Frauds Try to Exploit Iraq Abuse Scandal

[Barrett808]

Frauds Try to Exploit Iraq Abuse Scandal
By LEE KEATH, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The scandal over abuse at Abu Ghraib is bringing out the stories, from people fearing for imprisoned relatives, from former detainees who claim mistreatment — and from possible frauds looking to exploit the uproar.

At a press conference by human rights groups in Baghdad on Sunday, numerous former prisoners came forward to tell of abuse including beatings by soldiers and sleep deprivation. The accounts resembled those found by U.S. investigators at the notorious prison.

Fallujah native Abdul-Qader Abdul-Rahman al-Ani, his left elbow wrapped in bandages, his right forearm bound in a cast, recounted how he was beaten by soldiers who picked him up last month. The soldiers tied him and two others arrested with him to a tree and sodomized them one after the other, he told journalists.

"I ask President Bush," he said. "Does he agree with this?"

As Ani, 47, repeated his story, he was interrupted by Jabber al-Okaili, a member of one of the human rights groups that organized the gathering. "He's lying," al-Okaili shouted. "He's a liar!"

Al-Ani was rushed to an office, where al-Okaili and others unwound the bandage on his left arm and found the elbow unscarred and healthy. They cut off half of the cast on his forearm, even as al-Ani insisted, "By God, it's true, everything I say is true."

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040509/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_prisoners__stories&cid=540&ncid=1480

[mmonk]

1. That's what they are going to get

as long as some talk about compensation. Any plans for compensation should have been put on hold and kept silent until they investigate further and search for victims.

[sandnsea]

2. Probably why they did it

Create chaos and confusion so "Muricans" can dismiss the whole thing as a bunch of lies and fuel more anger towards them freedom-hating A-Rabs.

[daleo]

3. Sounds like some muddy waters tunes coming up

I didn't find anything on the Free Iraq Institute on google, but it sounds like there was as setup here - a little political theater probably worked out beforehand. CIA in action, perhaps?

"As Ani, 47, repeated his story, he was interrupted by Jabber al-Okaili, a member of one of the human rights groups that organized the gathering. "He's lying," al-Okaili shouted. "He's a liar!""

"Al-Ani was rushed to an office, where al-Okaili and others unwound the bandage on his left arm and found the elbow unscarred and healthy. They cut off half of the cast on his forearm, even as al-Ani insisted, "By God, it's true, everything I say is true." "

How would this al-Okaili fellow know to call Ani's bluff, if it wasn't set up beforehand? I expect there to be a lot of this sort of thing flying around in the near future. I think there will be a lot of fraudulent photos released (some obvious, some not so obvious), to cast doubt on the real ones. Unless, of course the CIA/MI6 want to bring down Bush and Blair.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Which they may

and as is, too late, they have tried with the video circulating from the Bosnian war... and it did not work

[acmavm]

5. You know though, I can't help but thinking that if we hadn't been caught

red-handed doing that kind of crap, we wouldn't be worrying about the fakers trying to cash in now.

[DulceDecorum]

6. Oye! Las publiciatas mercenarios

entrar aqi.
Lights, camera, ACTION!!!!

How long do you think that Al-Ani is going to live once he is let out onto the street?
How much do you want to bet that Coalition is going to keep him in "protective custody"?

The person who busted the "faker" is Jabber al-Okaili of the Free Iraq institute.
This organization, to the best of my knowledge,
HAS NEVER BEEN HEARD OF BEFORE THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED.
The closest I can come to identifying this group, is Radio Free Europe.

To address the second widespread misconception about RFE/RL, that we are solely engaged with Europe: the facts are otherwise. About half of the countries to which we broadcast are in Asia. And they, too, desperately need what RFE/RL offers.
<snip>
I'm going to skip over Iraq, where we broadcast in Arabic and Kurdish, for two reasons. First, I think it's safe to say that everyone in this room is well aware of what's going on there. Second, to my enormous regret, the Administration's FY05 budget calls for the termination of Radio Free Iraq at the end of this fiscal year. It is now up to Congress to decide whether to acquiesce or continue funding it to the tune of $2.2 million a year. Whatever the outcome, I am delighted with what RFI has accomplished in its five years; the latest research shows that a whopping 34.4% of Iraqis listen to us each week.
<snip>
As you can see, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has as much to do with Asia as it does with Europe. In fact, since we are funded by the government, our priorities as an organization largely track its priorities, and right now the biggest priority of the government is combating terrorism. That's why I always have to laugh when people claim that RFE/RL is a relic-especially since 19 of our 28 broadcast languages are directed at predominantly-Muslim populations.
http://www.rferl.org/about/speeches/060504.asp

Naturally, the Rendon Group and their sponsors in the CIA are close at hand.

"The Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based Conservative think tank, published a piece in response to the foreign policy mess and suggested the launch of a surrogate propaganda broadcast service against Iraq. On February 5, 1998, James Phillips and James Anderson presented the paper 'Air Strikes Are Necessary To Weaken, Discredit, and Punish Saddam Hussein,' in which they urge U.S. congress to 'mount a psychological warfare campaign through a Radio Free Iraq...'
"The idea quickly gained support from the Republican-led Congress, which held hearings on U.S. foreign policy towards Iraq and heard directly from Iraqi National Congress (INC) head Ahmed Chalabi about the strength of U.S.-sponsored opposition radio. On March 23, 1998 U.S. Senate approved Bill S.1768 - adding a US$5 million grant for Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) under the State Department authorization bill that was earmarked for the new Radio Free Iraq.

"Allegedly without much consultation with local authorities, RFE/RL immediately drew up plans to base the new surrogate broadcasting service from their main office in Prague, Czech Republic. The opposition in the Czech parliament, sensing political gain, denounced the plans on grounds that it would invite terrorism into the country.
http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Radio_Free_Iraq

Covert operations were defined as "all activities ... conducted or sponsored ... against hostile foreign states or groups or in support of friendly foreign states or groups but which are so planned and executed that any US Government responsibility for them is not evident to unauthorized persons and that if uncovered the US Government can plausibly disclaim any responsibility for them." (9)
http://www.btinternet.com/~rrnotes/psywarsoc/fleaf/rfe.htm

[maddezmom]

7. remember all the scams here in the states after 9/11....evil deeds bring

out the worst in people. :(