Abu Ghraib Abuse Photos 'Show Rape'

[balantz]

Published on Thursday, May 28, 2009 by The Telegraph/UK
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/5395830/Abu-Ghraib-abuse-photos-show-rape.html

Abu Ghraib Abuse Photos 'Show Rape'

Photographs of alleged prisoner abuse which Barack Obama is attempting to censor include images of apparent rape and sexual abuse, it has emerged.

by Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent and Paul Cruickshank



At least one picture shows an American soldier apparently raping a female prisoner while another is said to show a male translator raping a male detainee.

Further photographs are said to depict sexual assaults on prisoners with objects including a truncheon, wire and a phosphorescent tube.

Another apparently shows a female prisoner having her clothing forcibly removed to expose her breasts.

Detail of the content emerged from Major General Antonio Taguba, the former army officer who conducted an inquiry into the Abu Ghraib jail in Iraq.

Allegations of rape and abuse were included in his 2004 report but the fact there were photographs was never revealed. He has now confirmed their existence in an interview with the Daily Telegraph.

The graphic nature of some of the images may explain the US President's attempts to block the release of an estimated 2,000 photographs from prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan despite an earlier promise to allow them to be published.

Maj Gen Taguba, who retired in January 2007, said he supported the President's decision, adding: "These pictures show torture, abuse, rape and every indecency.

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"The mere description of these pictures is horrendous enough, take my word for it."

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It was thought the images were similar to those leaked five years ago, which showed naked and bloody prisoners being intimidated by dogs, dragged around on a leash, piled into a human pyramid and hooded and attached to wires.

Mr Obama seemed to reinforce that view by adding: "I want to emphasise that these photos that were requested in this case are not particularly sensational, especially when compared to the painful images that we remember from Abu Ghraib."

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Among the graphic statements, which were later released under US freedom of information laws, is that of Kasim Mehaddi Hilas in which he says: "I saw ******* a kid, his age would be about 15 to 18 years. The kid was hurting very bad and they covered all the doors with sheets. Then when I heard screaming I climbed the door because on top it wasn't covered and I saw who was wearing the military uniform, putting his **** in the little kid's ***.... and the female soldier was taking pictures."

The translator was an American Egyptian who is now the subject of a civil court case in the US.

Three detainees, including the alleged victim, refer to the use of a phosphorescent tube in the sexual abuse and another to the use of wire, while the victim also refers to part of a policeman's "stick" all of which were apparently photographed.

[democrank]

1. Hope these "not particularly sensational" photographs

are forced into full view.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

2. kicking for word of mouth and print

n/t

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. Ahhhh.... like Rummy said, just havin' a little fun, a little hazing. n/t

[get the red out]

4. British Story

They have broken many stories about the wars that have never seen the light of day in our media, which is all most Americans would pay any attention to.

[stray cat]

5. Lets start showing pictures of victims getting raped - do we really want that to be common practice

[Triana]

6. The truth will out...

....no matter what Obama or anyone else says, or wants.


As it should.

[waiting for hope]

7. K&R -

Someone has to answer for these crimes, I wonder if it will ever come to pass.