U.S. Government Admits to Torture

For the first time, a highly-ranked member of the U.S. government admits that detainees at the prison camp Guantanamo Bay have been tortured. The woman gives shocking details.

Susan Crawford of the Department of Defense, who is in charge of the Guantanamo Bay military commissions, admits to torture in an interview with Washington “Post” journalist Bob Woodward. Muhammad al-Qahtani, who is accused of planning to take part in the September 11 terrorist attacks, was tortured in Guantanamo in 2002.

“We tortured Qahtani. His treatment met the legal definition of torture.” That is why she did not refer the case for prosecution in May of 2008, explains the retired judge. President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney repeatedly stated that the U.S. does not torture.

Crawford furthermore gives the newspaper detailed descriptions of Qahtani’s torture. He was forced to stand naked in front of a female agent. He was interrogated 18 to 20 hours a day on 48 out of 54 consecutive days. He had to wear a woman’s bra and had a thong placed on his head. Qahtani was also threatened with a military dog and was led around the room tied to a dog leash. His mother and sister were insulted as prostitutes.

“The techniques were all authorized, but the manner in which they were applied was overly aggressive and too persistent,” says Crawford. “It was a combination of things that had a medical impact on his health. It was abusive and uncalled for.” A speaker of the Department of Defense told the newspaper that the “applied special methods’ had been legal back then.

Qahtani was captured in Afghanistan in January 2002 and was transported to Guantanamo. He was denied entry into the U.S. in 2001. According to the charges, he allegedly planned the September 11 terrorist attacks and was to be the 20th airplane hijacker.

Crawford called Qahtani a “very dangerous man” who should not be released under any circumstances. Crawford generally sees fit the prisoner camp.

President-elect Barack Obama intends to close the camp in Guantanamo shortly after his inauguration on January 20th. Before that can happen, however, the government will have to find countries that are willing to take over the 250 prisoners that are incarcerated in the navy base in Cuba. Germany as one of these countries is currently examining a possible acceptance of detainees.