US detainee deaths 'astounding'
2005-03-16 11:40
Washington - At least 26 people arrested by United States forces in Iraq and Afghanistan have been killed since 2002, in what military investigators suspect were acts of criminal homicide, The New York Times said on Wednesday quoting unidentified military officials.
The number is far higher than the six prisoner deaths caused by abuse the Pentagon reported to the US Congress last week, prompting a Human Rights Watch adviser to describe it as "astounding" and indicative of the "overall failure to take seriously the abuses that have occurred."
The daily said the new figures, provided by the US army and navy after repeated inquiries, include 18 cases that have been concluded and recommended for prosecution, and eight cases under investigation as confirmed or suspected homicides.
The prisoner deaths, at least four of which involve Central Intelligence Agency personnel, took place in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002. Only one death occurred at Iraq's notorious Abu Ghraib prison.
The killings took place both inside and outside detention areas, army spokesperson Joseph Curtin told the daily, adding that the army was investigating each death.
"Simply put, detainee abuse is not tolerated, and the army will hold soldiers accountable. We are taking action to prosecute those suspected of abuse while taking steps now to train soldiers how to avoid such situations in the future," Curtin said.
- AFP