Abu Ghraib Officer Faces Hearing

[Rose Siding]

FORT MEADE, Md. -- The highest-ranking officer charged with crimes at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq embarrassed the United States Army by turning a blind eye that allowed the abuses to occur, an Army prosecutor said Monday.

Army Lt. Col. Steven L. Jordan exhibited a "negligence and willful, wanton turning away from the abuses that occurred there," even if he didn't mistreat prisoners himself, said prosecutor Lt. Col. John P. Tracy, during opening statements in the military's equivalent of a grand jury proceeding at a Maryland courtroom......
He is charged with 12 offenses, including one count of cruelty and maltreatment for allegedly subjecting detainees to forced nudity and intimidation by dogs. He faces a maximum of 42 years in prison if convicted of all counts.

Three counts are of dereliction of duty involving allegedly failing to supervise soldiers and for allegedly approving the use of dogs and other harsh interrogation techniques without permission. Two counts involve making false official statements for allegedly lying to Maj. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba and Maj. Gen. George Fay.

Jordan also is charged with two counts of willfully disobeying Fay's and Taguba's orders not to communicate with other soldiers and potential witnesses about the investigations, and two counts of false swearing for comments he allegedly made to others regarding the investigations and conditions at Abu Ghraib.

The Article 32 hearing at Fort Meade is expected to last three to six days. Military lawyers for both sides plan to call about 50 witnesses, most of whom will testify by telephone, said Lt. Col. Patricia Lewis, a military justice expert.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-abu-ghraib-officer,0,4262604.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

[Rose Siding]

1. Gen Fay testified that Jordan allowed abuse

Maj. Gen. George Fay, who wrote a report on mistreatment of detainees at the prison, testified at a hearing to determine whether the director of the prison's interrogation center should be court-martialed.

Fay said his investigation found that Lt. Col. Steven L. Jordan was in charge of the center, despite Jordan's insistence to Fay that he was just a liaison between the center and superior officers.

Fay said Jordan knew about some of the abuses and did not stop them. He said Jordan "told us a story that was deceptive and it was misleading, and he tried to avoid responsibility for his role at Abu Ghraib."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/16/AR2006101600384_pf.html

[saigon68]

3. Looks like torture to me

ALSO LOOKS LIKE MURDER

[DearAbby]

2. When Bush signs the torture bill

with the back door pardon, will this person be covered? War crimes from tomorrow on, doesn't exist in 'merica