CIA involved in ghost detainees case

BBC - 9/10/2004 8:00:00 AM GMT

Senior U.S. army generals said Thursday that the United States may have secretly held dozens of detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

The army generals, however, said that they don’t know the exact number of ‘Ghost detainees’ being held, accusing the CIA of not providing needed information and lack of cooperation with their investigation into abuses.

"The situation with the CIA and ghost soldiers is beginning to look like a bad movie," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

The presence of "ghost detainees" held by the CIA without registration — was a key finding of the Army generals' investigation, completed last month.

The generals discussed what their investigations reached in a series of hearings Thursday by the Senate and House armed services panels.

‘Ghost detainees’ were prisoners held secretly without notifying the International Committee of the Red Cross, in violation of the Geneva Conventions.

One of the generals said that up to 100 ‘Ghost detainees’ were being held, another said that they’re a couple of dozen.

Army generals said they can’t give a precise number as a result of the CIA’s lack of cooperation.

Independent commission urged

On the other hand the authors of another report probing into the abuse scandal, former U.S.

Defence Secretary Harold Brown, appeared before the House of Representatives' Armed Services Committee.

He accused the Bush administration of being responsible for the affair, and failing to prepare properly for post-war Iraq.

Eight senior retired officers, including some associated with Senator John Kerry's presidential campaign, have called for an independent commission of inquiry.