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Grand Jury Investigating Torture Death of Abu Ghraib Detainee as War Crime

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 12:03:57 PM EST
Tags: Manadel al-Jamadi, CIA, Abu Ghraib, Mark Swanner (all tags)
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Time Magazine reports a federal grand jury is investigating the 2003 torture and killing of Manadel al-Jamadi at Abu Ghraib as a potential war crime. Years ago, navy seals were charged over the death. At least one went to trial and was found not guilty.

TIME has obtained a copy of a subpoena signed by Durham that points to his grand jury's broader mandate, which could involve charging additional CIA officers and contract employees in other cases. The subpoena says "the grand jury is conducting an investigation of possible violations of federal criminal laws involving War Crimes (18 USC/2441), Torture (18 USC 243OA) and related federal offenses." [More...]

Who inflicted the torture? Was it a CIA agent, or a contract CIA agent? Back in 2004, Sabrina Harmon, the army reservist shown above giving the thumbs-up over Jamadi's body, had this to say in an interview while her courts-martial was pending.

Time reports one person under investigation is likely Mark Swanner, a non-covert CIA interrogator and polygraph expert who questioned al-Jamadi immediately before his death. Jane Mayer wrote about Swanner in 2005, asking whether the CIA can legally kill prisoners. Her full article is here.

Update: Jane Hamsher reports from the federal courthouse in Alexandria that Lynndie England is there today, having received a subpoena last week. England's lawyer said she's there to be questioned about events at Abu Ghraib that occurred when she wasn't present. That sounds like the al-Jamadi investigation. But the grand jury is meeting today in the Wikileaks case, so maybe she's being called for that, or maybe it's all one investigation? I would think it's the same grand jury but separate investigations.

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    Grand Jury Investigating Torture Death of Abu Ghraib Detainee as War Crime | 4 comments (4 topical)

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    He wasn't killed at Abu Ghraib (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 01:01:52 PM EST
    He was killed at Al Asad and then shipped to Abu Ghraib to attempt to make it unclear where he had actually been killed at.  Initial reports had him killed at Al Asad and Col. Teeples being very unapologetic about it.  I remember this all too well too because my husband was at Al Asad and Col Teeples was his commander when it happened.  It made me sick to my stomach reading what Teeples said as I had just months earlier played the good Army wife and had gone to the tea that was held welcoming his wife.

    They Will Put This All on... (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by ScottW714 on Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 02:04:13 PM EST
    ... some lowly CIA agent, while the actual drafters/implementers of the policy sit and home laughing about it.

    And since when did 'war crimes' warrant any sort of investigation ?  Obama better get on this an shut it down, can't have criminals answering for their crimes unless they smoke weed.

    Since you like puzzles Jeralyn (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 03:08:59 PM EST
    You may be interested in comparing al-Jamadi to Major General Abed Hamed Mowhoush and to Lieutenant Colonel Abdul Jameel.  All three men were interrogated by what the military low hanging fruit says was the CIA.  All three died of what seems to me to be the same or incredibly similar injuries.   I don't know what the CIA was up to, but to this day I believe they were torturing these men trying to get them to admit to some selective things.  And torturing them to death in an attempt to get it was an option.

    Or maybe....maybe it was just okay for the CIA to torture to death anyone that they wanted to.

    Manadel al-Jamadi died November 4, 2003 after being apprehended near a recent bombing?  Tortured to death at Abu Ghraib in the Sunni Triangle.

    Iraqi Major General Abed Hamed Mowhoush November 26, 2003?  Tortured to death at Al Asad in the Sunni Triangle?

    Iraqi Lt. Col. Abdul Jameel January 9,
    2004?  Tortured to death at FOB near Al Asad in the Sunni Triangle?

    For many reasons I sort of have my doubts that ghost detainee al-Jamadi arrived at Abu Ghraib alive.

    I know when my husband was at Al Asad (none / 0) (#4)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 03:40:18 PM EST
    during this time he was in and out of the Abu Ghraib area constantly.  As far as flying in helicopters goes, Abu Ghraib and Al Asad are pretty close to each other.  I think these three men were killed by the same interrogation team who was called in when someone of "high value" was apprehended or in custody.

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    Grand Jury Investigating Torture Death of Abu Ghraib Detainee as War Crime | 4 comments (4 topical)

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