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“Secret torture chambers, the brutal interrogation of prisoners, murders by paramilitaries with links to powerful ministries… Foreign affairs editor Peter Beaumont in Baghdad uncovers a grim trail of abuse carried out by forces loyal to the new Iraqi government.”<\/p>\n
By Peter Beaumont<\/a> British and American aid intended for Iraq’s hard-pressed police service is being diverted to paramilitary commando units accused of widespread human rights abuses, including torture and extra-judicial killings, The Observer can reveal.<\/p>\n Iraqi Police Service officers said that ammunition, weapons and vehicles earmarked for the IPS are being taken by shock troops at the forefront of Iraq’s new dirty counter-insurgency war. <\/p>\n The allegations follow a wide-ranging investigation by this paper into serious human rights abuses being conducted by anti-insurgency forces in Iraq. The Observer has seen photographic evidence of post-mortem and hospital examinations of alleged terror suspects from Baghdad and the Sunni Triangle which demonstrate serious abuse of suspects including burnings, strangulation, the breaking of limbs and – in one case – the apparent use of an electric drill to perform a knee-capping.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n UK aid funds Iraqi torture units<\/strong> In a letter to colleagues, Mr Sumaidaie explained in detail what happened to his cousin Mohammed al-Sumaidaie on 25 June in the village of al-Sheikh Hadid. <\/p>\n He said Mohammed, an engineering student, was visiting his family home when some 10 marines with an Egyptian interpreter knocked on the door at 1000 local time. <\/p>\n He opened the door to them and was “happy to exercise some of his English”, said the ambassador. <\/p>\n When asked if there were any weapons in the house, Mohammed took the marines to a room where there was a rifle with no live ammunition. <\/p>\n It was the last the family saw him alive. Shortly after, another brother was dragged out and beaten and the family was ordered to wait outside. <\/p>\n As the marines left “smiling at each other” an hour later, the interpreter told the mother they had killed Mohammed, said Mr Sumaidaie. <\/p>\n “In the bedroom, Mohammed was found dead and laying in a clotted pool of his blood. A single bullet had penetrated his neck.” <\/p>\n The US military said the allegations “roughly correspond to an incident involving coalition forces on that day and in that general location”.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Iraq envoy accuses US of killing <\/strong> NEW YORK Laith Kubba, a spokesman for the Iraqi government, yesterday criticized American troops for shooting and killing unarmed Iraqi civilians, citing the recent deaths of Yasser Salihee, a reporter for Knight Ridder, and Muhammad al-Sumaidaie, a cousin of Iraq’s ambassador to the United Nations, Samir Sumaidaie. <\/p>\n The American military has said it is investigating both incidents. Knight Ridder has said that its reporter was likely shot by an American sniper.<\/p>\n Kubba also said Sunday, at a Baghdad press briefing, that some Iraqi security forces had been responsible for torturing and abusing prisoners.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Death of Knight Ridder Reporter, Other Civilians in Iraq, Draws Official Criticism <\/strong><\/p>\n By E&P Staff<\/a> U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, in Iraq on Sunday<\/a>, “commended the country’s efforts to secure democracy and the rule of law amidst recent attacks by insurgent forces. He also denounced abuses by US soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison, saying blame fell on a few individuals and that their actions were not approved US policy.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “Secret torture chambers, the brutal interrogation of prisoners, murders by paramilitaries with links to powerful ministries… Foreign affairs editor Peter Beaumont in Baghdad uncovers a grim trail of abuse carried out by forces loyal to the new Iraqi government.” By … Continue reading
\n07\/03\/05 The Observer<\/em><\/p>\n
\nPeter Beaumont in Baghdad and Martin Bright
\nSunday July 3, 2005<\/a>
\nThe Observer<\/em><\/p>\n
\nBBC News<\/em>, Saturday, 2 July, 2005<\/a><\/p>\n
\nPublished: July 04, 2005 12:30 PM ET<\/p>\n
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