|
Abu Ghraib Families: Culprits Should Face Death
On the eve of the first court-martial in the Iraq prisoner abuse scandal, relatives of those still held at Abu Ghraib prison said Tuesday the only suitable punishment would be death -- illustrating the potential gap in expectations in the case.Obviously these are people who benefitted under Saddam. Theâve grown used to having their âenemiesâ killed out of hand for âjusticeâ and expect the U.S. to do the same. "If they actually committed such offenses, they should be executed," said Odai Ibrahim, 55, as he waited in a line with hundreds of other Iraqis to visit relatives at the prison on the western outskirts of Baghdad -- notorious as the site of executions and torture during Saddam Husseinâs regime. Sorry dude, we have this little thing called the rule of law here. But the first defendant, Spc. Jeremy C. Sivits, faces only a year in prison, a fine, reduction in pay and a bad conduct discharge. He has cooperated with authorities and is expected to testify against the others, who face more serious charges. I think he should serve his year in Abu Ghraib prison myself. Poetic Justice and all... Three others -- Staff Sgt. Ivan Fredericks, Sgt. Javal Davis, and Spc. Charles Graner Jr. -- will be arraigned Wednesday before Sivits goes on trial. The arraignments and the Sivits trial will be open to media coverage. Nine Arab newspaper or broadcast journalists are among 34 news organizations to be allowed seats in the courtroom. The U.S. military hopes the presence in the courtroom of such prominent Arab media as the Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera television networks will demonstrate American resolve to determine who was responsible for the abuse and punish the guilty. Is it me or is including terrorists such as Al-Jitzz a bad idea? However, the U.S. military has barred the broadcast of Wednesdayâs hearings on radio or television, and is prohibiting all recording devices and mobile phones from the courtroom... However, comments heard Tuesday outside Abu Ghraib suggest the outcome may not satisfy Iraqi demands for justice, especially since the first defendant faces the least severe charges. "Some of the people inside have spent two years in prison and they are innocent," Yeah right... all of our prisons are filled with innocent people too... Ibrahim said. "The maximum sentence for the Americans is one year. Is that justice?" Yes. It is. The International Committee of the Red But, for some reason, not in Saddamâs Iraq, Iran, Syria, or North Korea.... has said up to 90 percent of Iraqi detainees were arrested by mistake. A 24-page Red Cross report also cited abuses, some "tantamount to torture," including brutality, forcing people to wear hoods, humiliation and threats of imminent execution. These people obviously hadnât visited the mass graves or people-shreadders which Saddam and his sons loved so much. Sharhabil Abdul-Rahman, 41, said he and his brother were arrested by U.S. soldiers during a raid of their Baghdad home in March. He was released, but his brother remains in custody. "This court will not bring justice," he said outside the prison. "Itâs nonsense. They should be tried by the Iraqis. According to Islamic law they should be executed." Of course according to Islamic law (as practiced by Saddam) you and your entire family should be dead. Please line up with your family along this trench here for some Islamic/Saddam Justice. Whereâs my damn M16? Thunijah Jassim Mahmood, 70, waited for hours Tuesday in the desert heat to see her son Abdul-Razzaq Mahmood, 34, who has been held for more than a month. "They stacked them naked, one upon the other," she said. "I donât believe there will be real justice by the Americans. I want them to leave Iraq and go home." Must be one of Saddamâs supporters.. Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-05-18 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=33351 |