger briefed reporters in Washington on February 15.

The UN envoys who headed the 18-month investigation at the behest of the UN Commission on Human Rights declined an offer to visit Guantanamo Bay itself, Bellinger said. Instead, panel members reached their findings by interviewing former detainees, their families and lawyers.

Previous Stories:
  Washington negotiates with gunmen in Iraq   (2/9/2006)
  US forces release two long-detained journalists   (1/19/2006)
  Detainees in Military trials resume at Guatanamo Bay Naval Base   (1/12/2006)
  Saddam engages his accusers with questions   (12/23/2005)
  US: We are not allowing the Red Cross full access to accused detainees   (12/10/2005)
  Rice says rendition of suspects accused of terrorism within the law   (12/7/2005)
  'Deeply regretting' US terms, UN rights experts turn down visit to Guantanamo   (11/18/2005)
  Three year imprisonment for US soldier in Abu Ghreib case   (9/28/2005)

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