|
U.S. lawmakers praise
Guantanamo operation, Amnesty International expresses
concern
Associated Press
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Two U.S. congressman on
Tuesday concluded a one-day tour of the prison for
terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, saying they
were impressed despite scattered complaints of abuse.
Rep. Phil Gingrey of Georgia called Guantanamo "a
model."
"It's a humane operation and I think we're getting
value out of it," Gingrey said.
The rights group Amnesty International, meanwhile,
expressed concern about what it called mistreatment
during interrogations.
The London-based group said it had verified reports
that a Chinese delegation was involved in 2002
interrogations in which Uighur detainees from
southwestern China were subjected to threats and
"stress and duress" techniques such as sleep
deprivation and forced sitting for hours.
Amnesty declined comment on who provided the reports.
The group said some 22 Uighurs are among 600 prisoners
held on suspicion of links to al-Qaida or the ousted
Taliban of Afghanistan. Amnesty warned that
predominantly Muslim Uighurs, often persecuted in
China, could risk torture or execution if returned
home.
U.S. military officials didn't immediately return
calls seeking comment Tuesday night. The two
congressman spoke before Amnesty's claims.
"It seems like we're on the right track down here,"
U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, a Florida Democrat, said by
phone as he flew back to Washington. He said it seems
officials at the base "are paying more attention" to
detainee treatment.
He also said in a statement he would urge more
hearings into abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison,
saying the U.S. government's "on again, off again"
compliance with the Geneva Conventions by not granting
prisoner-of-war status left "doubts about the
treatment of all detainees."
The visit came after three released Britons complained
this month of abuse. A lawyer who once represented
five released Saudis said they also complained of
mistreatment.
The military has denied the claims. Officials say two
guards were demoted and a third was acquitted in a
court martial after previous abuse complaints.
|
