‘Dark Age torture at Camp X-ray’

THE US military has tortured terrorist suspects held without charge at the Guantanamo Bay military prison, an Australian lawyer representing some of the suspects claimed yesterday.

US-based Mr Richard Bourke, who has been working for almost two years on behalf of dozens of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, said American military officials were using old-fashioned torture techniques to force confessions out of prisoners.

Mr Bourke said the methods "clearly" fell under the definition of torture under international conventions. "They are engaging in good old-fashioned torture, as people would have understood it in the Dark Ages," he said.

Mr Bourke told ABC radio in Australia that his claims were based on reports leaked by US military personnel, and from descriptions by some detainees.

"One of the detainees had described being taken out and tied to a post and having rubber bullets fired at them. They were being made to kneel in the sun until they collapsed," he said.

Media reports that many detainees have attempted suicide and are suffering mental health problems, backed up claims of harsh treatment he said.

About 660 prisoners captured in Afghanistan and elsewhere are being held at Guantanamo, without charges or access to lawyers some since January 2002. The US government rarely comments on activities at the prison, which has been dubbed Camp X-ray, because of the strict security.

Earlier this year, US officials denied using torture and said detainees were interrogated humanely, allowed to practice their religion, and given good medical care.

Families are denied access and can only communicate with detainees through heavily censored mail. Human rights groups and the media have been given only limited and strictly controlled access.

Mr Bourke said governments around the world must demand that the United Nations investigate the reports of torture.

Almost all the detainees, from more than 40 countries, are said to be members of al-Qaida or the ousted Afghan Taliban regime. They are to be tried by secret military tribunals. The US government said they could be held until it declares an end to its "war on terrorism."

US military officials imposed strict reporting limits on the first journalists to go to the camp since the arrests of a Muslim army chaplain and two interpreters.

The reporters were required to sign "ground rules" for coverage, that banned questions about the investigations, on pain of being removed from the US Navy camp located at Guantanamo, on the eastern tip of Cuba.

There are nine Britons being held, two of whom are on an initial list of six detainees who could be tried by military tribunal. Asked why journalists were warned of the consequences if they ask questions, Army Lieutenant Colonel Pamela Hart said, "Why ask a question that you're not going to get an answer to?"