Sunnis Seek Probe Into Torture Allegations

[maddezmom]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's main Sunni Arab political party on Wednesday demanded an international investigation into allegations that security forces illegally detained and tortured suspected insurgents at secret jails in Baghdad.

Omar Heikal of the Iraqi Islamic Party said it was now clear that majority Shiites in the U.S.-backed government were trying to suppress minority Sunnis ahead of the Dec. 15 parliamentary elections.

"Our information indicates that this is not the only place where torture is taking place," he said, reading an official party statement. The party "calls on the United Nations, the Arab League and humanitarian bodies to denounce these clear human rights violations, and we demand a fair, international probe so that all those who are involved in such practices will get their just punishment."

Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari confirmed Tuesday that more than 173 Interior Ministry prisoners were found malnourished and possibly tortured by government security forces at a Baghdad lockup.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051116/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq;_ylt=AkgerhcrDmKG236Fr2wbIl5vaA8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

[Roland99]

1. But...but...but....it was the Sunnis (er, Baathists) that tortured under

Saddam and that's why the U.S. went in there and took them out with Shock and Awe so that the U.S. could torture and abuse (and make some money in the meantime.)

[Judi Lynn]

2. Strange caption on the Yahoo news photo.....

An Iraqi policemen shows bruises, allegedly
caused by torturers, as he and his colleagues
are treated at a local hospital in Baghdad,
Monday, Nov. 14, 2005. According to the victims
they were arrested by Interior Minister special
forces on Thursday, while they were in plain
clothes, patrolling Baghdad's Saydya district.
They were released Monday after being detained
in an Interior Ministry detention center seized
by U.S. forces. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)

"Allegedly caused by torturers?"

He could be lying. Might be a good idea to torture him to find
out. :sarcasm:

Thanks for the article. Very interesting. It would be wonderful to see _Bush finally unite Iraq against him. It definitely could happen.

[maddezmom]

3. and an odd headline: Iraqi Raid Appears Aimed at Wooing Sunnis

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The unprecedented U.S. raid on an Iraqi detention facility filled with malnourished torture victims appears aimed in part at scoring points among Sunni Arabs, whose participation in next month's parliamentary election is key to an American exit Iraq.


Sunni Arab politicians have complained for months about arbitrary arrests, torture and assassinations of Sunnis, allegedly at the hands of special commandoes of the Shiite-dominated Interior Ministry, who are at the forefront of the battle against the largely Sunni insurgents.

The discovery Sunday night of 173 malnourished prisoners — some of them bearing evidence of torture — in an Interior Ministry lockup appeared to vindicate many of the Sunni Arab claims. Most of the prisoners are believed to be Sunnis.

One Sunni politician, Mohsen Abdul-Hamid, said he had personally told Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari about conditions at detention centers, including the one seized by American forces Sunday night. Other Sunni leaders who meet regularly with American officials have been outspoken in complaints about Interior Ministry forces.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051116/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_wooing_sunnis;_

[Javaman]

4. Soooo, they get pissed off about this but not abu garib????

:wtf: