Report: CIA officials involving in Iraqi beatings

[sabra]

<<SNIP>>
http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/07/27/news/regional/6e9f5a768434d4008725704b0061be50.txt

Report: CIA officials involving in Iraqi beatings

DENVER (AP) -- Classified U.S. personnel used a sledgehammer handle to beat prisoners in Iraq, according to a National Guard soldier who testified during a closed military hearing involving four Colorado-based soldiers in March.

Sgt. 1st Class Gerold Pratt of the Utah National Guard said he saw the unidentified personnel use a 15-inch wooden handle to hit prisoners.

"They'd ask you a question, and if they didn't like it, they'd hit you," he said, according to a transcript of the hearing obtained this week by The Denver Post.

....

A CIA spokeswoman declined comment.

The Army said Mowhoush died of asphyxiation from chest compression. Charging documents in the case said he was killed with an electrical cord, and a Pentagon investigation reportedly says a soldier sat on Mowhoush as he was restrained headfirst inside a sleeping bag.

<</SNIP>>

[gman16]

1. I dont think it was the CIA,

Most likely Private Contractors.

[skids]

2. More likely DoD.

DoD was sending people into the prisons under false credidentials (FBI). I wouldn't have a problem believing that they posed as CIA as well.

There was a post a few days back on this. The FBI was livid.

[StrafingMoose]

5. Don't the CIA...

Also put their people where they basicaly want too?

[bahrbearian]

3. Aren't you sure it couldn't be a few bad apples?

[jsamuel]

4. The title needs to be corrected, it could have been any number of

agencies, not just the CIA.

[me b zola]

6. So cheney's home state news rag puts out a story to smear the CIA

The fact is that nobody knows who are these unidentified personnel who were/are involved in prison abuses. There is no transparency and no chain of command for a reason---so that the pentagon can avoid blame for their policies.

That being said, this looks like another smear job to discredit the CIA.

[chill_wind]

7. Smearing the CIA-- so that's the next tactic....

Watch for more of this to start popping up here and there--if it does, the sudden new "media" interest will be very suspicious, IMHO.

TONS of ACLU stuff here about the impersonation of FBI. the latter half of the page:

http://www.aclu.org/torturefoia/released/052605/

[me b zola]

10. Great catch!

Wow. So there is documented evidence that DHS & DOD personnel are involved with the torture of detainees---and impersonating a respected federal agency as cover.

It could mean a PR death-blow to cheney et al if they choose to go this route. The tide has turned and the CIA has demonstrated that they can get their message out---and if pushed further, I bet they know a lot of dirty little secrets ;)

[kestrel91316]

13. Outing the CIA, smearing the CIA ................do I sense a TREND here??

[bunny planet]

9. Yup, that's what it sounds like to me.

[PurityOfEssence]

8. Sodomist 1st Class Fang had no comment

What have we become? Our only hope for redemption as a country is to vigorously investigate and prosecute crap like this, but we won't. Far too many on the left see divulging information like this as too dangerous to our innocent combat assault troops over there.

This is all like organized crime: when you join, they get you to commit a heinous crime so you're one of them and can never leave. The current thugs running this country want us to all rally around the flag because, even though they started it, we're all in this together.

[Hissyspit]

11. AP: Transcript Suggests CIA Involved in Abuse

http://start.earthlink.net/article/nat?guid=20050727/42e706c0_3ca6_1552620050727490546203

Transcript Suggests CIA Involved in Abuse
July 27, 2005 9:24 PM EDT

DENVER - A National Guardsman testifying at a hearing for U.S. soldiers accused of killing an Iraq general said he saw classified U.S. personnel beat prisoners with a sledgehammer handle and mock the general's death, according to a transcript.

The transcript, obtained by The Denver Post, includes an exchange during the hearing that suggests the CIA was involved.

Sgt. 1st Class Gerold Pratt of the Utah National Guard said he saw unidentified U.S. personnel use the 15-inch wooden handle to hit prisoners.

"They'd ask you a question, and if they didn't like it, they'd hit you," he said, according to the transcript obtained this week by the Post under a court order. Pratt testified at the hearing in March.

MORE

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

12. Also known as, "The White House Strikes Back."

Note: You won't catch me defending the CIA. Probably.

[billyoc]

14. Hell, at this point I'm looking to the CIA

to save the country! :crazy:

They *do* sort of specialize in toppling banana republic(an)s. ;)

[me b zola]

15. I reread that a few times

The article gives very little on the point of why the soldier believed that the person involved was CIA.
~snip~

"Most identifying information in the transcript was redacted, but one exchange suggests CIA involvement. "To your knowledge, SFC Sommer did not accompany any of these CIA folks?" defense attorney Capt. Michael Melito asked Pratt."

So these people identified themselves as CIA? That strikes me as odd. Upthread someone posted a link to some of the documents related to GITMO indicated that these operatives who were in fact DOD & DHS posed as FBI. This is very telling to me. Chimp apparently has his own secretive goon squad that is operating outside of any chain of command.

I am no CIA apologist, I am aware of their dirty hands. But this article sounds as if it were written to blame the CIA for the prisoner abuses just as the cheney administration is blaming the CIA for the faulty intel that lead us into Iraq.

[chill_wind]

16. Rogue administration

"Chimp apparently has his own secretive goon squad that is operating outside of any chain of command."

Emblamatic of his entire administration.

The FBI is angry. The Military Leadership is angry. The CIA is angry.

Sucks to be surrounded.