Waterboarding

Cheney Authorised Torture

Presumably he has also ordered for the Statue of Liberty to be torn down:

The US vice-president approved the use of waterboarding against al-Qaeda suspects, US media reports have said.

Dick Cheney and other senior Bush administration officials attended meetings to approve harsh interrogation techniques, which took place after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US, ABC news and The Associated Press reported.

The officials took care to insulate George Bush, the US president, from the meetings, where waterboarding - simulating drowning and feelings of suffocation by causing reflexive choking and gagging - sleep deprivation and slaps and pushes were approved, according to the reports.

Participants were said to be members of a National Security Council's Principals Committee, a senior group of advisors to the president Bush.

Condoleezza Rice, formerly national security adviser now US secretary of state, Donald Rumsfeld, the former US defence secretary, Colin Powell, who was secretary of state, George Tenet, the former CIA director and John Ashcroft, the former US attorney-general also reportedly attended the meetings.

All in the name of freedom and democracy. Don't it make ya proud?

UK Court Gags Ben Griffin, SAS Torture Whistleblower

Ben Griffin who made this speech, excerpted here on the 27th has been silenced by the British establishment-

A former SAS soldier was served with a high court order yesterday preventing him from making fresh disclosures about how hundreds of Iraqis and Afghans captured by British and American special forces were rendered to prisons where they faced torture.

Ben Griffin could be jailed if he makes further disclosures about how people seized by special forces were allegedly mistreated and ended up in secret prisons in breach of the Geneva conventions and international law. Griffin, 29, left the British army in 2005 after three months in Baghdad, saying he disagreed with the "illegal" tactics of US troops.

This is disgraceful but not unsurprising for an administration guilty of war crimes and subservient to the Bush regime. I include below the full text of his statement and urge others to copy and paste the text as well-

This statement was prepared and read by Ben Griffin, ex-SAS soldier, at a press conference on Monday 25 February 2008.

Our government would have us believe that our involvement in the process known as Extraordinary Rendition is limited to two occasions on which planes carrying detainees landed to refuel on the British Indian Ocean Territory, Diego Garcia. David Miliband has stated that the British Government expects the Government of the United States to “seek permission to render detainees via UK territory and airspace, including Overseas Territories; that we will grant that permission only if we are satisfied that the rendition would accord with UK law and our international obligations; and how we understand our obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture¹.” (Taken from a statement given to the House of Commons by the Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Thursday 21 February 2008)

The use of British Territory and airspace pales into insignificance in light of the fact that it has been British soldiers detaining the victims of Extraordinary Rendition in the first place. Since the invasion of Afghanistan in the autumn of 2001 UKSF has operated within a joint US/UK Task Force. This Task Force has been responsible for the detention of hundreds if not thousands of individuals in Afghanistan and Iraq. Individuals detained by British soldiers within this Task force have ended up in Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp, Bagram Theatre Internment Facility, Balad Special Forces Base, Camp Nama BIAP and Abu Ghraib Prison.

Whilst the government has stated its desire that the Guantanamo Bay detention camp be closed, it has remained silent over these other secretive prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan. These secretive prisons are part of a global network in which individuals face torture and are held indefinately without charge. All of this is in direct contravention of the Geneva Conventions, International Law and the UN Convention Against Torture.

Early involvement of UKSF in the process of Extraordinary Rendition centres around operations carried out in Afghanistan in late 2001. Of note is an incident at the Qalai Janghi fortress, near Mazar-i-Sharif. UKSF fought alongside their US counterparts to put down a bloody revolt by captured Taliban fighters. The surviving Taliban fighters were then rendered to Guantanamo Bay.

After the invasion of Iraq in 2003 this joint US/UK task force appeared. Its primary mission was to kill or capture high value targets. Individuals detained by this Task Force often included non-combatants caught up in the search for high value targets. The use of secret detention centres within Iraq has negated the need to use Guantanamo Bay whilst allowing similar practice to go unnoticed.

I have here an account taken from an interpreter interviewed by the organisation Human Rights Watch (http://hrw.org/reports/2006/us0706/2.htm). He was based at the detention and interrogation facility within Camp Nama at Baghdad International Airport during 2004. This facility was used to interrogate individuals captured by the joint US/UK Task Force. In it are the details of numerous breaches of the Geneva Convention and accounts of torture. These breaches were not the actions of rogue elements the abuse was systematic and sanctioned through the chain of command. This account is corroborated by an investigation carried out by NYT reporters into Camp Nama and the US/UK Task Force, which appeared in the New York Times on March 19 2006. Throughout my time in Iraq I was in no doubt that individuals detained by UKSF and handed over to our American colleagues would be tortured. During my time as member of the US/UK Task Force, three soldiers recounted to me an incident in which they had witnessed the brutal interrogation of two detainees. Partial drowning and an electric cattle prod were used during this interrogation and this amounted to torture. It was the widely held assumption that this would be the fate of any individuals handed over to our America colleagues. My commanding officer at the time expressed his concern to the whole squadron that we were becoming “the secret police of Baghdad”.

As UK soldiers within this Task Force a policy that we would detain individuals but not arrest them was continually enforced. Since it was commonly assumed by my colleagues that anyone we detained would subsequently be tortured this policy of detention and not arrest was regarded as a clumsy legal tool used to distance British soldiers from the whole process.

During the many operations conducted to apprehend high value targets numerous non-combatants were detained and interrogated in direct contravention of the Geneva Convention regarding the treatment of civilians in occupied territories. I have no doubt in my mind that non-combatants I personally detained were handed over to the Americans and subsequently tortured.

The joint US/UK Task Force has broken International Law, contravened The Geneva Conventions and disregarded the UN Convention Against Torture. British soldiers are intimately involved in the actions of this Task Force. Jack Straw, Margaret Beckett David Miliband, Geoff Hoon, Des Browne, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown. In their respective positions over the last five years they must know that British soldiers have been operating within this joint US/UK task force. They must have been briefed on the actions of this unit.

As the occupiers of Iraq we have a duty to uphold the law, to abide by the Geneva Conventions and the UN Convention Against Torture. We are also responsible for securing the borders of Iraq on all counts we have failed. The British Army once had a reputation for playing by the rules. That reputation has been tarnished over the last seven years. We have accepted illegality as the norm. I have no doubt that over the coming months and years increasing amounts of information concerning the actions of British soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan will be become public.

Whilst the majority of British Forces have been withdrawn from Iraq, UKSF remain within the US/UK Task Force.

¹Torture, according to the United Nations Convention Against Torture, is "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession.”

Ben Griffin
25 February 2008

www.stopwar.org.uk

The Big Story In America? Well, Baseball Of Course!

Quite frankly, a bizarre front page on the BBC Americas page:


Yes, 'Bush hopes for new baseball era' - an earth shattering story I'm sure you will agree. One wonders why any of the following alternatives weren't chosen (all from the Americas pages on the BBC):

US House limits CIA interrogation

The US House of Representatives has approved a bill that would ban the CIA from using harsh interrogation techniques such as simulated drowning.

The measure would require intelligence agencies to follow the rules adopted by the US Army, which forbid such methods, and to abide by the Geneva Conventions.

President George Bush has threatened to veto the bill if the Senate passes it.

The move came a day after the CIA's director was questioned about the wiping of videotaped interrogations.

Gen Michael Hayden told a congressional intelligence committee that he had no prior knowledge of plans to destroy the tapes and that his organisation "could have done an awful lot better" in keeping Congress informed on the issue.

US Iraq fraud office investigated

The office which investigates cases of waste and fraud surrounding reconstruction efforts in Iraq is being investigated itself, reports say.

Stuart Bowen, special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, and his team are the focus of four probes, among them one by the FBI, US media reports.

His office has been accused of waste and overspending, allegations now being presented to a US grand jury.

New Jersey scraps death penalty

Lawmakers in the US state of New Jersey have approved a bill abolishing the death penalty.

In a 44-36 vote, the Democrat-run state assembly replaced the death sentence with life in prison without parole.

The bill is expected to be signed into law by Democratic Governor Jon Corzine - an opponent of the death penalty.

The move would make New Jersey the first US state to abolish capital punishment since the US Supreme Court reinstated executions in 1976.

And there's even the news that America is desperately trying to undermine the conference in Bali. Still, I guess all these things aren't as important as baseball, right?

Congress Woman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin Replies

Korova has forwarded to me the reply he got to his letter regarding the vote to close the SOA/WHINSEC

Thank you for contacting me to express your opposition to the Western
Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), formally the
School of the Americas (SOA). I appreciate hearing from you on this
important issue.

WHINSEC, located at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia, is the U.S.
Army's principal Spanish-language training facility for Latin American
military personnel. It is the successor to the School of the Americas
(SOA), a facility established in 1946 and legally closed in 2001.
WHINSEC is located in the same building, and offers many of the same
courses, as the school it replaces.

A military training institution for students from nations in the Western
Hemisphere has continuing utility, so long as its focus and training
activities are consistent with U.S. interests, policies and values. I am not
opposed to WHINSEC, so long as the training is done with an emphasis
on democracy and human rights.

The stated goals of the institute are to provide training and education to
western hemisphere military personnel. These new training courses
include leadership development, counter-drug operations, peace support
operations, and disaster relief techniques. Additionally, the institute
requires human rights training, a board of visitors, and regular reports to
Congress.

I am pleased that the School of the Americas was terminated, and I will
continue to monitor this new institute closely to make sure that it does
not become simply another version of the old SOA with a new name.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. If I can provide any
additional information, please don't hesitate to let me know.
Sincerely,

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin

Which is nice, good to see the tradition of patronising people to cover your moral cowardice is alive and well. She is a conservative "Blue Dog Democrat"

She is a member of the New Democrat Coalition. As a Blue Dog Democrat, however, she opposes her party's leadership on some issues on which there is disagreement between conservative South Dakota and the more liberal Democratic national leadership. In the 2004 general election, she was endorsed by the NRA, and she supported President Bush's call for a Federal Marriage Amendment.

So she likes guns and torture and hates them queers. What a gal. The graphic at top is my jazzing up of an original poster made for School of Americas Watch by Haik Hoisington, you can click it to got to SOAWatch and educate yourself so you are not a vapid cretin like Steph.

UK Opts Out of Charter of Fundamental Rights

Amongst the predictable back slapping that has accompanied Blair's 'good' work on the EU treaty, some detail has been overlooked. On the BBC's website the opt-out of the Charter of Fundamental Rights gets a passing mention, but little substantial detail on what this actually means. Fortunately, The Independent has already explained what this Charter entails:

Prohibition of eugenic practices, particularly those aiming at the selection of person. Article 3

What's at stake: Science is seeking to eradicate disabilities by genetic manipulation. It might be possible for parents to order a "designer" baby.

No one should be subjected to torture. Article 4

What's at stake: Since the invasion of Iraq, British soldiers have found themselves in the dock over the abuse of civilian detainees.

Everyone has the right to the protection of personal data concerning him or her. Article 8

What's at stake: A vast amount of data is stored on each of us already. From 2010, ID cards will be compulsory for anyone applying for a passport in the UK.

Everyone has the right to freedom of assembly and of association. Article 12

What's at stake: Anti-war protests prompted the Government to bring in legislation to prevent unlicensed demos within quarter of a mile of Parliament.

No one can be removed to a state where there is a serious risk of torture. Article 19

What's at stake: The Government's determination to deport terror suspects to countries with questionable human rights records.

So, nothing major then, just the protection of UK citizens from torture, protecting the right to protest and protecting our privacy. Pretty fundamental rights that should clearly be enshrined in law (unless you support torture and totalitarian tendencies of course). And what does Blair have to say about his success?

"This deal gives us a chance to move on. It gives us a chance to concentrate on the issues to do with the economy, organised crime, terrorism, immigration, defence, climate change, the environment, energy - the problems that really concern citizens in Europe."

Yes, because in a continent with a history of totalitarian dictatorships, we are more concerned about crime and money than governments infringing our basic civil liberties. Perhaps Blair is right, maybe protecting UK citizens from torture by the state and protecting our right to protest against a totalitarian regime is less important than the economy. Interesting that he also claims that citizens are more concerned with organised crime. I just love the idea that citizens should be protected from the criminal activities of their peers, but not of their elected officials. Because that is the fundamental point at the heart of this issue. The opt-out enables the UK government to place the rights of UK politicians ahead of the rights of UK citizens. Still, as the BBC claim:

EU treaty good for UK, says Blair

They just forgot to add the word 'politicians'.

Biased BBC - Attack Alan Johnston

Just when you thought that the extremists at Biased BBC couldn't go any lower, they go and surprise you. Despite the suffering of Alan Johnston's family, one commenter is happy enough to stick the boot in. Gary Powell is a regular contributor to the pages of Biased BBC, indulging in various accusations of bias and conspiracy theories. His latest comment is possibly the sickest yet. Yes, despite the ongoing suffering of the Johnston family, Powell had this to say:

In fact it is not behond [sic] the witts [sic] or political affiliations of Mr Johnson to have staged his own kiddnapping [sic] with Hamas in the first place. An opinion that I will hold untill [sic] I see evidence to indicate otherwise. Like serious torture marks or his dislocated head on a Hamas plate.

Yes, you did not read that last line wrong, Powell wants to see Johnston's head on a plate. Any pretence of a serious blog dedicated to providing reasonable criticism of the BBC's editorial policy is completely blown out the water. This is not a blog that any reasonable person can hope to take seriously, infested as it is with vile extremists who call for the execution of journalists in the name of their own twisted conspiracy theories. No, this is a blog that aims to be taken seriously, but falls short time after time.

The Value of a Good Dictator

Amnesty International have released a report that his highly critical of Egypt's record of torture and illegal detention. The report follows a particularly horrific attack on a taxi driver at a police station in Giza. Below is an extract from the introduction of the report:

A shocking video showing Egyptian police raping a male prisoner was posted on the Internet by an Egyptian blogger in November 2006. The victim was Emad Mohamed Ali Mohamed, known as Emad al-Kabir, a 21-year-old taxi driver. He had been arrested the previous January after trying to stop an argument between police officers and his cousin. He was accused of “resisting the authorities” and presented before the Public Prosecutor, who ordered his release on bail. However, police took him back to Bulaq Dakrur Police Station in Giza governorate and the next day – 20 January 2006 – they tortured him.

Emad al-Kabir said officers tied his hands and feet and forced him to sit on the floor. They whipped him and ordered him to call himself degrading names. They then removed his trousers and raped him with a stick, recording the torture on a mobile phone. An officer told him the video would be circulated in Emad al-Kabir’s neighbourhood (which it was) in order to publicly humiliate him and intimidate others.

Emad al-Kabir was subsequently sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for “resisting the authorities” and “assaulting a police officer”. After the video came to light, two officers from Bulaq Dakrur Police Station were charged with the unlawful detention, torture and rape of Emad al-Kabir; their trial began on 3 March 2007.

What happened to Emad al-Kabir was by no means an isolated incident. Torture and other ill-treatment are systematic in detention centres across Egypt, including in police stations, premises run by the State Security Investigations (SSI) services, and military camps.[1] This should come as no surprise – the systematic nature of torture in Egypt has been highlighted by Amnesty International, the UN Committee against Torture and others for many years.[2] What was unusual about Emad al-Kabir’s case was that the authorities took action against the alleged torturers.
..........
Around 18,000 administrative detainees – people held without charge or trial under orders issued by the Interior Ministry – are languishing in Egypt’s jails in degrading and inhumane conditions.[3] Some have been held for more than a decade, including many whose release has been repeatedly ordered by courts.

This torture has been supported by the American government who, according to Egypt's prime minister, had transferred some 60-70 detainees to Egypt as part of the "war on terror". There is no doubt about what the outcome was for those that were transferred to Egypt.

Egypt has remained a vital ally for the US since September 11th. While the American government has focused on the many human rights abuses in Iran, it turns a blind eye to those in Egypt. And yet, strangely, both are confirmed enemies of al-Qaeda. Furthermore, whereas the US has been quick to condemn the move towards nuclear power in Iran, it is keen to help Egypt develop their own nuclear program. And that's not to mention the $50 billion in US largesse from 1975-2004. And yet the difference is obvious. Egypt is willing to be an advocate for American policy in the region, a necessary voice in times of increasing criticism in the Middle East. In return, it gets the aid it needs to stabilise the economy and head off the criticisms of the more radical elements in Egyptian society.

It is unlikely that the US government will put any serious pressure on Egypt to face up to its human rights abuses. As long as Egypt continues to fight America's corner, the torture will continue. The American government has shown its willingness to disregard international law, it hardly seems believable that they would pressure their allies to respect human rights and the rule of law. At least, not when they have a good dictator on their side.

Further Reading: Egypt – Systematic abuses in the name of security - The full Amnesty International report.

Tomorrow's Headlines in The Sun?

Now, here's a story about torture involving Iran that won't be plastered all over the tabloid press:

Iranian state television showed hospital images Wednesday of the Iranian diplomat who has accused the CIA of torturing him during his detention in Iraq.

State TV also reported that the Iraqi ambassador to Iran and an official from the International Committee of the Red Cross visited Jalal Sharafi in the hospital Wednesday.

Sharafi was shown in a hospital bed with injuries to his right foot, while Iraqi ambassador Majid Sheikh and Peter G. Stocker from the ICRC examined him.

During the examination, the voice of a doctor could be heard describing how Sharafi had been beaten by a cable during his detention. Claims of torture have not been independently verified.
[The Guardian]

Sharafi was kidnapped by gunmen who wore the uniforms of the Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion uniforms - a special Iraqi unit under U.S. direction. It is worth pointing out that these claims of torture are still only claims and the CIA are denying that they have had anything to do with the detention of Sharafi. Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman, claimed that:

"The United States had nothing to do with Mr Sharafi's detention and we welcome his return to Iran."

Mmmm, and an unnamed intelligence official claimed that (don't choke):

"The CIA does not conduct or condone torture."

Best not comment on that one, the Pentagon are already on my case. Oh, did I forget to mention, Shafari was freed last Tuesday on the eve of the announcement that 15 British 'hostages' would be set free in Tehran. The plot thickens.......

More Orgasmic Fury

Interesting piece from Mel 'I get horny over World War III' Phillips (although there appears to be no acknowledgement of Easter - is she getting all politically correct all of a sudden???). Here's a few hints as to how her argument is as weak as her previous attempts at constructing an intelligent polemic:

1) Replace the word 'Iran', with the word 'America'.
2) Replace the words 'sailors' or 'Royal Marines' with the words 'David' and 'Hicks'.
3) Replace the word 'Britain' for 'Australia'.
4) Replace the words 'Tony' and 'Blair' for 'John' and 'Howard'.

And then compare with her glowing comments on that bastard Howard.

The Spin Zone

Royal Navy Headquarters, Portsmouth

Brainstorming session in progress......

Officer 1: Right chaps, the Prime Minister is furious. This whole saga over our personnel has made us look very bad indeed. We have to come up with some ideas to turn this back in our favour. Any ideas?

Officer 2: Well, we could start by claiming that they were made to wear distinctive clothing, to humiliate them.

Officer 1: Good, that's a start. We might need to crank it up a little though. Anyone else?

Officer 3: We could say that their hands were bound.

Officer 1: That's more like it.

Officer 4: What about solitary confinement?

Officer 1: Excellent!

Officer 2: And that they were subjected to 'mind games'.

Officer 1: Great work chaps, we're getting some excellent stuff here.

Officer 3: We could also mention mock execution.

Officer 2: And that they were heard cocking guns.

Officer 1: Great stuff chaps. The PM will be pleased. All we need to do is get the media onboard and we're onto a winner. No-one really trusts those Iranians anyway, this will just prove it. One more thing, where did you get those ideas from?

Officer 2: Are you joking sir? They have been the policies of the coalition for the past five years.

Further information: The Final Draft Statement.

Hypocrisy Sweeps Britain

This is no way to treat prisoners:

They should be treated with respect.

Dignity.

And Honour.

You Bastards.

Psyche, Science, and Society

Picked up this blog courtesy of Saboma at Maryannaville, it's well worth checking out. There are many posts about psychological torture that give an interesting insight into the tactics of the US government. It also posted on the recent HBO movie Ghosts of Abu Ghraib, which has not been shown in the UK. Luckily, someone has posted the movie in eight parts onto YouTube. As a taster, Part 1 is below:

UPDATE: YouTube have now taken down the 8 part clips, so I have reposted with this promo.

It's Torture Jim, But Not As We Know It....

So, a report concludes that 14 EU countries colluded with the CIA over so-called 'rendition flights', including the UK. According to The Guardian, the report reserved special condemnation for a former legal advisor to the Foreign Office. In his infinite wisdom he claimed that:

"receiving or possessing" information extracted under torture was not in itself against international conventions banning torture, "in so far as there is no direct participation in the torture".

Hmmm, go figure that one out. Furthermore, the advisor, Michael Wood, refused to give evidence to the European Parliament committee which conducted the inquiry. No real surprise that a former government advisor was so reluctant to fulfil his obligations, the Prime Minister isn't too keen on inquiries. The report also concludes:

"After 11 September 2001, the so-called 'war on terror' - in its excesses - has produced a serious and dangerous erosion of human rights and fundamental freedoms."

Err, no shit Sherlock. And it is likely to get worse once 'Dr' John 'hard-nut' Reid gets his 90 day detention that he is desperately posturing for, particularly after the convenient raids in Birmingham. Did someone say 'police state'??