Red Cross urged to investigate Allawi claims

[Zorra]

Red Cross urged to investigate Allawi claims
By Tom Allard, Foreign Affairs Reporter
July 19, 2004
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"These are dreadful allegations. It is vital that they are cleared up one way or another, and that needs an independent inquiry," Mr Cook, who quit the Blair cabinet over the Iraq war, told the British newspaper the Sunday Herald. "An international body such as the Red Cross would be best able to give authority to the investigation that the situation now demands."

International Red Cross officials in Baghdad told the Herald last week they were still negotiating protocols with the new government to visit Iraqi-run jails. So far their officials had clearance only to visit US-run prisons.

The Red Cross was not available for comment yesterday but the Minister for Defence, Robert Hill, said he had made inquiries.

"Our mission in Baghdad hasn't heard of it, the British said they hadn't heard of it and the Americans said they hadn't heard of it," he told Channel Ten's Meet the Press.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/18/1090089035896 ...