Rumsfeld ordered Iraqi prisoner held 'off the books': report

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040616/pl_afp/us_iraq_rumsfeld&cid=1521&ncid=1473

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld late last year ordered a member of the Ansar al-Islam militant group captured in Iraq (news - web sites) be held in secret, in possible violation of international law.


The prisoner was captured in Iraq in July and flown by the Central Intelligence Agency (news - web sites) to an undisclosed location outside the country for interrogation, NBC News reported, citing unnamed Pentagon (news - web sites) officials.


The prisoner was returned to Iraq four months later after the US Justice Department (news - web sites) suggested it might be illegal to hold him outside the country.


Rumsfeld then ordered the prisoner be held "off the books," hidden from the International Committee of the Red Cross, NBC said. He is still being held incommunicado, NBC said.

more

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&ncid=716&e=6&u=/ap/20040617/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/secret_prisoner

Pentagon Admits Holding Iraqi in Secret

WASHINGTON - The military improperly held a suspected Iraqi terrorist in secret for more than seven months, Pentagon (news - web sites) officials acknowledged Wednesday.



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 and other humanitarian laws.


Whitman said the military made a mistake in the case, which was first reported Wednesday night by NBC and CBS. The prisoner will be given a number and the Red Cross will be formally notified soon, Whitman said.


"The ICRC should have been notified about the detainee earlier," Whitman said. "We should have taken steps, and we have taken the necessary steps to rectify the situation."

more

[grimcity]

1. This is BIG.

This story is going to explode.

[bossfish]

2. WHAT is wrong with these assholes!

I'm ashamed for them...

and what has happened to my country.

[corriger]

4. at least this guy is still alive

there are others dead where this was the situation.

[Warpy]

8. These assholes think they're above the law.

If we fail to prosecute these assholes, they will be right.

This should be HUGE. I didn't hear a peep of it on the nightly news shows.

[lancdem]

3. Makes you wonder how much else

the media is going to bring out.

BTW, notice the Pentagon spokesman blames the CIA. Hmmm...

[burythehatchet]

5. Just one more little mistake

Just one more crime against hunanity

[laylah]

6. PLEASE

rate this story! So few have read it thus far!

Jenn

[aquart]

7. "...citing unnamed Pentagon (news - web sites) officials..."

Lotta people, real mad.

[Moderator]

9. duplicate

Please make your remarks in the earlier record:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=626936