Straw: Detainee abuse totally unacceptable
Jack Straw has welcomed the announcement of an investigation into allegations of detainee abuse by local security forces in Iraq.
The foreign secretary said he was “deeply shocked” by the news that more than 170 Iraqi detainees have been found malnourished and beaten at an interior ministry detention centre.
US and Iraqi forces made the discovery after they entered the facility in search of a missing teenager. The inmates have now been moved and are receiving medical attention, and Iraqi prime minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari has ordered a full investigation.
Speaking last night, Mr Straw said the abuse of detainees was “totally unacceptable”. Representations have been made by the British ambassador to senior Iraqi officials on the issue, while the foreign secretary himself raised it with vice-president Abdul Al Mehdi.
“I very much welcome the immediate investigation announced by Mr Jaafari today and his confirmation that such practices are completely contrary to Iraqi government policy,” he said.
“Whoever carried out this abuse must be caught and brought to justice, regardless of rank or background. We look forward to seeing the results of this investigation as soon as possible. Steps must be taken to prevent this sort of incident happening again.”
Major General Hussein Kamal, the interior ministry’s under-secretary for security, said a probe had been launched into allegations that ministry officers tortured suspected insurgents.
“I saw signs of physical abuse by brutal beating, one or two detainees were paralysed and some had their skin peeled off various parts of their bodies,” he said.
Sunni politicians have criticised the Shia and Kurdish-led government for seemingly turning a blind eye to the issue.
Mohsen Abdul-Hamid, head of the Iraqi Islamic party, said: “According to our knowledge, regrettably, all the detainees were Sunnis.”
