News and Document archive source
copyrighted material disclaimer at bottom of page

NewsMinewar-on-terroriraqwar-crimesabu-Ghraib-prison — Viewing Item


Inmate says graner laughed during abuse

Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
   http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050111/D87I3FVO0.html

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050111/D87I3FVO0.html

Inmate Says Graner Laughed During Abuse
Jan 11, 3:32 PM (ET)

By T.A. BADGER

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) - A Syrian inmate at Abu Ghraib prison testified in a videotape played for a jury Tuesday that Army Spc. Charles Graner merrily whistled, sang and laughed while brutalizing him and forced him to eat pork and drink alcohol in violation of his Muslim faith.

Amin al-Sheikh, in a deposition played at Graner's court-martial, said Graner threatened more than once to kill him and told him to thank Jesus for keeping him alive. The inmate also said he listened through his cell wall as Graner and other Americans forced a Yemeni prisoner to eat from a toilet.

Asked if Graner appeared to enjoy hurting him, al-Sheikh said through an interpreter: "He was laughing. ... He laughed. He was whistling. He was singing."

He described Graner as the "primary torturer" and "a naturally aggressive man" - a characterization that led Graner, sitting in the courtroom, to roll his eyes and chuckle.

Graner is the first soldier accused in the Abu Ghraib scandal to go on trial. Prosecutors allege the Army reservist was the ringleader of the abuse. Three fellow guards from the 372nd Military Police Company have pleaded guilty to abusing detainees.

Graner is charged with conspiracy, assault, committing indecent acts and other offenses. He could get to 17 1/2 years in a military prison if convicted.

Al-Sheikh said he went to Iraq in 2003 to fight U.S.-led forces, and he was taken to Abu Ghraib after being captured with AK-47 assault rifles, grenades and bomb-making material. While being kept at a tent camp next to Abu Ghraib, al-Sheikh said, he was wounded in the leg and chest in a shootout with Americans after he obtained a handgun from an Iraqi guard.

Al-Sheikh said Graner jumped on his wounded leg and struck it with a collapsible stick. On another occasion, he said, Graner handcuffed him to his cell door with his arms behind his back for eight hours. Graner also accompanied a U.S. soldier who urinated on him, al-Sheikh said. Another American threatened to rape him, he said.

Graner said after the video testimony that he remembered al-Sheikh. "The last time I saw him, he was threatening to kill me," the defendant said.

Under defense questioning, al-Sheikh said Graner at times worked with Americans who were interrogating him at Abu Ghraib. He said interrogators known as "Steve" and "Mikey" made it clear that he would be roughed up by Graner if he did not cooperate.

Defense attorney Guy Womack said al-Sheikh's testimony was good for his client. "It was the face of the enemy," Womack said. "It's very clear that he hates America."

The defense maintains that Graner and other soldiers were ordered by military and civilian intelligence officers to soften up detainees for questioning, and that they had no choice but to obey.

Al-Sheikh conceded that he did not see Graner and others making the Yemeni prisoner eat from the toilet, but said it was clear that was happening from what he heard.




Abu ghraib general claims conspiracy { August 3 2004 }
Abu ghraib general says she met israeli
Abu ghraib general says shes scapegoat { June 15 2004 }
Abu ghraib is a protected crime scene says judge { June 21 2004 }
Abu ghraib medic covered up homicide
Abu graib dog handler says he followed orders { March 22 2006 }
Abu graib prisoners pushed to stroke or heart attack
Abuse aproved by rumsfeld
Army clears top abu ghraib case officers
Army destroyed mock execution pictures
Army doctors had role in abuse { August 19 2004 }
Army doctors implicated in abuse { January 6 2005 }
Army report on abu ghraib faults military intelligence
Blood gushed from prisoner mouth like faucet
British soldiers shocking and appalling abuse { January 18 2005 }
Bush apologizes to jordan king for iraqi prisoner abuse { May 6 2004 }
Bush was informed of red cross concerns { May 12 2004 }
Cbs to air soldiers diary of abuse on second 60minutes
Cia sought contractors for interrogators { May 12 2004 }
CIA spurned prison rules report says { August 26 2004 }
Colorado senates think detainee photos shouldnt be released { May 13 2004 }
Conresswomen sees prisoners with inflected wounds { May 13 2004 }
Contractors in iraq face classaction lawsuit { June 10 2004 }
Dog handlers sanctioned by chain of command { May 23 2006 }
Dogs attack naked iraqi prisoner [jpg]
Elderly woman ridden like a donkey { May 6 2004 }
England following orders
England says she took orders from military intelligence { August 4 2004 }
Excessive force abuse to iraqi prisoners { May 11 2004 }
Family defends reservist woman in prison photos { May 4 2004 }
Film shows young prisoners sodomised
Further abuse detailed { October 23 2004 }
Generals told MPs to soften up prisoners { May 8 2004 }
Ghost detainees off the books
Graner lawyer points finger at chain of command { January 7 2005 }
Graner questioned orders and was told it was legal
Graner upset lynn pled guilty { May 4 2005 }
Guilty sergeant says military intelligence oversaw abuse { October 21 2004 }
Harsh CIA methods cited in top interrogations { May 13 2004 }
Inmate says graner laughed during abuse
Intel staffer says army concealed involvement in abuse { May 18 2004 }
Intelligence officer asked guard to humiliate detainees
Intelligence officer faces charges from abu ghraib { September 11 2004 }
Interrogation methods violated geneva rules { May 13 2004 }
Iraqi abuse widespread routine says redcross
Iraqi died while hanging by wrists { February 17 2005 }
Iraqi ghost detainees could number 100 { September 10 2004 }
Iraqi on leash [jpg]
Iraqi prisoners murdered { May 4 2004 }
Iraqi prisoners story like catch 22 { May 28 2004 }
Iraqi sues contractors over abu ghraib torture { May 5 2008 }
Iraqi teens abused at abu ghraib { August 24 2004 }
Israeli torture template
Judge orders government to release damning abu ghraib videos { June 3 2005 }
Judge rejects military intelligence testimony { October 23 2004 }
Knowledge of abuse may go higher
Lawmakers shocked by evidence of abuse { May 12 2004 }
Lawmakers view violent and sexual mistreatment of inmates { May 13 2004 }
Lawyers call rumsfeld cheney to abuse hearing { June 4 2004 }
Lynndie england gets 3 years while officers not charged { September 27 2005 }
Lynndie england hearing for august
Lynndie england is a new mother { October 13 2004 }
Lynndie England orgy at abu Ghraib { May 13 2004 }
Lynndie says she was government puppet { February 2008 }
Military intelligence behind abuse { May 20 2004 }
Military intelligence ordered prisoners hidden from red cross { August 5 2004 }
Military police photograph female soldiers while showering
Military takes action against key witness in abu ghraib { May 21 2004 }
Military torture scandal [jpg]
Military torture scandal2 [jpg]
Military torture scandal3 [jpg]
Military torture scandal4 [jpg]
More photos video in iraq abuse scandal says rumseld
More prisoners released { May 21 2004 }
Naked soldier covered in feces [jpg]
Navy seals abuse [jpg]
Navy seals bloody prisoners
Navyseal abuse [jpg]
New details emerge with new set of photos released { May 21 2004 }
New images of abu graib abuse are broadcast in australia { February 15 2006 }
No charges for murdering prisoners { March 26 2005 }
Outrage at maerican torture of iraqi prisoners
Pentagon claims prisoner abuse lost us the war
Photos of dead iraqi prisoners raise questions { May 7 2004 }
Photos of prisoners naked simulating sex { April 28 2004 }
Photos of soldiers with dead prisoners { May 19 2004 }
Press is obsessed with abuse story { May 21 2004 }
Prisoner guards scapegoated in abuse { May 9 2004 }
Prisoner had electrical wires to his genitals
Prisoner sodomized by glow sticks
Prisoners given electric shocks
Probe points to failures of leadership of top brass { August 20 2004 }
Punches iraqi prisoners [jpg]
Redcross asked for investigation for prisoner abuse
Redcross told abuse is part of the process { May 10 2004 }
Report blames pentagon neglection
Report on abuse faults 2 intelligence officers { May 3 2004 }
Reservist pleads not guilty to kicking pow to death { August 24 2004 }
Rumsfeld approved iraq interrogation plan { May 15 2004 }
Rush limbaugh says prisoner abuse not serious { May 6 2004 }
Saddams judge kept secret for safety sake
Scandal bigger than prison abuse { May 6 2004 }
Senators suspect higher ups directed abuses at abu ghraib { May 12 2004 }
Soldier gets one year in abuse of iraqis { May 20 2004 }
Soldiers abuse iraqis for fun court told
Story papers cnn [jpg]
Top general in iraq authorized interrogation techniques { March 30 2005 }
Torture at abu ghraib
Torture was encouraged by military intelligence services
Troops sodomized iraqi boys
Two more prisoner deaths { May 5 2004 }
Uk forces taught torture methods { May 8 2004 }
Unreleased photos of prisoners beaten to death
Us forces taught torture techniques { May 14 2004 }
US general concedes abuse was torture { August 27 2004 }
US spies urged abuse of prisoners
Videos amplify picture of violence { May 21 2004 }
Washington post displays new iraqi abuse photos { May 6 2004 }
Witness says CIA oversaw abu ghraib abuse { October 21 2004 }
Witness to abuse trying to be heard { August 20 2004 }

Files Listed: 120



Correction/submissions

CIA FOIA Archive

National Security
Archives
Support one-state solution for Israel and Palestine Tea Party bumper stickers JFK for Dummies, The Assassination made simple