Virginia
Abu Ghraib detainee shares emotional testimony during trial against Virginia military contractor
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A former detainee at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison described to jurors Monday the type of abuse that revives attention on the scandal that erupted there 20 years ago: beatings, being stripped naked and threatened with dogs, stress positions meant to induce exhaustion and pain.
The testimony from Salah Al-Ejaili, a former Al-Jazeera journalist who spent more than a month at Abu Ghraib in 2003, marks the first time that survivors of the U.S. prison in Iraq have been able to bring their claims of torture to a U.S. jury.
Al-Ejaili and two other Abu Ghraib detainees are suing Virginia-based military contractor CACI, accusing the company of contributing to their torture by sending over civilian interrogators as part of an Army contract. The suit cites evidence in government investigations that CACI contractors encouraged military police to “soften up” detainees ahead of their interrogations.
CACI’s lawyer, John O’Connor, acknowledged that some Abu Ghraib detainees suffered horrific abuse, but offered a three-pronged defense for the company in his opening statement to the jury.
First, he questioned whether the three detainees who filed the lawsuit can actually prove they themselves were abused. They are not pictured in the most widely circulated photographs that leaked in 2004 when news of the abuse broke and shocked the world. He told the jury that official records show no formal interrogations of Al-Ejaili, for instance, even though he testified that he was interrogated many times, and frequently beaten at the outset of each interrogation.
The jury received a written declaration from the U.S. government confirming that no formal interrogation records exist, but that declaration also vaguely said that “other information” exists that might show a CACI interrogator questioned Al-Ejaili at one point.
CACI’s lawyer also said that even if the three plaintiffs were abused, there’s no evidence that CACI interrogators inflicted abuse on them. He said the soldiers seen smiling in photos next to naked, abused detainees were the ones who inflicted the abuse, and they were rightly convicted of crimes in military trials long ago.
“They were MPs who were sadistic, who did it on their own, and without any encouragement,” O’Connor said, of the range in military police.
Lastly, he said that even if CACI employees engaged in wrongdoing, it was the U.S. military, not the company, that oversaw the interrogators’ conduct. He rejected the notion that CACI civilians decided on their own to abuse detainees.
“The Army is pretty jealous about who has control of operations in a war zone,” he argued.
The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Baher Azmy, said it’s irrelevant whether CACI interrogators directly inflicted abuse on his clients. The company is liable, he said, because CACI interrogators conspired with military police by urging them to abuse detainees before questioning.
He said the jury will hear from two Army generals, Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba and Maj. Gen. George Fay, who concluded from an investigation that there was a void in the chain of command that was filled by civilians. Taguba’s report concluded that at least one CACI interrogator should be held accountable for instructing military police to set up conditions that amounted to physical abuse.
“This case is about one of the most disturbing and shameful events in recent American history,” Azmy said at the outset of his opening statement.
The trial at U.S. District Court in Alexandria, which was delayed for more than 15 years amid legal wrangling and multiple appeals, is now moving at a breakneck pace. On Monday alone, a jury was seated, opening arguments were heard, and three key witnesses testified, including Al-Ejaili; a former CACI interrogator, Torin Nelson, who testified about his concerns about the actions of some of his colleagues; and former Army Cpl. Charles Graner, one of the military police who was tried and convicted in courts-martial for abusing detainees.
Nelson testified that the other interrogators lacked experience, and he was dismayed when he saw unprofessional comments on their reports, like an interrogator who noted in one report that a detainee “is crying like a little baby in the corner.”
On cross-examination, he said that he had not witnessed physical abuse by any CACI interrogator.
“I had concerns but I wasn’t witnessing anything with my own eyes,” Nelson said.
Graner’s testimony came in the form of a recorded 2013 video deposition that was played to the jury in which he said civilian interrogators gave him instructions on how to handle detainees, and told him he was doing a good job.
Al-Ejaili’s testimony was emotional and he choked up several times as he described the abuse. He recalled that he was naked in a cold cell and asked a female soldier if he could have something to wear. She returned with red women’s underwear.
On another occasion, investigators handcuffed his hands to a pipe while his feet dangled. He told the jury, through an Arabic interpreter, that it felt “as if your shoulders are being pulled from their place.”
He said being able to tell his story now to a jury, even 20 years later, was important to him.
“It’s a big opportunity to tell people my story,” he said. “Perhaps it’s like a form of treatment or a remedy.”
RICHMOND, Va. (WDBJ) – Virginia residents who want to board an airplane for a domestic flight will soon need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, according to a reminder from the Transportation Security Administration. If the license is not REAL ID-compliant, travelers will need another form of approved identification, such as a passport to board a flight or enter a secure federal facility or military base.
The REAL ID driver’s license and identification card have a small star in the upper right corner to indicate they meet federal regulations that establish minimum security standards.
REAL ID goes into effect May 7, 2025.
“REAL ID is a coordinated effort by the federal government to improve the reliability and accuracy of driver licenses and identification cards,” says Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Richmond International Airport. “The improvements are intended to inhibit terrorists’ ability to evade detection by using fraudulent identification.”
Virginia residents have the option to upgrade to a REAL ID if their licenses do not currently have the star, or stick with an older standard driver’s license. However, TSA says, a standard credential—without the star—will not be valid to board a domestic flight or to access secure federal facilities, including military bases and some federal offices.
To get the REAL ID star, Virginians will need to visit a local Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles office in person and have with them certain documents to prove U.S. citizenship and Virginia residency. Required documents include one proof of identity (passport or U.S. birth certificate), proof of legal presence for non-U.S. citizens, two proofs of Virginia residency, social security card (if issued) and a current driver’s license if you are applying to exchange one issued by another U.S. state.
Transportation Security Administration officers who staff the ticket document checking station at airports will not allow travelers into the checkpoint without a REAL ID-compliant license or another form of acceptable ID after May 7, 2025, according to TSA, because of a federal law (The REAL ID Act of 2005) that mandates a REAL ID is needed for federal purposes.
Travelers will start to notice new signs at airports nationwide to remind them that REAL ID-compliant licenses or other acceptable forms of ID, such as a valid passport, federal government PIV card or U.S. military ID, will be mandatory for air travel beginning on May 7, 2025, Burke explained. “Critically important, on May 7, 2025, individuals who are unable to verify their identity may not be permitted to enter the TSA checkpoint and will not be allowed to fly,” he said.
For more information and details about how to obtain a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card in Virginia, visit Virginia’s Department of Motor Vehicles website.
Copyright 2024 WDBJ. All rights reserved.
TRANSFER PORTAL TRACKER
Javon Small is staying in the Big 12, but he isn’t returning to Oklahoma State.
Small on Wednesday committed to West Virginia, according to multiple reports. Small played one season at OSU, where he averaged 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists a game before entering the transfer portal.
Small led the Cowboys in scoring this past season while shooting 37% from 3-point range. He scored 20 or more points six times for OSU this past season.
This marks Small’s second transfer, as he came to Oklahoma State after two seasons at East Carolina. He is originally from South Bend, Indiana.
Small joins a West Virginia squad that is also going through a coaching transition. Interim coach Josh Eilert was not retained after the Mountaineers went 9-23 this past season. That led to WVU hiring Drake’s Darrian DeVries.
With Small committing to West Virginia, all five players who entered the portal from this past season’s OSU team have announced new destinations:
Small — West Virginia
Brandon Garrison — Kentucky
Eric Dailey Jr. — UCLA
Justin McBride — Nevada
Quion Williams — Abilene Christian
New OSU coach Steve Lutz has six scholarships still to use after adding portal additions Arutro Dean (FIU), Robert Jennings II (Texas Tech) and Marchelus Avery (UCF). Those three join Bryce Thompson, Jamyron Keller, Connor Dow and incoming freshman Jeremiah Johnson on OSU’s current roster.
CHESAPEAKE, Va. – A Virginia man who went by the alias “Torture King” pleaded guilty Wednesday to his role in a depraved conspiracy aimed at creating and distributing videos depicting the torture and murder of animals.
Court documents reveal the extent of 51-year-old Michael Macartney’s crimes, exposing the disturbing operations of an underground network dedicated to animal cruelty.
From at least November 4, 2021, to August 5, 2022, Macartney and his co-conspirators used encrypted messaging platforms such as Telegram to administer private online chat groups.
Infant long-tailed macaque, held captive, Indonesia. Photo via Action for Primates
Within these forums, they orchestrated the funding, viewing, distribution, and promotion of videos showcasing horrific acts of violence against animals, particularly monkeys.
The Chesapeake native facilitated this gruesome enterprise by receiving over 300 electronic payments from his collaborators. These funds were used to promote, create, obtain, receive, and distribute videos depicting the torture and sadistic mutilation of animals.
One particularly chilling incident involved Macartney raising additional funds to commission a video depicting the torture of a young monkey with a jar of ants, ultimately leading to the animal’s death.
In March 2022, Macartney struck a deal to sell copies of his sickening videos to a co-conspirator for $100. By August 5, 2022, he possessed at least 500 such videos, underscoring the scale of his involvement in this vile trade.
Scheduled to be sentenced on September 4, 2024, Macartney faces a maximum of five years in prison, although actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.
A federal district court judge will determine his fate.
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