British military finds 'appalling' Iraqi prison cell

BAGHDAD: A military action against a police station in the southern city of Basra found prisoners being held in conditions that a British military spokesman, Major Charlie Burbridge, described as "appalling."

More than 100 men were crowded into a single cell, about 9 meters by 12 meters, or 30 feet by 40 feet, he said, with two open toilets, two sinks and just a few blankets spread over the concrete floor.

A significant number showed signs of torture. Some had crushed hands and feet, Burbridge said, while others had cigarette and electrical burns and a significant number had gunshot wounds to their legs and knees.

Hundreds of British and Iraqi soldiers assaulted the police station on Monday, killing seven gunmen, rescuing 127 prisoners from what the British said was almost certain execution and ultimately reducing the facility to rubble.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/26/news/iraq.php#

torture could be visited on them. This does make me wonder how many rooms like this there are across Iraq?

I was also wondering if this was were the bodies that show up everyday are coming from. Maybe Basra was peaceful for a really sneaky reason.

I'm sure they'll be treated in a completely humane way now.

:eyes:

Backlash after UK forces hit Basra police station
By Steve Negus, Iraq correspondent

Published: December 26 2006 18:15 | Last updated: December 26 2006 18:15

The British military’s demolition of a Basra police station that they claim was used as a base for death squads has caused a political backlash, creating possible complications for the British campaign to purge the southern port city’s notoriously corrupt police force.

However, in an environment where militias, criminal gangs, political parties and factions within the police force all overlap in a patchwork of often competing alliances, it is difficult to tell exactly how widespread is the opposition to the British move against what they called a rogue police unit.

Several local leaders, including the head of the city council and a Basra police commander, have condemned Monday’s raid. Mohammed al-Ibadi, provincial council chairman, said the council had decided to cut off ties with British forces pending an explanation of why they destroyed an “Iraq government building flying the Iraqi flag” and removed detainees he described as suspected terrorists.

But a British military spokesman said it was unaware of any boycott by the full council, and some local officials including the governor offered their support for the operation, which involved Iraqi as well as British forces.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/8827a040-950c-11db-a911-0000779e2340.html

Iraqis; worse off now than under Saddam Hussein.

FACT.