Report on USA Patriot Act Alleges Civil Rights Violations

[Judi Lynn]

Report on USA Patriot Act Alleges Civil Rights Violations
By PHILIP SHENON


WASHINGTON, July 20 — A report by internal investigators at the Justice Department has identified dozens of recent cases in which department employees have been accused of serious civil rights and civil liberties violations involving enforcement of the sweeping federal antiterrorism law known as the USA Patriot Act.

The inspector general's report, which was presented to Congress last week and is awaiting public release, is likely to raise new concern among lawmakers about whether the Justice Department can police itself when its employees are accused of violating the rights of Muslim and Arab immigrants and others swept up in terrorism investigations under the 2001 law.

The report said that in the six-month period that ended on June 15, the inspector general's office had received 34 complaints of civil rights and civil liberties violations by department employees that it considered credible, including accusations that Muslim and Arab immigrants in federal detention centers had been beaten. (snip)

(snip) While most of the accusations in the report are still under investigation, the report said a handful had been substantiated, including those against a federal prison doctor who was reprimanded after reportedly telling an inmate during a physical examination that "if I was in charge, I would execute every one of you" because of "the crimes you all did." (snip/...)

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/21/politics/21JUST.html?th
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[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. There always has to be an independent watchdog

The fact that, later on in the article, they tell of a prison official taking the shirt off a detainee "to wipe my shoes" tells all. There was an initial closed investigation by the Bureau of Prisons that said nothing had happened. Of course, they hadn't questioned the victim or any of his witnesses. When the Independent Investigator got on the scene, he found another prison official who witnessed the event and substantiated the claim of the victim.

The sooner the "Patriot" Act is declared null and void, the better.

[Rose Siding]

2. ...awaiting public release

I should hope so. Reports of beatings credible even to the govt's own office? Shame.