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37 deaths of detainees probed
22/05/2004 08:14 - (SA)
Washington - The US army has investigated the deaths of 37 detainees in US custody in Iraq and Afghanistan since August 2002, including eight pending cases that have been ruled possible homicides, Pentagon officials said.
The latest figures represent an increase over the 25 death cases reported earlier this month by senior army officials.
Separately, the Justice Department announced on Friday an investigation into actions by a US civilian contractor suspected of prisoner abuse in Iraq. The name of the suspect has not been released.
Of nine pending death cases under active investigation by the US military, all but one involved deaths that medical examiners declared to be homicides.
A senior military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said "they involved suspected assaults of detainees either before or during interrogation sessions that may have led to the detainee's death."
"I must emphasise that as used by a medical examiner, (homicide) is a neutral term that neither indicates nor implies criminal intent," he said.
In the ninth case, the death was believed to be the result of natural causes, the official said. Six of the nine cases occurred in Iraq, and three in Afghanistan.
The Pentagon also released 23 death certificates of detainees who died in Iraq and Afghanistan, including nine suspected homicides.
Among the causes of death listed were "multiple gunshot wounds with complications," "blunt force injuries and asphyxia," "blunt force injuries complicated by compromised respiration," "closed head injury with a cortical brain contusion and subdural hematoma, "asphyxia due to smothering and chest compression," "strangulation," "blunt force injuries to lower extremities complicating coronary artery disease," "multiple blunt force injuries complicated by probably rhabdomyolysis," and "plumonary embolism due to blunt force injury to the legs."
The most common natural cause of death cited in the certificates was cardiovacular disease.
A senior military official said 33 death cases in all have been investigated since August 2002.
Several cases involved more than one victim, which raised the number of detainees killed in custody during that period to 37.
He said 32 deaths occurred in Iraq and five in Afghanistan.
The officials who briefed reporters at the Pentagon were unable to say what charges, if any, have been brought as a result of the investigations.
Of the 33 death cases, 30 involved deaths of detainees at prison facilities, and three involved prisoners who were killed outside facilities, the official said.
Fifteen deaths that occurred inside detention facilities were ruled to be the result of natural or other undetermined causes.
Autopsies were performed in 10 of those cases, and medical officers in the field reviewed three other of the natural cause cases, the official said.
Eight deaths in facilities were ruled justifiable homicide.
"Justifiable homicides are cases that involve disturbances inside the facilities, and the soldiers involved followed the existing rules of engagement to prevent a breach of the perimeter or to protect soldiers and guards from grievous bodily harm or from death," the official said.
- AFP
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