Army Report Warned in November About Prison Problems

[UpInArms]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1425-2004May29.html

An internal Army report warned in November that Iraqis were being detained too long and without appropriate review in an immense U.S.-run prison system that failed to keep track of them, did not provide proper sanitation and medical care, was understaffed, and inappropriately mixed juveniles and adults.

The confidential survey by Maj. Gen. Donald J. Ryder highlighted numerous prison shortcomings that had stoked friction between the detainees and their U.S. guards last year, which led in turn to riots and other protests that prison guards put down with the abuses documented in photographs and a damning Army report.

Ryder, a criminal investigator for the Army who was appointed provost marshal general in October, was asked, as one of his first assignments, to survey the prison system. It was then being deluged by thousands of new detainees, many arrested in U.S. military sweeps aimed at finding or learning about Iraqis who were targeting U.S. forces.

Although Ryder concluded in a Nov. 5 report that international norms for military prisoners were being met "with room for improvement," he also found in particular that the Army was not respecting its own rules for regular reviews and timely releases of the detainees it held.

Ryder reported that some detainees had been jailed for more than six months without a required review of their incarceration. He said many more had been imprisoned without a required screening -- within 72 hours -- to verify that their arrests were justified.

...more...

[hedda_foil]

1. Good story relegated to page A-31.

Looks like they're burying the prison scandal story.

[saigon68]

2. Nothing here

move along </sarcasm>

[maddezmom]

3. didn't ya hear, the WH has changed the subject

:eyes:

[Spazito]

4. Here is the NYT's article on Ryder's report...

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/30/international/middleeast/30ABUS.html?ex=1086918033&ei=1&en=fe7c2bd283cfabfc

Every time the bush cabal tries to change the subject, another report, memo, etc, is leaked. The timing is exquisite and must be causing major ulcers in the White House and the repubs campaign headquarters. I strongly suspect many more "leaks" will be happening as needed in the coming months!