This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/636

Picture of mass murder in briefs deemed violation of Geneva Convention

Bush: "..they are inspired by an ideology that is so barbaric and backward that it is hard to for many in the Western world to comprehend how they think"
May 20, 2005

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The front page of Friday's editions of the British paper The Sun shows Saddam Hussein in his underwear.

MIM: As the editor of SUN unequivocally stated to the BBC News.' After the first Gulf War, Saddam paraded battered and bruised British POW's and threatened to kill them if Britain took part in the war. He has forfeited his rights.

"Saddam is not superman or God, he is now just an aging and humble old man. It's important that the people of Iraq see him like that to destroy the myth". unnamed source . http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/05/20/saddam.photos/

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Iran, Iraq press for Saddam war crimes trial

U.S. military plans to investigate release of Saddam prison photos


BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Saddam Hussein's war crimes trial took center stage in Iraq and across the globe Friday, with the top Iraqi and Iranian diplomats calling for the former dictator to face justice as photos of him in prison surfaced in Britain's top-selling daily tabloid.

The images obtained by The Sun both outraged and "disappointed" the U.S. military, which said it didn't sanction their release. The Sun insists it got the photos from U.S. military sources who thought they would hurt a tenacious insurgency that includes Saddam loyalists.

The war crimes case against Saddam, which has been proceeding steadily since he was captured in December 2003, has captured attention in Iran and Iraq.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, who visited Iraq in a historic trip this week, issued a joint statement that emphasized the necessity of bringing the former dictator to justice, a process considered inevitable as Iraqi authorities methodically build their case.

"It is imperative that the leader [Saddam Hussein] and other officials under the former regime must be put to trial for committing military aggression, crimes against humanity, and war crimes against the people of Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait," the statement said.

Saddam photos dispute

Meanwhile, in Britain, the Sun reported that U.S. "military sources said they handed over the photos in the hope of dealing a body blow to the resistance in Iraq."

But senior military officials said the U.S. military did not give the photos to The Sun no matter what the newspaper says, and insisted it was not a sanctioned release.

They are investigating to determine if perhaps an American or someone else with access to Saddam released the photos.

The officials emphasized that because it was not a sanctioned government release, the United States is not in violation of the Geneva Conventions, although an individual might be. Under the conventions, a picture holding up a prisoner to ridicule may not be released.

Under Articles 13 and 14 of the 1949 Geneva Conventions III Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, POWs "must at all times be protected ... against insults and public curiosity," and also "are entitled in all circumstances to respect for their persons and their honor."

The senior military officials said they first saw the photographs through diplomatic channels. They believe the U.S. Embassy got them and then gave them to military to evaluate their veracity.

The Sun said at least one of the pictures came from a security camera at the prison where Saddam is being held.

The newspaper trumpeted the pictures of the former Iraqi leader's life in captivity, with a cover photo that showed the ousted Iraqi leader wearing only his underwear with the headline "Tyrant's in his pants."

President Bush, asked at a Friday press conference about whether this would inspire insurgents, said, "I don't think a photo inspires murderers. I think they're inspired by an ideology that is so barbaric and backwards that it's hard for many in the Western world to comprehend how they think."

Pentagon issues statement

The photo also appeared on the front page of the New York Post. Both are owned by News Corporation.

In Baghdad, Lt. Col. Steve Boylan, director of the Combined Press Information Center, said, "This was not an official release and we are aggressively investigating to find out what happened and why it happened."

The Pentagon issued a statement as well.

"These photos were taken in clear violation of DoD [Department of Defense] directives and possibly Geneva Convention guidelines for the humane treatment of detained individuals," it said.

"Multi-National Forces-Iraq is disappointed at the possibility that someone responsible for the security, welfare, and detention of Saddam would take and provide these photos for public release."

Saddam has been under the guard of U.S. troops since his capture in December 2003, though legal custody was transferred to Iraq's fledgling government in June 2004. (Special Report)

A U.S. military official in Baghdad told CNN it appeared the pictures were taken between January and April of 2004, based on Saddam's condition and some features that appear in the background.

The official said Saddam is no longer considered an enemy prisoner of war, because of the transfer of sovereignty, but noted the pictures appear to be from a time when Saddam was in U.S. military custody.

However, Pentagon officials concede that Saddam remains under U.S. control, even though he's technically in Iraqi custody.

Nevertheless, the release of pictures was a "clear violation" of U.S. rules and regulations, the official said, and Pentagon officials drew a distinction between these images and previous pictures released by the Pentagon.

After his capture in December of 2003, the Pentagon released both a still image of Saddam in a "spider hole" and a short video of him undergoing a medical examination.

CNN's Roger Clark, Jamie McIntyre, Ed Payne and Barbara Starr contributed to this report.

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Saddam Caught with his pants down

By Our correspondents in London

5/20/05

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,15354417-23109,00.html

BRITAIN'S Sun newspaper today published a humilating frontpage photograph of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in his underpants.

The US military, which is holding the former dictator captive, condemned the publication, saying it probably contravened prisoner rights under the Geneva Convention.

Under the headline "Tyrant's in his pants," The Sun ran a photo of a bare-chested Saddam in white underwear and holding an item of clothing as he appeared to be getting dressed.

In the accompanying article and other intimate photos of him in custody, the newspaper quotes US military sources as saying they handed over the photos in the hope of dealing a body blow to the resistance in Iraq.

"Saddam is not superman or God, he is now just an aging and humble old man. It's important that the people of Iraq see him like that to destroy the myth," the source was quoted as saying.

On its front page, The Sun also headlined with "Inside's Saddam's jail cell. First ever pictures."

It claimed a world exclusive of the intimate life of the 68-year-old.

Inside, other intimate photographs appeared of Saddam, wearing a white robed garment, washing his clothes in a bucket, and another of him sleeping, wearing a black top and his head resting on a white pillow.

A fourth photograph showed him shuffling about his jail, wearing robes and sandals.

In Baghdad, a US military spokesman said the military was trying to find out who took the pictures and decide what kind of disciplinary action should be taken.

"There is an investigation," said US Staff Sergeant Don Dees. "A policy prohibits us from exploitation of detainees and that policy is in place to preserve their dignity."

The photos "were taken in clear violation of Department of Defence directives and possibly Geneva Convention guidelines for the humane treatment of detained individuals," a US military statement said.

In addition, existing procedures and directives are being investigated "to prevent this from happening again," the statement said.

It is not the first time US soldiers have taken shocking photos in apparent violation of Geneva Convention guidelines. Numerous photos came to light in April 2004 showing abuses of detainees in the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad.

This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/636