Disturbing Photos of Iraqi Prisoners Exposed

29 April 2004

by Anai Rhoads

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AnaiRhoads.org - CBS aired a special on 60 minutes II Wednesday evening that revealled abuse by a number of U.S. troops stationed to overlook Iraqi prisoners of war. Six U.S. military police were said to have tortured at least 20 out of the hundreds of Iraqi POWs last year in the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad.

The Abu Ghraib prison was notoriously known for the unspeakable brutality while under the control of Saddam Hussein. Many were executed, tortured, threatened, and held without being rightfully charged.

If a photo can speak a thousand words, these photos spoke volumes. One photo showed naked Iraqi prisoners, each forced to wear a hood, balancing one upon the other to form a human pyramid. Other photos under investigation displayed a clear intent to depict the POWs as homosexuals by forcing the naked men into compromising sexual positions. In some, the soldiers are shown laughing, pointing and giving a "thumbs up".

To further establish authority and humiliation, one prisoner had a derrogetory slur written on his skin, canines were used to intimidate the men, some were forced to wear a box on their head while holding wires all the while told if they move - they would risk electrocution.

A translator, who was hired to assist in the prison, reportedly raped an underaged male while a female soldier took photos according to the Army.

National Clergy Council president Reverend Dr. Rob Schenck spoke on behalf of the executive committee representing church leaders of Catholic, Evangelical, Orthodox and Protestant Christian traditions, saying, "This criminal behaviour demands swift and thunderous denunciation by the highest of military officials and the perpetrators must be severely punished. We call on the proper authorities to immediately investigate and if necessary to prosecute these actions, punish the guilty, and to offer to the victims, their families, all Iraqis and Arabs everywhere a complete and humble apology and restitution. This form of abuse is shameful and supremely immoral."

The U.S. Army conducted an investigation which resulted in six members of the 800th Military Police Brigade charged with maltreatment, indecent acts, and dereliction of duty. The commander of the 800th Brigade, Brig. Gen. Janice Karpinski, along with six others who supervised the prison after the U.S. invaded and occupied Iraq, are to be disciplined for neglect.

One of the charged, Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Chip Frederick, plans to plead "not guilty" because he claims he was never given a copy of the Geneva Convention guidelines for dealing with POWs until after he was charged. Frederick was a former corrections officer at a Virginia prison.

The Defence Department and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Richard Myers pleaded with 60 Minutes II, asking the network to not publicise the photographs, citing the images may undermine the work being done in Iraq.

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