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Army implicates 27 in Abu Ghraib abuses
Twenty-seven military intelligence specialists "encouraged" or "participated" in abuses of inmates at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, according to a US army report.
Twenty-seven military intelligence specialists "encouraged" or "participated" in abuses of inmates at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, according to a US army report released on Wednesday.
"There is no single, simple explanation for why this abuse at Abu Ghraib happened," the report said.
"The primary causes are misconduct -- ranging from inhumane to sadistic -- by a small group of morally corrupt soldiers and civilians, a lack of discipline on the part of the leaders and soldiers of the 205th (military intelligence brigade) and a failure or lack of leadership" among US troops in Iraq.
Abuse of Iraqi inmates at Abu Ghraib prison sometimes amounted to torture, said the general who wrote the report.
"There are a few instances where torture was being used," General George Fay told reporters.
The report said 27 military intelligence specialists "encouraged" or "participated" in abuses, some of which was captured in photographs that touched off a worldwide scandal in April.
Pentagon officials released to key lawmakers in the US Congress the internal report drafted by Fay investigating abuses of Iraqi inmates during interrogations by military police.
"From 25 July 2003 to February 2004, 27 ... (military intelligence) personnel allegedly requested, encouraged, condoned or solicited military police personnel to abuse detainees and/or participated in detainee abuse and/or violated established interrogation procedures and applicable laws and regulations during interrogation operations at Abu Ghraib," the report said.
The release of the investigation's findings came just one day after another independent probe concluded that leadership failures at the top levels of the Pentagon contributed to the chaotic environment in which detainees were abused.
The blue-ribbon panel headed by former defense secretary James Schlesinger on Tuesday cited leadership shortcomings among the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the military command in Iraq that contributed to the abuse at Abu Ghraib.
General Paul Kern, who presented the Fay report, said that 23 members of the armed services and four civilian working under contract were involved.
He said that four other service members and two medical workers were also implicated for
knowing about the abuses without having directly participated.
Colonel Thomas Pappas, commander of the 205th military intelligence brigade, was the highest-
level officer whose case was recommended for disciplinary action.
Kern, who presented the report, said, "We found no one above that grade culpable of abuse."
Kern said that he regretted the abuses and that besides those who were responsible for the abuses, others knew about them and did nothing.
He said that the report listed some 9,000 documents and interviews with 170 persons during eight visits to Iraq.
The report focused on the responsibilities of military intelligence and military police, many of whom appear in the photographs that launched the scandal.