US & British troops in torture scandal: "An inquiry has found that Iraqi prisoners were beaten, threatened with mock execution, stripped and sexually humiliated.
According to one of the guards facing the possibility of court martial, Staff Sergeant Ivan 'Chip' Frederick, a prisoner died under the stress of interrogation last November and his killing was covered up.
... Staff Sgt Frederick has claimed that the human rights abuses at the prison were systematic. He said he asked his superior officers for guidance several times and was ordered to do what he was told.
His uncle, William Lawson, claims the sergeant, a former civilian prison guard, was taking the blame for the actions of private contractors who gave the orders.
'They were told to go back in there and do what these contractors told them to. The big story is the war crimes committed by civilian contractors,' Mr Lawson said."
- posted by geoff @ #