Bremer 'knew of jail abuse'

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Former Iraqi human rights minister Abdel Basset Turki said yesterday US overseer Paul Bremer knew in November that Iraqi prisoners were being abused in US detention centres.

"In November I talked to Mr Bremer about human rights violations in general and in jails in particular. He listened but there was no answer. At the first meeting, I asked to be allowed to visit the security prisoners, but I failed," he said.

"I told him the news. He didn't take care about the information I gave him."

Coalition spokesman Gareth Bayley defended Bremer's commitment to human rights in Iraq.

Turki, whose resignation was formally accepted by the coalition on Sunday, said he told Bremer about his meetings with former detainees and the harsh treatment they had described.

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