ABUSE CRISIS: U.S. Navy SEALs Charged in Iraq Prisoner Abuse

The United States Naval Special Warfare Command issued statement yesterday announcing that four members of the elite Special Forces unit have been charged with abusing Iraqi prisoners. One prisoner died as a result of a injuries he suffered.The SEALs have yet to be identified, but will face charges of assault, aggravated assault, maltreatment of detainees, failure to report maltreatment of detainees, making false official statements to investigators and solicitation to commit an offence.


This is the latest result of the ongoing investigation into the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal. The United States military and the CIA are under scrutiny for alleged mistreatmet of detainees. The individuals named thus far have included Army medics, a Marine reservist, and now members of the Navy's "Sea, Air, Land" unit.These are the first Special Operations Forces hit with criminal charges as the result of a widening investigation into prisoner abuse. While not identified Navy sources say that the group includes both enlisted men and one officer, a lieutenant. Three of the SEALs are under investigation for actions in October 2003 and April 2004. The remaining SEAL faces charges in the death of a detainee in April. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is in charge of the investigation.

This is a highly unusual situation because the SEALs have a reputation for being among the most highly trained and disciplined members of the armed forces.

The individual charged separately is said to be involved with the incident that resulted in the death of an Iraqi who was being held in secret, 'off the books,"and questioned by the Central Intelligence Agency at Abu Ghraib prison. One of the most shocking photographs brought to light was of the body of that detainee wrapped in plastic and packed in ice.

**Update**

The attorney for one of the defendants has made a statement about the case this week in The San Diego Union-Tribune, saying that Iraqi who was found dead in November at Abu Ghraib was in good condition until the CIA took custody of him and that the accusations were made by a disgraced former member of the SEAL unit.


A spokesman for Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado, the SEALs' headquarters, declined to comment the investigation and prosecution of the case.

More New Sources
Houston Chronicle
Miami Herald
ABC 7Online

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It's TORTURE, not abuse

[edit on 4-9-2004 by Spectre]

[edit on 4-9-2004 by Spectre]

[edit on 14-10-2004 by Spectre]

It'll be interesting to see the outcome of this trial. If proven guilty, I wonder if they will end up getting a more serious sentence than this Marine did?

Originally posted by Spectre


This is a highly unusual situation because the SEALs have a reputation for being among the most highly trained and disciplined members of the armed forces.
[edit on 4-9-2004 by Spectre]

The SEALS used to cut iut the liver of VC so their souls couldn't go to heaven. What do you mean unusual - the very nature of their discipline would demand extreme measures to be taken to extract information.

I feel it is unusual because they are actually facing criminal charges, either for actions on the battlefield that they were trained to do or because they were operating outside their orders. As more of the story come out we will see which way the investigation turns, but at the moment it appears that they are being prosecuted for carrying out orders or operating outside the law in violation of orders. With the perception of Special Forces as highly trained, elite operators, I can't decide which would be the more difficult and damaging case for the Navy.

Main story updated

Defense for one of the accused SEALs speaks out
www.chron.com...