US denies torturing detainees

2004-12-01 07:49

Washington - The Pentagon denied on Tuesday that detainees have been tortured or mistreated at a United States military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba despite a report that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) found abuse that amounted to "a form of torture" at the facility.

The New York Times, citing a confidential report, said the ICRC made the finding after a Red Cross inspection team spent more than a month at the Guantanamo prison in June.

The team, which included humanitarian workers and experienced medical personnel, discovered a system devised to break the will of prisoners through "humiliating acts, solitary confinement, temperature extremes, use of forced positions," the report cited by the Times said.

"The construction of such a system, whose stated purpose is the production of intelligence, cannot be considered other than an intentional system of cruel, unusual and degrading treatment and a form of torture," the report said.

Doctors participate in interrogations

The Times said the report also asserted that doctors and medical personnel at the prison were taking part in planning of interrogations, which it said was a "flagrant violation of medical ethics."

"We vehemently deny any allegations of torture at Guantanamo, and reject categorically allegations that the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo is improper," said a Pentagon spokesperson, who asked not to be identified by name.

The spokesperson said several Defence Department investigations have examined detention operations at Guantanamo.

"The United States does not permit, tolerate or condone torture under any circumstances," he said. "Whenever a credible allegation is raised to the attention of authorities, we make every effort to fully investigate."

According to the Times, the ICRC report said doctors and medical personnel conveyed information about prisoners' mental health and vulnerabilities to interrogators, sometimes directly, but usually through a group called the Behavioural Science Consultation Team.

The Times said the team is composed of psychologists and psychological workers who advise the interrogators.

"The allegation that detainee medical files were used to harm detainees is false," the Pentagon spokesperson said.

"There have been investigations to review procedures at GTMO and there has been no credible information that DoD personnel improperly used detainee medical information to physically or mentally harm a detainee during detention or interrogation operations," he said.

The Geneva-based agency refused to confirm or deny the article.

The United States has used the military facility to hold people detained around the world in its "war on terror" indefinitely and without trial.

- AFP