Memo: Report of Proceedings (Jassim case)

Today, a Report of Proceedings by Investigating Officers (page 1164) will be appointed by Major General David Pertraeus, and will be presented on 31 December. It will be instigated by the abuse of detainee Salah Salih Jassim, a high-school boy who suffered a broken jaw due to acts by coalition forces. Details specific to that case are included in the entry 10 December 2003.

During the investigations, other details were revealed, which are listed here:

• "The detainees were being systematically and intentionally mistreated (heavy metal music, bullhorn, hit with water bottles, forced to perform repetitive physical exercises until they could not stand, having cold water thrown on them, deprived of sleep, roughly grabbed off the floor when they could no longer stand"
• The acronym "IED" (Improvised Explosive Device) was written on the detainees hoods. "[I]nfantry soldiers stated they felt this was done to make them angry at the detainees, and it had exactly this effect".
• "I saw the Chief throw them down, put his knee in his neck and back and grind them to the floor."
• Electric shocks were given to a detainee.
• Soldiers told to "take them [detainees] back and beat the fuck out of them", and many incidents of beatings.

This document forms part of the documentation released by various US Government Departments in response to an FOIA court order. If you are grateful for having received this information, consider supporting the organisations in the side-bar on the right.