CCR FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST PRIVATE CONTRACTORS FOR TORTURE CONSPIRACY

[Dover]

CCR FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST PRIVATE CONTRACTORS FOR TORTURE CONSPIRACY

Charges U.S. Corporations Conspired With Officials To Torture Detainees in Iraq

Synopsis

Two U.S. corporations conspired with U.S. officials to humiliate, torture and abuse persons detained by U.S. authorities in Iraq according to a class action lawsuit filed June 9, 2004, by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and the Philadelphia law firm of Montgomery, McCracken, Walker and Rhoads. The suit, filed in federal court in San Diego, names as defendants the Titan Corporation of San Diego, California and CACI International of Arlington, Virginia and its subsidiaries, and three individuals who work for the companies. It charges them with violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and alleges that the companies engaged in a wide range of heinous and illegal acts in order to demonstrate their abilities to obtain intelligence from detainees, and thereby obtain more contracts from the government.

The lawsuit charges that three individual defendants, Stephen Stephanowicz and John Israel of CACI, Inc. and Adel Nahkla of Titan, directed and participated in illegal conduct at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Further it alleges that CACI International and Titan created a joint enterprise with a third party that became known as Team Titan. The joint enterprise was hired by the U.S. to provide interrogation services in Iraq.

The action also brings claims under the Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA), and the 8th, 5th, and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution as well as other U.S. and international laws.

--MORE

http://www.ccr-ny.org/v2/reports/report.asp?ObjID=TutDBqRhAY&Content=387

[Emboldened Chimp]

1. What's John Fogerty's beef, man?

[neebob]

5. Rats! You beat me to it.

And only four hours ago. Oh, well - I had the same first thought.

[theivoryqueen]

2. whip it!

Craaaaack... Hopefully a slew of civil suits will follow - as apparently the US government is unwilling to prosecute those responsible for policy decisions.

[Robbien]

3. So, they are suing the Mercenary firms

Not a bad idea.

[bobthedrummer]

4. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

[rucky]

6. Litigation Protected under executive order...

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/05/20030522-15.html

it'll be interezting to see how this shakes out