The Telegraph (U.K.) is reporting today that the photos withheld from release show pictures of rape and sexual abuse of prisoners.
At least one picture shows an American soldier apparently raping a female prisoner while another is said to show a male translator raping a male detainee.
Further photographs are said to depict sexual assaults on prisoners with objects including a truncheon, wire and a phosphorescent tube.
Another apparently shows a female prisoner having her clothing forcibly removed to expose her breasts.
The administration implied that the photos they refused to release were no worse than the ones already seen. Seymour Hersh reported that some of the assaults may have been videotaped. The information about the sexual assault of prisoners at Abu Ghraib is not new, but it has now been confirmed with release of parts of the Taguba report.
Among the graphic statements, which were later released under US freedom of information laws, is that of Kasim Mehaddi Hilas in which he says: “I saw [name of a translator] ******* a kid, his age would be about 15 to 18 years. The kid was hurting very bad and they covered all the doors with sheets. Then when I heard screaming I climbed the door because on top it wasn’t covered and I saw [name] who was wearing the military uniform, putting his **** in the little kid’s ***…. and the female soldier was taking pictures.”
The translator was an American Egyptian who is now the subject of a civil court case in the US.
Three detainees, including the alleged victim, refer to the use of a phosphorescent tube in the sexual abuse and another to the use of wire, while the victim also refers to part of a policeman’s “stick” all of which were apparently photographed.
If the pictures show rapes, that is extremely horrifying. I certainly understand the reaction to not show the pictures. However, we need to know the truth. For one, what has happened to these abusers? Are they in prison? Are they still serving? By holding back the photos, we may be protecting criminals.