Rumsfeld ordered prisoner held off the books.

[baldguy]

Iraqi terror suspect hidden from International Red Cross

Pentagon officials tell NBC News that late last year, at the same time U.S. military police were allegedly abusing prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld ordered that one Iraqi prisoner be held “off the books” — hidden entirely from the International Red Cross and anyone else — in possible violation of international law.

It’s the first direct link between Rumsfeld and questionable though not violent treatment of prisoners in Iraq.

The Iraqi prisoner was captured last July as deadly attacks on U.S. troops began to rise. He was identified as a member of the terrorist group Ansar al Islam, suspected in the attacks on coalition forces.

Shortly after the suspect’s capture, the CIA flew him to an undisclosed location outside Iraq for interrogation. But four months later the Justice Department suggested that holding him outside Iraq might be illegal, and the prisoner was returned to Iraq at the end of October.

That’s when Rumsfeld passed the order on to Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, commander of U.S. troops in Iraq, to keep the prisoner locked up, but off the books.

more:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5226957/

[Bluebear]

1. WAR CRIME

[THUNDER HANDS]

2. oh boy

oh boy oh boy

[olddem43]

3. These Asses

don't give a damn about international law. No wonder our country is viewed as arrogant and belligerent.

[freetobegay]

4. Got to love the picture they used.

[caledesi]

5. It's all a matter of how you interpret the law?

:wtf:

When have "laws" ever stopped these gangsters?

[KansDem]

7. Sure, Rumsfeld is an expert at interpreting the law...

As we know,
There are laws that are known knowns.
There are laws we know we know.
We also know
There are known unknown laws.
That is to say
We know there are some laws
We do not know.
But there are also unknown unknown laws,
The laws we don't know
We don't know.

[calimary]

12. Especially when you look for ways to make the case that the law doesn't

apply to you.

[Eloriel]

21. That was Nixon's delusion too

That if he did it, it wasn't illegal.

Clever, huh? (and delusional as all get out)

[Thor_MN]

23. Well, in the chimpster's case

he's on a mission from god, so anything he does is automatically right. If he were to ever, once, screw up, that would mean his whole belief system is false... No wonder he can't seem to get the words "My bad" past his lips.

[WillyT]

6. Ya Know That Noise Roller Coasters Make When They Get To The Top...

of the first big drop???

I think I just heard it.

:bounce::evilgrin::bounce:

[rooboy]

9. Click click click click click..click.....click............click. n/t

[rooboy]

8. Rumsfeld must put on a Nazi uniform every night...

and prance in front of the mirror. He has no ability to relate to the human race whatsoever.

[Emboldened Chimp]

10. Gotta love this last line...

"Pentagon officials still insist Rumsfeld acted legally, but admit it all depends on how you interpret the law."

:eyes:

[earthside]

11. We need a special prosecutor

Commentary: "Special Prosecutor Needed to Investigate the Bush-Torture Scandal" at www.Earthside.com

[calimary]

13. Did you used to run a site called "Resident Bush"?

I liked it. I like this one, too!

[mzmolly]

20. Damn right we do. We had one for the blue dress, but none for war crimes?

:wtf:

[mom cat]

14. You made my day! Thanks.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

15. "...questionable though not violent treatment of prisoners in Iraq..."????

[corriger]

16. there have already been

other reports of prisoners not being registered into the inmate tracking system at Abu Ghraib so this is no surprise. It is easier for the amerikans to dispose of the bodies this way.

[ElectroPrincess]

17. This is getting scary ...

Almost everyday more and more corruption is being uncovered about the Bush Administration. However, the only fall out is the CNN apologists and Bush Co stating, "Yeah, so ... what?" Even the couple of moderate Republicans who've dared to complain have been figuratively taken to the woodshed.

I keep thinking the ONLY thing to tip this balance is to VOTE them out. That's why, no matter how much you love and respect Nader, please (please please!) vote for Kerry in just this upcoming Presidential election? Yes, the DLC sucks and Kerry's no Nader BUT Kerry can win some semblance of our Democracy back come November.

[quam]

18. This Guy was Very Dangerous and They Lost Him?

There is much about this story that is scary. Apparently the captive was a very bad person - so what happens to him?

According to the news story, once the prisoner was returned to Iraq, the interrogations ceased because the prisoner was entirely lost in the system.

As a result, Tom Malinowski of Human Rights Watch asked a logical question: “If they thought he was such a threat that he could not get Red Cross visits, then how come such a threatening prisoner got lost in the system?”

[laylah]

19. PLEASE

rate this story! So few have visited thus far...

Jenn

[wickerwoman]

31. Dumb question:

How do you rate the story? I can't find the rating system on that page.

[DemoTex]

22. Rummy makes Robert Strange McNamara look like a choir-boy.

BTW: See The Fog of War. Great documentary-interview with RSM. At least RSM is somewhat remorseful for his involvement in Vietnam. Rummy is a sick, sick war-monger, oblivious to history.

[Lucky Luciano]

24. Disgraceful...disgraceful

This is indeed a HUGE story since it very clearly implicates Rummy. Before, the there was only hinting at suspecting that the torture went straight to the top - this would confirm that it did. This whole misadministration is going to have a lot to answer for. Maybe a trip to The Hague would set them straight.

[missile_bender]

25. "law could be interpreted in other ways"?

"They said Rumsfeld did not break any laws, but admitted the law could be interpreted in other ways."

That's what the Terror Party always does when they break the law. They try to redefine it so it becomes meaningless. It's like when they say any potential attack at any time was "imminent". Or calling frozen french fries fresh vegetables. These guys are experts at dissembling. They will tell you that a black bird is not black, and that the word "black" is vague.

[Kool Kitty]

26. Unbelievable. Un-fucking-believable.

I've been listening to or watching the news all evening. Not a peep about this. It's all in how you interpret the law? Unbelievable.

on edit: I just re-read this story. What about the part that says that they were holding him outside of Iraq? So he could be "put to the question", eh? Then, I guess because we're torturing prisoners now, they brought him back to Iraq. More efficient, right? No "middle man" needed, just do it ourselves? Un-fucking-believable. (I didn't see anywhere that I could rate this story, though, on the MSN site.)

[VolcanoJen]

27. Where is the War Criminal these days, anyway?

He received such a warm welcome while in Bangladesh two weeks ago; he's been pretty low-key since:

[AndyTiedye]

28. is that the theme music from "Dragnet" I hear in the background?

dumb de dumb dumb DUMB!

[drb]

29. You! Rummy!! Off the books!!!! Now!!

...and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!

[daleo]

30. So, is he incommunicado or still "lost"

"Pentagon officials claim it’s entirely lawful to hold prisoners in secret if they pose an immediate threat. But today, nearly one year after his capture, he’s still being held incommunicado

In fact, once the prisoner was returned to Iraq, the interrogations ceased because the prisoner was entirely lost in the system."

Given the circumstances, "lost in the system" quite probably means dead. This sounds like they "disappeared him", just like Chile.

On edit - why hasn't Rummy been at least fired yet, preferably charged. What does it take?

[shraby]

32. He isn't fired yet because

Shrub things he's doing a great job!

[anarchy1999]

33. Oh goody, here is the Friday "news" dump I've been waiting for. This one

I am sure this is the one we have all been waiting for, and we still have a day or two to go?! Damn, these guys are good! M'F'ers! I mean just look at this, how much more are they going to dump on us good 'ole Americans? They just keep on and keep on and we just keep staying silent, and in our silence we are complicit. Will Pitt said nothing less, as have many others throughout our short history as a Nation.

[G_j]

34. unbelievable

and silly me, I was still waiting for someone to follow up on Rice and Ashcroft committing perjury before the 9-11 commission. :shrug:

[anarchy1999]

37. Yes, and how far did that go?

I've been waiting and calling and faxing and screaming since last Tuesday when Ashcroft said no to the Judiciary Committee. WTF? Everyone just roll over and play dead because that is what we are letting them get away with. The neocons and their minions, including Bush, laugh at us every day. It is a heartbreak and hard to work through all the emotions of having to recognize how totally corrupt our "government" truly is.

Hang on everyone, we are in for a truly rough ride. Who is going to win, The Patriots or the Treasonous Bastards from Hell.....?

[pinto]

35. more from AP: Pentagon Admits Holding Iraqi in Secret

By MATT KELLEY, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - In a rare admission of violating the Geneva Conventions on prisoners of war, the Pentagon (news - web sites) has acknowledged it improperly held an Iraqi prisoner in secret for more than seven months.

The military has held the man in Iraq (news - web sites) since October without assigning him a prisoner number or notifying the International Committee of the Red Cross that he is a prisoner, Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman said Wednesday night.

Both assigning a prisoner number and notifying the Red Cross are required under the Geneva Conventions, which the Bush administration acknowledges apply to the conflict in Iraq.

The prisoner will be given a number and the Red Cross will be formally notified soon, Whitman said.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&e=5&u=/ap/20040617/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/shadow_prisoners

as the screw turns...

[DoYouEverWonder]

36. It's time for him to go

n/t