‘CSI: Baghdad’ it isn’t: High-tech gear not a lot of help in getting Iraqi warrants

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The Iraqi police’s District Response Team approaches a suspect vehicle during an exercise last week. The team could help execute more warrants in the Mahmudiyah area south of Baghdad.


‘CSI: Baghdad’ it isn’t: High-tech gear not a lot of help in getting Iraqi warrants
By James Warden, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Monday, December 29, 2008

American soldiers have a host of high-tech tools at their disposal. Sprays can detect explosive residue on someone’s hands long after they’ve finished building a bomb. Retinal and fingerprint scanners help determine a suspect’s identity.

There’s just one problem: Many of those tools aren’t much help with obtaining arrest warrants.

Starting Thursday, U.S. units who want to detain an Iraqi will need to ask an Iraqi judge for a warrant, but many judges here are reluctant to accept the kind of forensic evidence that TV crime shows such as "CSI" have made so familiar to Americans.

Eyewitness accounts are the Holy Grail in Iraqi law. They are all but required for obtaining a warrant from an Iraqi judge. Soldiers must convince witnesses — usually at least two — to make a sworn statement that they saw a crime.

The witnesses must also take an oath administered by an Iraqi officer, affix their thumbprint and sign the document.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59680