More claims Australians interrogated Iraqis

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A former head of the Iraq Survey Group has contradicted the Federal Government, saying he is "almost positive" Australians were involved in the interrogation of Iraqi prisoners. The Howard Government has consistently said no Australians interrogated Iraqi detainees. Today Prime Minister John Howard tried to turn the political heat back on to the Opposition. "This exercise we've had over the past few days has been a nit-picking attempt to damage the political reputation of the Minister for Defence," Mr Howard said.

But David Kay, who led the search for weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Iraq, has told ABC TV's Lateline that Australians were involved in interrogations. "I'm almost positive they were engaged in areas where interrogations might have been going on," he said. Mr Kay does not agree with the Government's distinction between an interview and an interrogation. "Anyone that was in a room with a prisoner was engaged in interrogation," he said.

"You weren't playing bridge and so you had to play by the rules that were established for interrogation. "If I was talking to someone would have said I've had an interview, I've had a discussion."I didn't often use the word interrogation but that's what it was."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200502/s1305343.htm