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WORLD: Photos ‘show Abu Ghraib guards raping prisoners’
28 May 2009Images of rape and torture are among photographs of abuse at Abu Ghraib jail in Iraq that Barack Obama is blocking from release, a former general claimed today.
One photo reportedly shows an American soldier raping a female prisoner and another was said to show a translator raping a male detainee.
Others are said to depict sexual assaults with objects including a truncheon, wire and a phosphorescent tube.
Retired major-general Antonio Taguba, who oversaw the investigation into abuses at the prison in Baghdad, said he agreed with the president's decision not to release the pictures.
“I am not sure what purpose their release would serve other than a legal one and the consequence would be to imperil our troops, the only protectors of our foreign policy, when we most need them,” he said. “The mere description of these pictures is horrendous enough, take my word for it.”
The prisoner abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib exploded after photos taken by soldiers appeared in 2004. The latest images were included in Maj-Gen Taguba's report that year into prisoner abuse at the jail.
The Daily Telegraph, which spoke to Maj-Gen Taguba, said it was not clear from the report who had seen the photos or how they were obtained. It said the photos related to 400 cases of alleged abuse between 2001 and 2005 at Abu Ghraib and six other prisons.
The newspaper said the images were backed up by statements from Maj-Gen Taguba's report obtained under America's freedom of information act.
Last month a report by the Senate armed services committee said government backing for the CIA's harsh interrogation methods set the tone for abuses in Iraq and that it was not appropriate simply to blame low-ranking officers, saying high-ranking officials sent the message that such acts were appropriate.
The report followed the release of memos from president George Bush's administration that justified the use on terrorist suspects of what critics said amounted to torture. Obama administration officials did not respond to requests for comment.
Reader views (14)
I want to go straight to the point en support barrack Obama for not showing this pictures to the public .I tend to think that as far the truth is a vital element in society ,it should be guaded and told with equal measure to the consequesences.What would the release of this phots mean? more en more American hatred ,and what the opposite mean?more en more peace within the American territory.Thats why we need the test the waters before diving in .
- Ken, Nairobi, 10/07/2009 10:03
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Why don't you print photos of what Saddam did ?
- Adam, London, UK, 28/05/2009 21:13
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I thought this behaviour was classified as a war crime? Will any Americans (or their allies) be seen at the Hague? I doubt it very much.
America long ago lost the moral high ground, probably when they tortured and abused and killed loyalists during the war of "Independence", or "grab as much money land and slaves as you can war" as it should be better known.
- Kerry, Purley, 28/05/2009 17:00
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OBAMA IS STARTING TO GO THAT SLIPPERY SLOPE, HE WAS ELECTED BECAUSE PEOPLE HAD THE ODACITY OF HOPE AND DREAMS, THEY WANTED THE TRUTH A PRESIDENT THAT COULD BE HONEST FOR ONCE BUT HE HAS STARTED TO DUCK AND DIVE AND HIDE THINGS FROM THE US PUBLIC HE WOULD BE MORE OF A MAN IF HE PRINTED THESE PHOTOS, AND LET THE WORLD SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE WHEN GOVERNMENTS HAVE THE POWER TO DECEIVE THE PEOPLE WHO ELECT THEM TO POWER, IN THE DAYS GONE BY SLAVERY WAS HID FROM THE WORLD AND THE AWFUL CRUELTY MET OUT TO SOME OF THE SLAVES WAS DEPLORABLE BUT SOMEONE STOOD UP ONE DAY AND SAID ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH AND BROUGHT IT ALL TO AN END I HOPE OBAMA HAS THE ODACITY TO DO THE SAME, NOTHING CAN REALY SHOCK US AFTER THE WARS, EVERYONE IN THE WORLD DESERVES JUSTICE FREEDOM LIBERTY AND GOVERNMENTS THAT CAN HELP ITS CITIZENS IN TIMES OF NEED NOT TO SWEEP THINGS UNDER THE CARPET,
- James Fennessey, london, 28/05/2009 14:43
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"IN GOD WE TRUST",they act like the minions of Satan.
- Frank, Bristol UK, 28/05/2009 14:34
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Daveb- I don't think Alex implies any such thing, not sure where you got that from. That said I'm not really certain what point Alex is trying to make.
- Nj, London, 28/05/2009 14:03
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Funny how cos this happened on George W's watch everyone automatically believes the worst. Perhaps this alleged abuse never took place!
- Chris, Brighton, England, 28/05/2009 14:02
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One day the world will be celebrating the demise of America, the satanic state who stop at nothing to achieve their ends.Many wont live to see that day but I only wish I would still be here to celebrate the end of the worlds bully.
T H Leeds
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK, 28/05/2009 13:50
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With skeletons like these in the cupboard how can the US and its lapdog UK ask the UN Hurman Right committee to investigate Sri Lanka for war crimes when it was fighting a legitimate war against terror. Double standards or what!
- Tharun Gnanapragasam, London, 28/05/2009 13:25
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Unfortunately, the American sheeple have been programmed to believe that they are in mortal danger unless they inflict torture on people with brown skin. The US has forfeited its moral authority and stands in disgrace for its unspeakable maltreatment of human beings. In the karmic economy of the world, they will have their comeuppance.
- Neil, London, London, UK, 28/05/2009 13:10
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Whilst I understand the arguement that the description of these photos is enough to sicken and horrify people, I can't help but wonder if it were Americans/Britains who were abused by Iraqi soldiers, whether the photos would have been released anyway, in order to gain worldwide sympathy/support/action.
Are the soldiers who commited the crimes jailed or simply dismissed?
- Smb, London, UK, 28/05/2009 12:32
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Alan implies that rape and torture are justifiable if it leads to "peace" in the long term... would you still think that alan if it was your daughter/mother that was raped and tortured to achieve such means...i feel it is a rather hollow peace that can be achieved through rape and torture, don't you?
- Daveb, london, 28/05/2009 11:34
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It should go without saying that any incident of torture and/or rape is completely barbaric and unacceptable. It should also be recalled that a process was put in place which stopped this and lead to the prosecution of the offenders. For decades appalling tortures and rapes were committed in this prison (including of children in front of parents) and there was no prospect of an end as there was no judicial process or appeal to law. That at least is over and some credit should be given (though even if Iraq subsequently emerges as a peaceful and lawful country the Iraq war obsessives will never admit it).
- Alan, London, 28/05/2009 09:44
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We were told that Nazis were taken to USA, valued by their captors for their expertise in torture, extermination, etc. I have no doubt Lindy England, alleged to be of subnormal intellect, her boyfriend & fellow guards were sadists and perverts given permission to do whatever they wanted. Perhaps in the warped Bush govt mindset they believed rape & torture would win hearts and minds - were they any better than any other aggressive pirates or soldiers of fortune?
- Rita Scrap Council Tax London, London, 28/05/2009 09:23
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