Shin Bet in Iraq- JANES

[MKSheppard]

http://www.janes.com/security/internati ... _1_n.shtml

Israeli interrogators in Iraq - An exclusive report

At least one aspect of the occupation of Iraq was well planned by Washington. The USA needed help conducting mass interrogations of Arabic-speaking detainees. Foreign Report can now reveal that, to make up for this shortfall, the USA employed Israeli security service (Shin Bet) experts to help their US counterparts 'break' their captives.

The USA could have approached other friendly regimes in the Middle East, such as Egypt or Jordan, which have vast experience interrogating Muslim fundamentalists. The Israelis may be brilliant linguists, but they cannot match Arabs speaking their own language. But there is a significant difference between the Egyptian and Jordanian interrogation techniques and those of the Israelis. For the Egyptian and Jordanian secret services, physical torture is an essential part of interrogation and a key element in breaking the prisoner's will and making them co-operative.

In the past, Shin Bet would use torture when it interrogated prisoners. But 20 years ago, an Israeli government committee investigated the security service's practices and the use of torture was subsequently banned, forcing Shin Bet to adopt a variety of techniques that did not cause physical damage. These new methods are much more palatable to US sensibilities. They also brought faster and more convincing results.

Foreign Report has learnt that top Shin Bet interrogation experts were sent to Iraq to help with the most difficult interrogations, such as the captured heads of the Iraqi intelligence - and perhaps with former president Saddam Hussein. US sources say that in spite of the incidences of abuse in Abu Ghraib prison, such events are not representative of the sophisticated methods that Shin Bet used in Iraq.

Most of the Shin Bet interrogators are of Ashkenazim (European) origin who study the Arabic language only when they are in their twenties after joining the security service. Before each interrogation a psychologist who has studied in depth the mental profile of the prisoner is consulted. The interrogator will also read intelligence reports about their charge.

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[Aaron]

Very interesting, unfortunatly this just gives more ammo to the "Iraq is a Zionist Conspericy" crowd.

[Plekhanov]

http://www.janes.com/security/internati ... _1_n.shtml In the past, Shin Bet would use torture when it interrogated prisoners. But 20 years ago, an Israeli government committee investigated the security service's practices and the use of torture was subsequently banned, forcing Shin Bet to adopt a variety of techniques that did not cause physical damage. These new methods are much more palatable to US sensibilities. They also brought faster and more convincing results.

Oh come off it far from swearing off torture “20 years ago” Israel is as far as I’m aware the only country to have explicitly legalised the use of torture, this Amnesty International report makes it clear that Israel habitually uses torture sometimes to the extent of killing the victims that 20 years claim just couldn’t be more wrong.

AI INDEX: MDE 15/005/1999 12 January 1999 News Service: 006/99
AI INDEX: MDE 15/05/98
12 JANUARY 1999

Israel

High Court should end the shame of torture

The long-postponed review of some interrogation methods used by the General Security Service (GSS) starting on Wednesday in Israel's High Court must bring to an end the shame of the effective legalization of torture in the country, Amnesty International said today.

The methods to be reviewed include extremely violent shaking (still used despite causing the death of a detainee in 1995); sleep deprivation for periods of up to several days; forcing detainees to remain in painful positions for hours on end; forcing detainees to listen to incessant screeching music; prolonged squatting; confinement to cupboard-sized rooms and exposure to heat and cold.

"Israel is the only country in the world to have effectively legalized torture by authorizing interrogators to use these methods," the organization added.

In recent years, the Israeli High Court has frequently shown a willingness to sacrifice justice for security considerations and has more than once refused to issue injunctions banning the use of physical force during interrogation.

"It is now time for the court to speak out to end practices which contravene Israel's international commitment to end torture," Amnesty International urged.

"By outlawing torture and ill-treatment during interrogation the court would finally fulfil its sacred obligation to uphold justice, ethics and human rights."

The hearing on the matter was first scheduled in January 1998 by Aharon Barak, President of the Israeli High Court, after a case involving Fu'ad 'Abed Qur'an, a university student, interrogated -- like hundreds of other Palestinians -- by these methods. A sitting held in May 1998 was immediately adjourned. After hearing the petitions Chief Justice Barak commented that the question should be dealt with by the legislature.

The former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture said in his 1991 report: "Under circumstances in which torture is practised or condoned by the authorities, it is the judiciary which forms the last bastion for the protection of citizens' basic rights."

"The High Court should not further postpone the case; it should not pass the buck to the Knesset and it should certainly not rule in favour of practices amounting to torture," Amnesty International said.

Background
Torture has been effectively legalized in Israel by various means:

1) secret guidelines to a report by the Landau Commission into interrogation methods in 1987 which authorized the GSS to use "a moderate measure of physical pressure" during interrogations.

2) a ministerial committee which has continued to approve the use of physical pressure by the GSS and, since 1994, has allowed the use of "increased physical pressure".

3) the Israeli High Court of Justice, which in individual cases has ruled that physical pressure can be used against detainees.

Israel uses the excuse that "torture might be necessary to save a roomful of people from a ticking bomb". However, under international law torture is always prohibited. Article 2 (2) of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which Israel ratified in 1991, states that: "No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political in stability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture."

In addition, torture is used systematically against hundreds of Palestinians every year, even in situations where no "ticking bomb" is involved. The mockery of this argument is shown by the fact that in the majority of cases interrogators take weekends off, using interrogation methods constituting torture only from Sunday to Thursday.

The United Nations Committee against Torture, a committee of international experts which reviews countries' application of the United Nations Convention against Torture, stated in 1997 and 1998 that Israel's interrogation methods constituted torture or ill-treatment banned by the convention

Bullshit “Israel doesn’t use torture” claims aside I hope these guys have fantastic security to ensure none of them ever get kidnapped and that they can fight the urge to video and photograph themselves torturing their captives or the situation in the Middle East could once more get worse just when it seemed to be bottoming out.

[JME2]

Very interesting, unfortunatly this just gives more ammo to the "Iraq is a Zionist Conspericy" crowd.

Agreed; Israel's human right's history is, alongside the rest of the Middle East isn't looking so hot (pardon the pun)...

[Plekhanov]

Oops that last post of mine should have started “Janes wrote:” not “MKSheppard:” wrote sorry about that.

[MKSheppard]

Oh come off it far from swearing off torture “20 years ago” Israel is as far as I’m aware the only country to have explicitly legalised the use of torture, this [url=http://web.amnesty.

You know, next time actually read the articul, none of those are physical
methods of harming someone, they're psychological, like the articul says,
beating the snot out of someone is inefficient.

[Plekhanov]

Oh come off it far from swearing off torture “20 years ago” Israel is as far as I’m aware the only country to have explicitly legalised the use of torture, this [url=http://web.amnesty.

You know, next time actually read the articul, none of those are physical
methods of harming someone, they're psychological, like the articul says,
beating the snot out of someone is inefficient.

Next time before you tell someone to read an article make sure you’ve read it first, as it seems you’ve neglected to do this I’ve picked out and highlighted the relevant bits for you:

The methods to be reviewed include extremely violent shaking (still used despite causing the death of a detainee in 1995); sleep deprivation for periods of up to several days; forcing detainees to remain in painful positions for hours on end; forcing detainees to listen to incessant screeching music; prolonged squatting; confinement to cupboard-sized rooms and exposure to heat and cold.

So “violent shaking” which has CAUSED AT LEAST ONE DOCUMENT DEATH isn’t physical, death doesn’t count as harm? So “sleep deprivation for periods of up to several days” isn’t physical? So “prolonged squatting; confinement to cupboard-sized rooms and exposure to heat and cold.” aren’t physical?

Just where exactly does physical start in your world? Does “harm” only start when you mutilate the corpses or something?

Background
Torture has been effectively legalized in Israel by various means:

1) secret guidelines to a report by the Landau Commission into interrogation methods in 1987 which authorized the GSS to use "A MODERATE MEASURE OF PHYSICAL PRESSURE" during interrogations.

2) a ministerial committee which has continued to approve the use of physical pressure by the GSS and, since 1994, has allowed the use of "INCREASED PHYSICAL PRESSURE".

3) the Israeli High Court of Justice, which in individual cases has ruled THAT PHYSICAL PRESSURE can be used against detainees.

The fucking Israeli courts even use the word PHYSICAL in their judgements legalising torture just how explicitly do you need it spelled out. ISRAEL PHYSICALLY TORTURES PEOPLE, IT HARMS THEM AND IT KILLS THEM.

[Sarevok]

Very interesting, unfortunatly this just gives more ammo to the "Iraq is a Zionist Conspericy" crowd.

I agree. This is going to have a very negative impact on how the Iraq war is viewed in the muslim world. It would be ammunition to those who had been claiming that the real reaon Saddam had been removed because he was a threat to Israel.